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6. “‘Infomania’ Worse Than Marijuana,” BBC News, April 22, 2005, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4471607.stm.
7. Fabritius and Hagemann, Leading Brain, 83.
8. Burkeman, “Attentional Commons.”
9. Novak, “Thinking Cap.”
10. Naish, “Is Multi-tasking Bad for Your Brain?”
11. Clay Shirky, “Why I Just Asked My Students to Put Their Laptops Away,” Medium, September 8, 2014, https://medium.com/@cshirky/why-i-just-asked-my-students-to-put-their-laptops-away-7f5f7c50f368.
12. Aaron Gouveia, “Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know about Wasting Time in the Office,” SFGate.com, July 28, 2013, https://www.sfgate.com/jobs/salary/article/2013-Wasting-Time-at-Work-Survey-4374026.php.
13. Adam Gazzaley and Larry Rosen, The Distracted Mind (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2016), 165–66.
14. See David Rock, Your Brain at Work (New York: HarperBusiness, 2009), 55.
15. Edward M. Hallowell, Driven to Distraction at Work (Boston: Harvard Business Review Press, 2015), 6.
16. Chris Bailey, HyperFocus (New York: Viking, 2018), 105–6; Benjamin Hardy, Willpower Doesn’t Work (New York: Hachette, 2018), 192; and Simone M. Ritter and Sam Ferguson, “Happy Creativity: Listening to Happy Music Facilitates Divergent Thinking,” PLOS One, September 6, 2017, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182210.
17. Dean Burnett, “Does Music Really Help You Concentrate?” The Guardian, August 20, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/aug/20/does-music-really-help-you-concentrate.
18. See Fabritius and Hagemann, Leading Brain, 21–22, 28, 191.
19. Hardy, Willpower Doesn’t Work, 190–95.
20. On the pluses see Tim Harford, Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform our Lives (New York: Riverhead, 2016).
21. Erin Doland, “Scientists Find Physical Clutter Negatively Affects Your Ability to Focus, Process Information,” Unclutterer.com, March 29, 2011, https://unclutterer.com/2011/03/29/scientists-find-physical-clutter-negatively-affects-your-ability-to-focus-process-information/.
22. See the chapter on distractions in Rock, Your Brain at Work, 45–59.
23. Fabritius and Hagemann, Leading Brain, 102.
Put Your Focus to Work
1. Ian Mortimer, Millennium (New York: Pegasus, 2016), 237–38.
Index
absentee and lower productivity rates, 32
accommodation, 104
achieving more by doing less, 19, 37
Act, 21, 159–221, 227
Activate, 21, 205–21
affirmation, 105–6
air traffic controllers, 183–84
“alone zone,” 164
American Psychological Association, 15
apps, 129–30
aptitude, 46
assembly line, 26
attack, 104
attention, as finite and valuable, 115, 228
Attention Deficit Disorder, 215
Attention Deficit Trait, 215
Automate, 21, 115–36, 168
Automation Worksheet, 135
avoidance, 104–5
Back Stage, 166, 168–70, 171, 173, 178–79, 197
Basil the Great, 40
Bertolini, Mark, 70
Bezos, Jeff, 70
boundaries, 210–11
breakthrough moments, 72
Brin, Sergey, 81
Brown, Stuart, 79
Buffet, Warren, 81
Burkeman, Oliver, 11, 13, 16, 211
Burnett, Dean, 217
burnout, 32, 102
Bush, George W., 81
busyness, 16
buying back time, 141, 156–57
Carter, Jimmy, 81
cell phones. See smartphone
Center for Creative Leadership, 15
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 74
Chesterfield, Lord, 162, 180
Churchill, Winston, 71, 81–82
circumstances, 61
clarifying one’s objectives, 225
Clayton, Russell, 75–76
clearing the decks, 224–25
Cloud, Henry, 77
clutter, 218–19
commitments, 96–99
elimination of, 108–10
to free time, 111
confusion, 193
connect, 195
connections, 77–79
Consolidate, 21, 161–81
contribution, 48
control, taking vs. surrendering, 196
coordination, 168–69
Costolo, Dick, 81
counterproductive productivity, 17–18
Covey, Stephen, 191
coworkers, 78
“cozy rut,” 99
creativity
and changing environment, 72
through disengagement, 37
freeing up, 117
and play, 79
Currey, Mason, 117
Cut, 19–21, 89–158, 227
Daily Big 3, 196–202, 204, 220, 226
Daily Rituals Worksheet, 135
decluttering workspace, 218–19
deep work, 33, 52, 164, 197, 210, 215, 218
deferring, 190
delayed communication, 208–9
Delegate, 21, 137–57, 168
levels of, 148, 149–56
and mentoring, 153
