Hyperfocus: How To Work Less And Achieve More
How are you managing your attention? Is your day dictated to you? Are you busy, yet unproductive? Chris Bailey reveals the science of focus and how you can better manage and utilize your attention.
“Attention is the backdrop against which we live our lives,” says author Chris Bailey. Managing our attention is a key component of not only our productivity, but also our social connections. Many of us are guilty of living our lives on autopilot mode. We scroll mindlessly on social media and jump from task to task without any notable intention. We live in a world with an overwhelming amount of information accessible at the simple click of a button. This has led us to a life of overstimulation, less focus, and reduced our capability of deep thought.
In this book, Chris Bailey reveals the science behind attention, how to achieve hyperfocus, how to manage your distractions, the benefits of strategic mind wandering, why multitasking is a myth and much more.
Keep reading for my key three lessons.
Lesson 1: Attentional Space
Bailey says that “attentional space refers to the amount of mental capacity available to focus on and process things in the moment.”
Our brain can only hold four pieces of information at once in our short-term memory. This makes managing our attentional space vital when aiming to be more productive within a specific time period.
Tasks can be broken down into two categories: habitual and complex. Habitual tasks take up less attentional space which is why we are able to do the washing whilst singing along to our favourite song. However, complex tasks require the majority of our attentional space.
“Productive tasks can not be done out of habit”, says Bailey reinforcing the fact that our most productive tasks are our most complex ones.
Managing our attentional space is key for entering a state of hyperfocus where we are fully immersed in a task that is purposeful and meaningful. These are also tasks we tend to enjoy the most.
A key element of this is setting an intention. If you do not set an intention, then when your mind wanders, or you find yourself distracted, you won't know what to direct your attention back to.
How likely are you to sit down and complete a vague task? How motivated do you feel when sitting down for an hour-long task that you have titled ‘Research’?
Be specific with your intentions. Break it down into what you specifically want to achieve. Not only does this give you a clear goal to work towards but it will be easier to divert your attention back when your mind wanders.
Keep only one task in your attentional space, leaving some room to also keep your intention in the forefront of your mind. This will increase your focus and productivity.
Lesson 2: Distractions
The fact that we have so much information available is a blessing, but also a curse. We can find out anything almost instantly, but this novelty ends up taking us away from our intentions.
We have a novelty bias, which the internet and social media play into massively. Our distractions have become more appealing than our work.
Productivity can be perceived as having ‘superhuman control’ but it is actually a case of managing our impulses and desires ahead of time.
A great way to manage your distractions is to plan ahead. Break them down into elements you can and can’t control. Those you can control, deal with before they happen.
For example, put your phone on Do Not Disturb or in a different room. If you find yourself getting interrupted at work, tell your colleagues you're going to have a one hour session of distraction free work in a quiet room and only to interrupt you if the building is burning down.
Bailey says that “by removing every object of attention, that’s potentially more stimulating and attractive than what you intend to do, you give your brain no choice but to work on that task.”
Modify your environment to be more productive. Clear your desk so you only have your laptop. Download an app blocker that sets a timer so you can’t go on the ‘unproductive’ side of the internet.
Create small blocks of time throughout the day where you allow yourself to be distracted. Enjoy that side of life so you don't create the feeling that your work has a stranglehold over you.
Lesson 3: Habitual Scatterfocus
Although daydreaming and mind wandering is mostly unproductive, being intentional with it can unlock your creative side. Bailey calls this ‘Scatterfocus’.
Habitual Sactterfocus is when you do one habitual task (e.g. walking/washing/running etc.) that you enjoy and allow your mind to wander. This is important as an elevated mood actually increases the size of your attentional space.
Although you are letting your mind wander, you are doing it with intention. You must then direct your attention back to what you want to accomplish.
Entering this state fosters creativity. When we make mistakes and learn from them, or admit when we are wrong, we make new dots (pieces of information). Habitual Scatterfocus then brings these dots into your attentional space. We then connect these to things we experience and where our minds happen to wander.
If we are trying to solve a problem, we keep this open loop at the forefront of our mind as we have a desire to solve it. So as we collect new dots through experiences (e.g. what you see on a walk) we connect each new piece of information to the open loop in an attempt to find a solution.
This is why you may have a ‘eureka moment’ about an issue you had earlier in the day whilst having a casual conversation with a friend at dinner.
Bailey goes into greater detail on how to consume more valuable dots and 6 ways you can level up your Habitual Scatterfocus.
Conclusion
If you feel like you are busy, yet unproductive and unfocused then this book will certainly help you in taking back control of your attention. Your attention is not something you should give away lightly. Be thoughtful and intentional with your actions and what you direct your attention towards. I am unable to do this book complete justice in a short post but this is packed with information that will transform your focus and allow you to take back your life.