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Summary

<aside> 💡 Overall Thoughts

For me, this was one of those books that contained a lot of information I already knew, but served to bolster that information with additional studies and examples. Most importantly, reading it served as a catalyst for reviewing my routines and habits, and then improving them.

I recommend this book if you want a deep dive into the science of focus along with a lot of practical advice for how to cultivate it.

</aside>

<aside> 💡 Main Takeaways

1. Deliberately setting intentions before sitting down to work is hugely effective for staying on task and being resistant to distractions.
2. Hyperfocus vs. Scatterfocus: Both are crucial. Hyperfocus allows you to stay focused on one problem and execute; Scatterfocus (i.e. the “diffuse mode” from A Mind for Numbers) allows for creativity and new insights. It is worthwhile to learn how to deliberately enter both modes multiple times a day.
3. Chris’ writing on creating a distraction-free ritual was probably the most actionable thing for me in this book. </aside>

Book Notes

Chapter 0: Why Focus Matters

• In any given moment, we are always focusing on something.
• Chris leaves his phone at home even when going to the diner to write, in order to do so distraction-free
  • Get the phone out of your immediate vicinity for most of the day. This is a theme that I think will crop up more and more in this book, and something I’m become more convicted about.
• No wi-fi at the diner.
• “Constant connectivity is one of the worst disruptions to our focus and productivity.”
• One of the best ways to foster creativity and additional productivity is learning to unfocus – to step back and gain some space, uninterrupted by something vying for your attention.
  • Pay attention to nothing and let the mind wander.
• Studies show we go an average of 40 seconds when working on a computer before becoming distracted or interrupted
  • Difference: Interruptions happen to us. Distractions are caused by us.

Chapter 0.5: How to Better Focus on This Book

• Put your phone out of sight
  • “When your brain is even slightly resisting a task, it will look for more novel things to focus on.”
  • Phones provide a constant stream of tiny dopamine hits and novelty. They’re a great way to escape from the task providing resistance.
  • Experiment: Pay attention to when, and the number of times, you pull out your phone in a day. Why do you do it?
    • I’ve noticed a pattern – when I wake up, I go through my morning routine and make breakfast. Then I eat it while watching YT videos, and tend to keep watching them long after. I waste so much time this way. I think my brain uses breakfast as an excuse to seek novelty, and to avoid my tough work.
• Mind your environment
• Make a distractions list
  • I started this while reading this chapter, using my green moleskine. I ended up with a lot of great ideas for videos, along with other listed distractions.
• Question whether the book is worth consuming at all
• Have some Caffeine before reading
  • If early enough in the day – Caffeine can take 8-14 hours to metabolize out of your system
  • Trade-off – you have to pay for this gained energy imbalance later in the day, but it’s often worth it.
• Grab a pen and highlighter. Mark up the book.