process, 145–49
as smart and organizationally sound, 140
Delegation Hierarchy, 141–46
Designate, 21, 183–204
Desire Zone, 49, 51–53, 55–59, 97, 98, 101, 140, 144–45, 146, 199–201
developing potential, 61
development, 168, 169–70
Developmental Zone, 53–55
digital technology, 14–16
Dillard, Annie, 161
disappointing people, 107–8
discipline, 59–60
Disinterest Zone, 49–50, 55, 100, 116, 143–44, 146
disruptions, minimizing of, 221
Distraction Economy, 13–14, 185, 206, 227
distractions, 35, 212–15, 226
Distraction Zone, 50–51, 55, 99, 100, 144, 146
doing nothing from time to time, 36–37
Doland, Erin, 218
dopamine, 209, 215
downhill tasks, 213–15
drink, 73
Drudgery Zone, 48–49, 50, 55, 58, 100, 109, 116, 142–43, 144
eating, 72–74, 195
Edison, Thomas, 71
efficiency, 27–30
Eisenhower, Dwight, 81
Eisenhower Priority Matrix, 191–94, 199
Eisner, Michael, 69
Eliminate, 21, 91–113, 168, 190
email, 13, 15–16, 29, 85, 120, 163, 179
filtering software, 130–31
signature feature, 124
templates, 123–24
energy, 74, 86–87
energy drinks, 73
energy flexing, 68, 87, 101
energy management, 78
energy producers and drains, 78
environment, taking charge of, 218
Ericsson, Anders, 54
Evaluate, 19, 43–64, 87
evening ritual, 119
Evernote, 127
exercise, 74–77
exhaustion, 66–67
Fabritius, Friederike, 208, 220
Facebook, 71, 78, 213
factory workers, 28, 38
fake work, 14, 99, 214
family and friends, time with, 35–36, 41, 170
fear of missing out, 193
feedback, 149
focus, 33–35, 180, 206
Focus@Will, 217
Focus Defense Worksheet, 221
focus tactics, 215–20
food, 72
Ford, Henry and Edsel, 38
Ford Motors, 38–40
Formulate, 19, 25–42, 87
freedom, 41
Freedom (app), 215–16
Freedom Compass, 45, 5
5–58, 64, 96–97, 195, 226
freedom (productivity objective), 33–37
freedom to be present, 35–36
freedom to be spontaneous, 36
freedom to do nothing, 36–37
freedom to focus, 33–35
free time, commitment to, 111
frenetic schedules, 84
Fried, Jason, 164
friendships, time for, 79
Front Stage, 166, 167–68, 171, 173, 176, 178–79, 197
frustration tolerance, 219–20
gardening, 97
Gates, Bill, 81
Gazzaley, Adam, 213
Gernsback, Hugo, 205, 212
Google Voice number, 210
Grant, Ulysses S., 81
guilt, 193
Hagemann, Hans, 208, 220
Hallowell, Edward, 215
Hansen, Morten T., 67
Hardy, Benjamin, 218
Hastings, Reed, 71
health, 228
Heinemeier, David, 164
hobbies, 41, 79, 228
Holland, Barbara, 71
Ideal Week, 119, 162, 172–81, 226
Ideal Week template, 182
I Love Lucy (TV program), 25–26
impairment, 70
Information Economy, 13
innovation, and changing environment, 72
instant communication, 207–11
instant-gratification culture, 84
interruptions, 207–11, 226
Isolator, 205–6, 212
Jobs, Steve, 111
Johnson, Paul, 81–82
Jones, Charlie “Tremendous”, 50
journaling, 220
karoshi (death by overwork), 32
Kennedy, John F., 71
King, Stephen, 223
knowledge workers, 28
Koch, Jim, 200, 202
Lewis, Penelope A., 70
liberating truths, 59–63
lifestyle objectives, 38
limiting beliefs, 59–63
“loss of separation,” 184
lunch, 72
MacArthur, Douglas, 71
McCartney, Paul, 99
McKeown, Greg, 183
macro-processing software, 131–32
maintenance, 168, 169
margin, 33, 36, 52, 111, 157, 224, 225, 226
meals, and building relationships, 74
meetings, 197
MegaBatching, 162, 163–66, 172, 180–81
mental health, 83
mentoring, 153
Michel, Alexandra, 65–66
Michelangelo, 21, 100
micro-breaks, 82–83
micromanagers, 149
Miller, Megan Hyatt, 54
mindset, 54
Minor, Dylan, 78
morning ritual, 119
Mortimer, Ian, 223
movement (exercise), 74–77, 195
multitasking, 161–62, 212
music, 217
musicians, 46
Musk, Elon, 67–68
Naish, John, 161, 212
naps, 71
Nashville, 46
natural foods, 73
nature, 82–83
necessary routines, 147–48
Netflix, 71
Newport, Cal, 161–62, 164
Not-to-Do List, 93, 99–100, 113
Nozbe, 202
nutrition, 73
nutritional supplement protocol, 73
offloading tasks, 138, 225–26
Off Stage, 166, 170, 173, 176, 195
OneNote, 127
Opipari, Ben, 75
outdoors, 82–83
overgrowth. See pruning
overlong hours, 65–67
Pang, Alex Soojun-Kim, 179
Pareto principle, 198
passion, 45–46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 55, 58
physical activity, 74–77
physical and emotional distress, 66
Pieper, Josef, 32
Pink, Daniel H., 179
play, 79–83, 195
poker, 93
