CHAPTER 0.5
HOW TO BETTER FOCUS ON THIS BOOK
Reading this book is your first chance to put your focus to the test, and the more attention you can dedicate to it, the more you'll get out of the time spent on it. Let's begin on a practical note with seven ways to focus more deeply while reading. But first, a quick comment. If I've learned one thing from my research, it's that productivity is highly personal. Everyone is uniquely wired and has different routines- as a result, not all productivity tactics will mesh comfortably with your life. Not to mention the fact that you may simply not want to follow some of the advice I offer. Experiment with as many of these focus tactics as you can, and adopt whatever works for you.
1. PUT YOUR PHONE OUT OF SIGHT
When your mind is even slightly resisting a task, it will look for more novel things to focus on. Our smartphones are a great example-they provide an endless stream of bite-sized, delicious information for our brains to consume.
As I'll discuss later, distractions and interruptions are infinitely easier to deal with before they become a temptation. Start seeing your smartphone for what it really is: a productivity black hole that sits in your pocket. To focus on this book, I recommend leaving your device in another room. It may take your brain a few minutes to adjust to not having your phone or pad attached at your hip, but trust me, it's worth powering through that initial resistance. It's never healthy to be dependent on something- addictive, shiny rectangular devices included.
Here's a fun experiment to dive deeper into this idea: over the span of a day or two, pay attention to the number of times you instinctively pull out your phone. How are you feeling, and what compels you to reach for it? Are you trying to distract yourself during a long elevator ride? Are you avoiding a boring task, like updating your quarterly budget? By noting the times you habitually reach for your phone, you'll gain insight into which tasks you resist the most and how you're feeling in those moments.
2. MIND YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Look up and around you: Where are you reading this book? How likely are you to be distracted or interrupted as you read, and is there a place you could go to avoid those distractions? Or are you reading in an environment where you don't have much control, such as on the train or the subway?
