Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive PDF
Preview Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive
mANAgemeNT Hallowell HArV ArD BusINess reVIeW Press US$26.00 / CAN$29.00 “Driven to Distraction at Work is an essential survival guide to life in the modern world.” d Are you driven to —Jeffrey F. Rayport driven t Faculty, Harvard Business school; strategic adviser; and investor r o distrAction At work? i v Bestselling author Edward M. Hallowell, MD, “Dr. Hallowell’s stunning new book takes the maze of distraction at work away forever!” N the world’s leading expert on ADD and sO —Larry Weber e N ADHD, has set his sights on a new goal: sTI chairman and ceO, racepoint global; founder, Weber shandwick; g n helping people feel more in control and zerlIN and bestselling author, Marketing to the Social Web productive at work. HIN You know the feeling: you can’t focus; NN “If you feel like you never have time to do the things you want or, for that matter, t o you feel increasingly overwhelmed by a mix lY to even think about the things you might want—get this book.” o distracti n of nonstop demands and technology that Edward M. Hallowell, MD, runs the seems to be moving at the speed of light; and —Dan L. Monroe Hallowell centers in sudbury, massachusetts, you’re frustrated just trying to get everything rose-marie and eijk van Otterloo executive Director and ceO, Peabody essex museum New York city, and san Francisco, all d done well—and on time. Not only is this specializing in training attention in people taking a toll on performance, it’s impacting of all ages. He lives in the Boston area with “A must-read for any and all of us who cherish our ability to connect deeply i your sense of well-being outside the office. It’s his wife, sue. with others as well as to think.” s time to reclaim control. —Marie Brenner t Dr. Hallowell now identifies the underlying Author, Apples and Oranges; writer-at-large, Vanity Fair r reasons why people lose their ability to focus a at w rk at work. He explains why commonly offered o solutions like “learn to manage your time “This book provides explanations, antidotes, and solutions so important that c Visit his website at better” or “make a to-do list” don’t work it should be required reading for everyone.” drhallowell.com because they ignore the deeper issues that t —Ellen Miley Perry i are the true causes of mental distraction. Author, A Wealth of Possibilities; founder, Wealthbridge Partners o Based on his years of helping clients develop constructive ways to deal with distraction, “read this book and regain the focus you’ve inadvertently given away.” n Dr. Hallowell provides a set of practical and reliable techniques to show how to sustain a —Suzy Welch productive mental state. New York Times bestselling author, 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea a In Part 1 of the book, he identifies the six most common ways people lose the ability “Productivity is the long-term strategic advantage in today’s world, and Dr. Hallowell t how to to focus at work—what he calls “screen clearly defines the road map to that advantage—getting things done.” sucking” (internet/social media addiction), w —Tim Armstrong focus And multitasking, idea hopping (never finishing chairman and ceO, AOl what you start), worrying, playing the hero, o and dropping the ball—and he explains Be more the underlying psychological and emotional Also by Edward M. Hallowell, MD: r dynamics driving each behavior. k productive Part 2 of the book provides advice for Edward M. “training” your attention overall, so that you are less susceptible to surrendering it, in jAckeT DesIgN: kImBerlY glYDer any situation. The result is a book that will ISBN-13: 978-1-4221-8641-1 Hallowell, MD 90000 empower you to combat each one of these stay informed. join the discussion. common syndromes—and clear a path for Visit hbr.org/books Follow @HarvardBiz on Twitter you to achieve your highest personal and Find us on Facebook, linkedIn, YouTube, and google+ hbr.org/books 9 781422 186411 Bestselling Author of driven to distrAction professional goals. “In his new book, Dr. Ned Hallowell administers his trademark dose of empathetic wisdom and practical advice about how to live a working life that’s sane, successful, and fulfilling in today’s hyper-caffeinated, always-on world. By treating attention as our scarcest resource, Hallowell teaches us, through compelling storytelling and thoughtful prescription, how to focus our minds to achieve more, work less, and experience every moment to its fullest. Driven to Distraction at Work is an essential sur- vival guide to life in the modern world. Don’t wait. You need to read this book now.” —J EFFREY F. RAYPORT, faculty, Harvard Business School; strategic advisor; and investor “As business continues to be about quality, speed, and focus, competitive advantage will come to those who analyze their abilities and find the best tools available to be most productive. Dr. Hallowell’s stunning new book takes the maze of distraction at work away forever!” — LARRY WEBER, Chairman and CEO, Racepoint Global; founder, Weber Shandwick; and bestselling author, Marketing to the Social Web “If you feel like you never have time to do the things you want or, for that matter, to even think about the things you might want—get this book. Dr. Hallowell provides insightful, concrete ideas and suggestions based on the latest research to better manage your life, your business, and your relationships by learning how to make your environment work for you, rather than against you. Applying even a few simple prescriptions most relevant to your needs will dramatically enhance your life and the lives of all with whom you interact.” — DAN L. MONROE, Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Executive Director and CEO, Peabody Essex Museum FM.indd 1 12/09/14 7:39 PM “From America’s most praised scholar on the subject, Driven to Distraction at Work is overdue and urgently needed common sense on how to master digital detox and eliminate other distractions at work. A must-read for any and all of us who cherish our ability to connect deeply with others as well as to think.” — MARIE BRENNER, author, Apples