The Organized Mind

By Daniel Levitin

Thinking straight in the age of information overload

• The brain can only focus on a limited number of stimuli at a time
  • Attentional system
• We're surrounded by more and more information, and as a result, we're focused to make more and more decisions
  • We shouldn't spend too much time on less important everyday choices. Instead, we should find shortcuts and way to simplify our decision making.
• Find a designated place for every single object
  • hippocampus for remembering the location of things
  • Designate a specific location in your house that will be home to these objects. Be strict about adhering to it
• Organize your ideas outside your head
  • Write down ideas
  • No longer have the burden of trying to remeber it all day
  • Two minute rule - if the task takes longer than two minutes to complete, write it down. Otherwise, do it right away
  • Writing things down conserves the mental energy expended in worrying that you might forget something and in trying not to forget it.
• Junk drawers for miscellaneous items are incredibly effective - use them every day
• Set aside time to refuel so you can increase your productivity later
  • reduce the number of things it's working on at any given moment.
  • The companies that are winning the productivity battle are those that allow their employees productivity hours, naps, a chance for exercise
• Eat a diet that's got enough protein to help neurons function properly --cellular housekeeping
• Try to avoid complacency, seek out the novel, seek out the new, that's the way to stay young.