The World's Best Book Summaries
Are distractions harming your productivity? What are some practical ways to limit distractions so you can get more done? Distractions are inevitable, but you aren’t completely at their mercy. Whether you’re at work or at home—and whether you can or can’t control the distractions—you can implement certain strategies that limit how and how often you’re distracted throughout the day. Keep reading to learn how to manage distractions effectively.
Do you plan your weeks in advance? What activities take precedence as you design your week? A week encompasses a natural balance of life: It includes work or school days, evenings, and weekends. Weekly planning is a balanced compromise between daily and long-term planning. It connects a bigger-picture perspective with day-to-day actionables. Here’s how to plan your week for maximum effectiveness.
What is a bullet journal used for? How could a bullet journal improve your life? Bullet journals are used for a multitude of things: brainstorming, keeping track of goals, scheduling your days and weeks. Keeping a bullet journal can also help you be more mindful and put your life in perspective. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of keeping a bullet journal.
What is a bullet journal monthly log? How do you set up and use your monthly log? A bullet journal monthly log is exactly what it sounds like: it helps you plan your upcoming month using a calendar and task list. In his book The Bullet Journal Method, Ryder Carroll outlines how to create and use a monthly log to keep track of your appointments, events, and responsibilities for every month. Keep reading to learn how to create a monthly log in your bullet journal.
What is hyperfocus? What difference can it make in your life? Productivity expert Chris Bailey suggests that you can be your most productive self through hyperfocus, that is, focusing on a single task at a time. You become less distractible, and you work more efficiently. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of hyperfocus.
Do you tend to rely on quick fixes when faced with a problem? Or do you try to root out the core, underlying issue? There’s little argument that we live in a quick-fix society focused on attaining immediate results at the expense of future losses. We’d rather take a pill to avoid the pain now than put efforts towards identifying and rooting out its underlying cause. While quick-fix solutions are alluring and convenient, they don’t solve the underlying problem. Further, they often exacerbate it in the long term. Keep reading to learn about the dangers of relying on quick fixes.
Is mind-wandering bad for you? What are the benefits of intentional mind-wandering? In his book Hyperfocus, productivity expert Chris Bailey explains how to let your mind wander for rest and productivity. He recommends three techniques for this practice and discusses when, how long, and how often you should do it. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of mind-wandering and how to do it effectively.
Do you often feel like you’re being pulled in different directions but don’t have the time and/or energy to attend to everything? What is the key to finding balance in life? Most people’s biggest source of dissatisfaction and unhappiness in life is the imbalance they feel between their different roles and responsibilities. Many people feel their work demands so much of them that there aren’t enough hours in the day to give adequate time, energy, and attention to their families. Or they’re just barely keeping up with family and work, but have no personal time for their own rest and
Do you find it difficult to sustain focus? How can meditation help you take control of your attention? Part of the practice of hyperfocus is focusing on a task for a set period of time, which can be hard to do. Meditation and mindfulness can help. They improve the quality of your attention in three ways: training you to focus longer, warding off distractions, and helping you to direct your attention more often. Learn about the benefits of meditation for focus and concentration.
How do you approach feedback? Do you tend to get defensive when someone pinpoints the flaws in your performance? Why is it important to seek feedback? Asking for feedback from others increases your accountability, although praise and criticism from others is not the primary way you should determine if you’re doing your job well or not. In his book First Things First, Stephen Covey recommends the “continue/stop/start” method for requesting feedback about your performance. Learn about the importance of seeking feedback and how to go about it.