and Oranges; writer-at-large, Vanity Fair “Who among us doesn’t find themselves overwhelmed by details, lacking in consistent focus, oddly connectedly disconnected, and perplexed as to why we are not more robustly productive? This book provides explan- ations, antidotes, and solutions so important that it should be required reading for everyone. Dr. Hallowell easily translates complex issues into graspable terms. Read this book—it will change your life!” — ELLEN MILEY PERRY, author, A Wealth of Possibilities; founder, Wealthbridge Partners “Through compelling stories and a provocative theoretical framework, Dr. Hallowell draws upon decades of experience as a ‘focus doctor’ to create practical solutions for the ubiquitous problem of distraction and overload in the modern workplace. Read this book and regain the focus you’ve inadvertently given away.” — SUZY WELCH, New York Times bestselling author, 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea “Dr. Hallowell’s prescriptions for managing the world of distractions we all face will become the stepping stones for how future generations harness technology while maintaining the deepest human advantage—the abil- ity to think and progress. Readers of Driven to Distraction at Work will gain a significant advantage in their ability to manage an always-on envi- ronment with a need to creatively think and problem solve. Productivity FM.indd 2 12/09/14 7:39 PM is the long-term strategic advantage in today’s world, and Dr. Hallowell clearly defines the road map to that advantage—getting things done.” —TIM ARMSTRONG, Chairman and CEO, AOL “Do you think it’s possible to truly be focused and productive at your work? In this groundbreaking book, Ned Hallowell tells you how to over- come the inner obstacles that derail your efforts to be your best.” —JOHN BOWEN, founder and CEO, CEG Worldwide, LLC “Dr. Hallowell has been our leading ‘focus doctor’ for decades. In this groundbreaking work, he tackles one of the most pressing problems of our era: distraction at work. With vivid, compelling stories, Hallowell pro- vides exceptionally intelligent and extremely actionable solutions to this major modern dilemma. A game-changing read for your life and your business.” — STEVEN KOTLER, author, The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance “Do you feel overwhelmed, rushed, or distractible? Are you finding your- self more and more impatient, dissatisfied, frustrated, and frenzied? Then read Driven to Distraction at Work. Dr. Hallowell provides a proven plan for focusing at work and being more productive. This book has techniques, tips, and takeaways you can use to consistently rise above the chaos, find focus, and achieve your goals. If you want to take back control of your attention—and be happier and healthier—this book shows you how.” —JOE POLISH, founder, Genius Network “The world’s foremost expert on attention and focus issues tells us every- thing we need to know about ‘attention deficit trait’: a focus-robbing, output-draining syndrome that information and technology overload are FM.indd 3 12/09/14 7:39 PM inflicting on workers and companies across the business world today. All executives concerned about their employees’ well-being and their enter- prises’ productivity should tear themselves away from their screens long enough to read this book.” — LINDA GOSDEN ROBINSON, global marketing and communications expert “Ned Hallowell’s books are all game changers—and this one tops the others. Hallowell provides a totally contrarian perspective and liberat- ing approach to defeating distraction at work. The secret to success lies in creating daily structures and processes that enable highly distract- ible individuals to focus on the biggest and best possible results in every situation.” —DAN SULLIVAN, founder and President, The Strategic Coach Inc. “Millions of readers rely on Dr. Hallowell, the ‘focus doctor,’ for guidance on this important topic. Hallowell says, ‘If you don’t take your time, it will be taken from you.’ With humor and anecdotes we can all relate to, Hallowell offers a fun read and a practical path for tapping into one’s best at work.” —LINDA STONE, former Vice President, Microsoft FM.indd 4 12/09/14 7:39 PM driven t o o distracti n at w rk o FM.indd 1 12/09/14 7:39 PM FM.indd 2 12/09/14 7:39 PM driven t o o distracti n at w rk o HOW TO FOCUS AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE Edward M. Hallowell, MD HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW PRESS Boston, Massachusetts FM.indd 3 12/09/14 7:39 PM HBR Press Quantity Sales Discounts Harvard Business Review Press titles are available at significant quantity dis- counts when purchased in bulk for client gifts, sales promotions, and premiums. Special editions, including books with corporate logos, customized covers, and letters from the company or CEO printed in the front matter, as well as excerpts of existing books, can also be created in large quantities for special needs. For details and discount information for both print and ebook formats, contact [email protected], tel. 800-988-0886, or www.hbr.org/bulksales. Copyright 2015 Edward M. Hallowell, MD All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, pho- tocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the publisher. Requests for permission should be directed to [email protected], or mailed to Permissions, Harvard Business School Publishing, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02163. The web addresses referenced in this book were live and correct at the time of the book’s publication but may be subject to change. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hallowell, Edward M. Driven to distraction at work : how to focus and be more productive / Ned Hallowell. pages cm ISBN 978-1-4221-8641-1 (hardback) 1. Distraction (Psychology) 2. Attention. 3. Time management. 4. Psychology, Industrial. I. Title. BF323.D5H35 2015 158.7--dc23 2014030018 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives Z39.48-1992. eISBN: 9781422186428 FM.indd 4 12/09/14 7:39 PM For Tom Bliss: surgeon, fisherman, father, and friend FM.indd 5 12/09/14 7:39 PM
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