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📚Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey

Foundational concepts

Define productivity by completing the things you intend to do, rather than trying to do a lot of work for work’s sake. Stating intentions before work is important for productivity.
Hyperfocus and Scatterfocus are two sides of the same coin. Hyperfocus is intense focus with intention (and attention) on one problem/task. Scatterfocus is deliberate “mind-wandering” to cultivate creativity and insights.

Ch. 2: The Limits of Your Attention

Attention, Distraction, and Intention

Contents

Attentional Space

Attention is finite: there’s a limit to how many things we can pay attention to and think about - this is your attentional space. Certain tasks will require more attentional space than others.
Attentional Residue: “Switching gears” doesn’t happen seamlessly. Some attention is still left on the previous task after we’ve switched to the new one, using precious attention space.

Habits vs Complex Tasks in the brain

Habits take a lot less attentional space to execute. Habit-based tasks are managed more by the basil ganglia (motor/movement habits, while the PFC manages more cognition-heavy tasks
Multitasking can work under very specific conditions. You can’t exceed the capacity of the attentional space.
Combinations of tasks that fit into the attentional space:
- few, small habit-based tasks
- one complex task and one habit-based task
- one complex task
Avoid filling your attentional space completely!
Intentions are the bouncer of your attention
Intention protects attention by keeping distractions out and gives you a goal to come back to during the session
Getting distracted is human - bring your attention back when you notice it drifting
Being aware of what we’re thinking about can improve our problem-solving. Observing our thoughts (without judgement - mindfulness) can temporarily expand our attentional space.
- Meditation can expand our attentional space
  Self-Experiments
Keep a journal and write down all the things that have distracted you during the day. Interstitial journaling method.

Stages of Hyperfocus, Strong Intentions, Awareness Cues

Contents

Hyperfocus precedes the Flow State, Intention comes before Attention! Odds of achieving flow state go up when there are less things competing for our attention.
Hyperfocusing is keeping one important, complex task in your awareness while you work.
Implementation intentions
3 ways to strengthen intention setting
- Rule of 3: Choose 3 things you want to accomplish by EOD
- Most Consequential: Choose most consequential tasks that will have positive ripple effects when it’s finished.
- Hourly Chime: Set an alarm/chime to go off every hour, prompting you to reflect on what you’re focusing on.

How to set intentions that lead to productive hyperfocus and a sense of accomplishment
Using caffeine for hyperfocus is more effective
attentional space is limited and prone to attentional residue
collect dots to connect them later
consuming information with intention
habits are managed by the basal ganglia and take less attentional space
habitual scatterfocus helps you creatively connect dots
ritualize hyperfocus as a habit