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  • Hyperfocus

  • How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction
  • Written by: Chris Bailey
  • Narrated by: Chris Bailey
  • Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (54 ratings)

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Hyperfocus

Written by: Chris Bailey
Narrated by: Chris Bailey
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Publisher's Summary

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 struggle to multitask. Despite this, we feel compelled to do so anyway while we fill each moment of our lives to the brim with mindless distraction. Hyperfocus provides profound insights into how you can best take charge of your attention to achieve a greater sense of purpose and productivity throughout the day.  

The most recent neuroscientific research reveals that our brain has two powerful modes that can be unlocked when we use our attention effectively: 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 you access each of the two mental modes so you can concentrate more deeply, think more clearly, and work and live more deliberately every day. Chris Bailey examines such topics such as:  

  • Identifying and dealing with the four key types of distraction and interruption
  • Establishing a clear physical and mental environment in which to work
  • Controlling motivation and working fewer hours to become more productive
  • Taking time-outs with intention
  • Multitasking strategically
  • Learning when to pay attention and when to let your mind wander wherever it wants to

By transforming how you think about your attention, Hyperfocus reveals that the more effectively you learn to take charge of it, the better you'll be able to manage every aspect of your life.

©2018 Chris Bailey (P)2018 Penguin Audio

What the critics say

"An engaging book . . . When Mr. Bailey was writing this book, he may as well have pinned my photo above his desk and labeled it 'my audience.' . . . Hyperfocus helped me recognize the limits of my attentional space and make my environment more conducive to focus . . . Mr. Bailey teaches how to re-examine your tasks, determine your priorities and minimize interruptions. . . . When I started the second part of the book, I excitedly placed exclamation points next to all of the examples of places your mind could go if it was left to do its own thing." (The New York Times, "Self-Helped" column)

"In this practical and widely applicable manual Bailey . . . identifies distraction as an endemic probem plaguing the business world, and just about every facet of modern life as well . . . Highly germane to any fast-paced workplace, this book is a must-read for readers seeking to regain control of their ability to concentrate." (Publishers Weekly)

"Hyperfocus does a remarkable job of unpacking the realities, obstacles, and best practices of managing the subtle but ever-present world of our conscious attention. All of us can get better at how, when, and on what we focus; and this is an extraordinary, eye-opening and research based report of what affects us in this regard, and how to take advantage of this information to achieve greater satisfaction in our lives. Bravo, Chris." (David Allen, author of Getting Things Done

What listeners say about Hyperfocus

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The playbook to optimize your day

Don’t plan your work day before understanding how to optimize scatter focus and hyper focus.

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A book that will change your life

I read 7 habits, good to great, personal mba, great by choice, and many other business and productivity books. But this is the book I listen to over and over for 2 years now. I continue listening to Chris's first book Productivity challenge for 5 years or so. Still helpful after all these years. All in the books are absolutely practical and useful for business and all areas of life.

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pretty good

i love listening to nerds talk about studies. this books gives a great insight on why focus works the way it does and the insight to work on yours

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It's Stephen Covey's 4 quadrants...

If you've read Stephen Covey this book is a repackaged description of his 4 quadrants of urgency and importance.

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