Hyperfocus ― How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction

A practical guide to managing your attention--the most powerful resource you have to get stuff done, become more creative, and live a meaningful life

Our attention has never been as overwhelmed as it is today. Many of us recognize that our brains are unable to multitask but feel compelled to do so anyway, as we easily become uncomfortable and try to cram as much into every moment of our lives as we can. Hyperfocus provides profound insights into how we can best manage our attention in a distressed world.

The most recent neuroscientific research on attention reveals that our brain has two powerful modes that can be unlocked when we use our attention well: a focused mode (hyperfocus), which is the foundation for being highly productive, and a creative mode (scatterfocus), which enables us to connect ideas in novel ways. Hyperfocus helps readers unlock each of the two mental modes so they can concentrate more deeply, think more clearly, and work and live more deliberately every day. Chris Bailey examines such topics as the four key types of distraction and interruption; establishing a clear physical and mental environment in which to work; managing motivation; and learning when to pay attention and when to let your attention wander usefully. As timely as it is enlightening--and as informative as it is entertaining--Hyperfocus will transform how readers think about and manage their attention on a daily basis.

Chris Bailey, ran a year long productivity project where he conducted intensive research, as well as dozens of productivity experiments on himself, to discover how to become as productive as possible. To date, he has written hundreds of articles on the subject, and has garnered coverage in media as diverse as The New York Times, The Huffington Post, New York magazine, Harvard Business Review, TED, Fast Company, and Lifehacker.
The author of The Productivity Project, Chris lives in Ottawa, Ontario.