Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

The Arrows of Time Explained by Stephen Hawking

What are the arrows of time? How is the direction of time defined? You probably have an intuitive idea of what it means to move backwards versus forwards in time, but formally defining the direction of time is more difficult. Although various views on the direction of time exist, Stephen Hawking identifies three distinct arrows of time: thermodynamic, psychological, and cosmological. Read on to learn about the arrows of time from various perspectives.

What Makes a Good Theory? 3 Traits It Must Have

What makes a good theory? What are some things you should consider when evaluating a scientific theory? Not all scientific theories are created equal. In his book A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking outlines three characteristics of a good theory. A good theory is one that is testable, consistent with past observations, and able to predict future observations. Lets’ explore each one in turn.

How to Maintain Focus: Taming Your Wandering Mind

Does your mind often get off track when you’re trying to focus? What are some strategies to help you keep your mind from wandering and get it to stay on task? If your mind wanders when you work, you might be bored or anxious. If you’re hyperfocusing, your mind might wander during the extra time that has been freed up by your productivity. Productivity expert Chris Bailey offers two strategies for keeping your mind from wandering: 1) matching your tasks to your skill level and 2) increasing the number of high-impact tasks you do. Read more to learn how to

Attention Management Strategies: Choosing Your Focus

Do you struggle to focus on the right things? How can you make sure you’re channeling your attention in the most effective way possible? According to Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus, the quality of the tasks we pay attention to determines the quality of our lives. When we focus on high-quality tasks, we perform high-quality work and have a high-quality impact. When we focus on low-quality tasks, even if we perform high-quality work, we will have a low-quality impact. Here are two helpful attention management strategies to help you decide what truly deserves your attention.

The Inflationary Big Bang & the Fine-Tuning Problem

What is the inflationary big bang model? Does it solve the fine-tuning problem? The big bang theory implies that the universe’s initial conditions had to be “just right” in order for human life to be possible. Physicist Stephen Hawking concedes that this requirement points to a problem with the theory. He discusses the inflationary big bang model as one way to address the problem. Keep reading to learn about the inflationary big bang model.

What Is Task-Shifting—& How Does It Hold You Back?

What is task-shifting? How is it different from multi-tasking? We often talk about multitasking—doing more than one task at a time. While we certainly do this, we probably are engaged far more often in task-shifting—rapidly switching our focus from one task to another. Productivity expert Chris Bailey explains task-shifting and provides two reasons why it lowers productivity. Read on to learn about task-shifting and its impact on success.

A Brief History of Time Review & Critical Reception

Is A Brief History of Time worth reading? Are its concepts easy enough to grasp? A Brief History of Time is Stephen Hawking’s exposition of modern physics. The book answers questions about the nature of reality, predetermination of the future, the universe’s origins, black holes, and time travel. Hawking strives to make the answers to these big questions accessible to a general audience. Keep reading for our A Brief History of Time review.

The Brain on Autopilot: How It Impacts Productivity

How does the brain function on autopilot? Are there any advantages to being in autopilot mode? Productivity expert Chris Bailey explains that our brains operate on autopilot by default. Instead of choosing what to focus on in advance, we react to the external triggers that pique our interest. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of the brain’s autopilot mode.

A Brief History of Time: Book Synopsis in 5 Questions

How much do you know about the universe you live in? What big questions of science does the book A Brief History of Time answer? Thanks to scientific discoveries of the twentieth century, scientists have gained insight into many of nature’s secrets, from the origin of the universe to the nature of space and time. In his book A Brief History of Time, physicist Stephen Hawking explains these insights for a general audience. Keep reading for a quick synopsis of A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.

How Meta-Awareness Can Boost Productivity

What is meta-awareness? How could attention tracking help you focus on the right things? In the context of attention, meta-awareness is simply being aware of what you’re paying attention to. By practicing meta-awareness in the form of attention tracking, you can become acutely aware of where your attention goes. Here is how meta-awareness can help you focus more deliberately and, as a result, be more productive.