Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey
HyperFocus is about increasing your concentration by focusing on one task at a time. By doing this, you’ll understand your mind better and be able to distinguish between tasks that are important and those that will only waste your time.
Life’s Last Edit by Rahul Makwana
Think of it as a self-help bible—not just a collection of lessons, but a guide to transforming your life.
Book in Five Sentences
- Always take a rest, you don’t have to work 24/7. When you take rest, not only your body but your mind also gets a boost.
- Plan your day in advance, don’t do things that just come in your way. Make a list of things that you need to do the next day.
- Get into the flow state.
- Work on your habits and create a routine that fits well with your lifestyle.
- Make sure you only work on one task at a time, and never multitask even when you feel like you can do it.
HyperFocus Summary
Chris Bailey, the author of HyperFocus, talks about two of the most productive modes: the focused mode (Hyperfocus) and the creative mode (Scatterfocus).
In focused mode, you work on one project at a time, with no distractions. You don’t check your phone or jump to another YouTube video. You’re all in on the task you’re supposed to be doing.
Creative mode is where ideas flow. For me, when I don’t know what to write, I take a walk or a shower. It clears my mind and helps me figure out what to do next.
By the way, the book is packed with examples because the author has done tons of research, so I’m only sharing a small piece of the pie.
Chris also talks about habits, so make sure you check out Atomic Habits by James Clear to dive deeper into understanding habits.
Now, let’s dive into the book…
Four Stages of Hyperfocus
- Choose a task you want to focus on.
- Eliminate all distractions.
- Focus your attention solely on that task.
- Whenever your mind gets distracted, redirect it.
Sounds simple, right?
Let me give you an example from my own routine.
I plan my day in advance. For example, if today is Sunday, I’ll plan Monday in advance by writing down all the important tasks I need to do.
So, let’s say I’ve written that I’ll summarize the HyperFocus book on Monday morning.
Here’s what I do:
- Open the HyperFocus book.
- Note down all the important bookmarks.
- Read summaries of the book on other websites.
- Watch some videos about the book.
- Mark the key points in my notebook.
Then, it’s time to open Google Docs and start writing. I also keep my smartphone on silent when writing.
For those wondering, I don’t put my phone in another room because that just shifts my attention away from the work. My mind would end up focusing more on the phone than on the task at hand.
This method works for me. You need to experiment and find what works best for you.
That’s it. Keep it simple. Do what you love, and your mind will reward you for it.
There Stages of Scatterfocus
- Capture
- Problem-Crunching
- Habitual
Scatterfocus is all about letting ideas flow into your mind, but this can only happen when you allow yourself to be free.
When you’re working on a project or writing a book, there will be times when you run out of ideas. That’s when it’s time to take a small break.
You can take a bath, go for a run, take a short vacation, go for a long drive, or read a book.
For me, taking long walks helps me refocus on my work. For you, it might be different.
By the way, when going for a run, leave your smartphone behind or avoid any distractions. Just focus on the walk, and you’ll start to see the magic unfold.
Your mind will naturally begin generating ideas. All you have to do is relax and avoid judging the thoughts you’re having. Simply observe them.
HyperFocus Review
To get the best out of yourself, you need to focus on being happy and healthy. Exercise daily, read books, spend time with your loved ones, and avoid overthinking about the past and future. Just be in the present.
The book didn’t offer anything new for me, but it did refresh my mind. You’ll see the depth of research the author put into it right from the first chapter.
After reading this book, one thing is for sure: you won’t waste time on unnecessary things.
So, should you read HyperFocus? The answer is YES, but only if you haven’t read books like Atomic Habits, Rework, or even Productive mindset.
Buy HyperFocus:
HyperFocus Quotes
“We are what we pay attention to, and almost nothing influences our productivity and creativity as much as the information we’ve consumed in the past.
“An unfortunate truth is that the brain is not built to do knowledge work, it’s wired for survival and reproduction.”
“Ask yourself: After consuming one of those products (ex; Facebook, Instagram, or even Twitter), will you be happy with how you invested your time and attention?”
“We have to work with intention as much as possible—this is especially true when we have more to do than time within which to do it. Intention enables us to prioritize so we don’t overload our attentional space.”
“Directing your attention toward the most important object of your choosing—and then sustaining that attention—is the most consequential decision we will make throughout the day. We are what we pay attention to.”
“An unfortunate truth is that the brain is not built to do knowledge work—it’s wired for survival and reproduction.”
“Setting specific intentions can double or triple your odds of success.”
“Happiness is the rose-colored lens we place atop our attentional space, which allows us to relate to our experiences in a more productive and creative fashion.”
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