“positive no,” 104–6
Postrel, Virginia, 81
priorities, 102, 190, 197
process automation, 125–26, 134
productivity
as getting the right things done, 37
as interpersonal, 77–79
old methods of, 224
purpose of, 19, 27
and saying no, 93, 97
as skill to be developed, 61
Productivity Assessment, 22, 225
productivity objectives, 27
productivity systems, 17–18
productivity vision, 40–42
Productivity Vision exercise, 42, 45
productivity zones, 48–55
proficiency, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 55, 58
Project Vision Caster, 158
pruning, 97, 99, 111, 184, 225
reflection, 84–85, 195
Rejuvenate, 19, 65–87
rejuvenation, 170, 176, 177–78, 194–95
Rejuvenation Self-Assessment, 88
relationships, 228
relaxation, 81, 170
restoration, 82
rituals, 117–21
Ronalds, Francis, 223–24
Rosen, Larry, 213
Rule of Fifty, 66
saying no, 92–99, 100–108, 111
scarcity mentality, 100
scheduling, 190
screencast utilities, 133
screens, turning off, 71
self-automation, 116–21, 133
self (theme), 176–77
Seneca, 202, 203
setting one’s baseline, 225
Shirky, Clay, 212
Silverman, Rachel Emma, 14, 166
Simon, Herbert, 13, 227
skill plus contribution, 46
Slack, 16, 86, 115, 120, 163, 173, 179, 207, 208, 209, 214
sleep, 69–72, 86, 195
sleep-deprived, 70
smartphone, 15, 29, 32, 35, 85, 162
social audit, 78
social media, 84, 146, 163, 206, 213
spontaneity, 36
Stop, 19, 23–88, 224, 227
stress, 12, 15, 32, 74, 76
success, 30–33
Sullivan, Dan, 78
SweetProcess, 127
switching, 161–62
Task Filter Worksheet, 94, 113, 135, 158
tasks, 184–85, 190, 197-201
Taylor, Frederick Winslow, 27–28
Taylorism, 28
technology, 29–30, 62, 215–16
technology automation, 129–33, 134
telegraph, 223
template automation, 121–25, 134
text-expansion software, 132–33
text messages, 210
theming, 176–78
“think time,” 166
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 43–45
Timashev, Ratmir, 200
time, 59, 86–87
control of, 60
as finite resource, 101–2
as fixed, 95, 157
as zero-sum game, 95
time and energy, 67–68
time blocking, 103
time famine, 137–38
Tolkien, J. R. R., 71
“total work,” 32
trade-offs, 95–96
trial and error, 141
true north, 55, 57, 58, 96, 225
Twitter, 78
unplugging, 83, 85–86, 195
uphill tasks, 214–15
Ury, William, 104–6
vision. See productivity vision
Weekly Big 3, 187, 191, 192, 202, 204, 220, 226
Weekly Preview, 185–96, 202, 204, 226
Whillans, Ashley, 137–38, 140
Whitehead, Alfred North, 115
why, as value or principle, 92
workday shutdown ritual, 119–20, 163
workday startup ritual, 119–20, 163
workflow, 125–29, 147
Workflow Optimizer, 129, 136
working backwards, 66
work obligations, 35
workout, 75
work (theme), 176, 177
worry creep, 85
zero-sum game, 93–95
Michael Hyatt is the founder and CEO of Michael Hyatt & Company, a leadership coaching and development firm twice listed on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing US companies. A longtime publishing executive, Michael is the former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson, now part of HarperCollins. He is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of several books, including Your Best Year Ever, Living Forward, and Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. Michael is the creator of the Full Focus Planner, which combines quarterly goal-tracking and daily productivity in a proven system for personal and professional achievement. His blog and weekly podcast, Lead to Win, are go-to resources for hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs, executives, and aspiring leaders. Michael and his wife of forty years, Gail, have five daughters, three sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren. They live just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more at MichaelHyatt.com.
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Table of Contents
Cover
Endorsements
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Stepping into Focus
Step 1: Stop 1. Formulate
2. Evaluate
3. Rejuvenate
Step 2: Cut 4. Eliminate
5. Automate
6. Delegate
Step 3: Act 7. Consolidate
8. Designate
9. Activate
Put Your Focus to Work
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
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