Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive

265 Pages·2015·1.94 MB·English

by  Ned Hallowell

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
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“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
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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
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driven t
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o
distracti n
at w rk
o
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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
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Copyright 2015 Edward M. Hallowell, MD
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
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Requests for permission should be directed to [email protected], or
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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
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For Tom Bliss: surgeon, fisherman,
father, and friend
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