Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life: Train Your Brain to Get More Done in Less Time

by Paul Hammerness, Margaret Moore

The key to a less hectic, less stressful life is not in simply organizing your desk, but organizing your mind. Dr. Paul Hammerness, a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist, describes the latest neuroscience research on the brain's extraordinary built-in system of organization. Margaret Moore, an executive wellness coach and codirector of the Institute of Coaching, translates the science into solutions.

This remarkable team shows you how to use the innate organizational power of your brain to make your life less stressful, more productive and rewarding. You'll learn how to:

—Regain control of your frenzy

—Embrace effective uni-tasking (because multitasking doesn't work)

—Fluidly shift from one task to another

—Use your creativity to connect the dots

This groundbreaking guide is complete with stories of people who have learned to stop feeling powerless against multiplying distractions and start organizing their lives by organizing their minds.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Personal Development, Business, Productivity, Health

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't normally go to Harlequin for non-fiction books, but thanks to Netgalley, I found this one. Though there are a lot of books out there on how to organize yourself, this one takes a different slant as it focuses on organizing your thoughts first.

The authors propose techniques that could be helpful to those who suffer from ADHD, as well as those who just want to become more efficient and mentally train themselves to think in a systematic way.

The six steps are:

1. Tame the Frenzy
2. Sustain Attention
3. Apply the Brakes
4. Mold Information
5. Shift Sets
6. Connect the dots

Dr. Paul Hammerness, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, uses his expertise to contribute his findings and give readers tips to think about what happens in the brain when we are disorganized. He also provides insight through case studies with patients who have faced problems in their lives.

Margaret Moore, aka Coach Meg, uses her expertise as a personal coach to help readers change their perceptions and improve their mental fitness in order to become more organized.

Like a lot of "how to" self-improvement books, there were parts that were long-winded and yawn-worthy, but for the large part, this is a very well researched and written book. One thing that disappointed me, though was that the web sites they proposed for you to go to in order to find out your strengths were places where you had to either pay for the "test" or enter too much personal information - info that made me uncomfortable so I opted not to do so. The examples are clear and there are enough tips and suggestions to actually help you find your way to clearer thinking and being more organized.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life" is a unique self-help book, one I haven't come across among some of the non-fiction literature I usually peruse in the mind, health, and body dynamic. There are many guides that address ways to be organized in categorical labels and filings and using productivity guides and software . But this particular work takes disorganization and focuses on the problems stemming from a more complex root: the mind.

It delves into the processes and thoughts behind why people are disorganized and overwhelmed in life and how we can change those patterns simply by changing the way we think. I really liked this combination of science meets cognitive restructuring and awareness. The book outlines a six step structure in which to control thoughts and patterns that are counterproductive. It addresses techniques that not only helpful to those that might suffer from conditions such as ADHD, but also those who just want to become more efficient and mentally train themselves to think in a systematic way.

The six steps, covered in detail through the guide's chapters are:

1. Tame the Frenzy
2. Sustain Attention
3. Apply the Brakes
4. Mold Information
5. Shift Sets
6. Connect the dots

The information within "Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life" is wonderfully adaptive, providing a combination of real life scenarios where people have struggled in their daily lives and have had to adapt some of the principles covered in this book to work towards a solution. Dr. Paul Hammerness, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, uses his expertise from working directly with ADHD patients to contribute his findings and give readers tips to think about what happens in the brain when we are disorganized and the emotions that take root in the "frenzy" and franticness that ensues when we're overwhelmed. But he also provides insight via some of the case studies and interactions with real patients who have faced problems in their working and day-to-day lives. I felt that in some sections, the case studies read a bit long, but they were well worth perusing when it came to juxtaposing the principles to the cases presented.

Margaret Moore (Coach Meg as referenced in the work) uses her expertise as founder of Wellcoaches Corporation in guiding the reader to apply specific principles to enact changing one's perceptions and improving their mental "fitness", if you will, to become more organized and step away from the deconstructive thoughts that might result from the frenzied thinking following. I really enjoyed reading her sections on the practical application and execution of these ideas. If Dr. Hammerness's sections showcase the what and why behind an individual's disorganization, Coach Meg's sections are the "how to" parts that compliment this self-help guide. There are plenty of interactional sections where the reader can ask themselves questions and mentally check themselves in accordance to the steps listed. The information is very well structured, easy to follow, and flows in a step-by-step building process that can allow the reader to make the steps necessary to have their minds working for them. Wonderful compilation by Dr. Hammerness, Mrs. Moore, and health/fitness writer John Hanc.

Overall score: 4/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Harlequin.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential. It is based on the premise that everyone who has trouble with organization can benefit from strategies designed for people with ADHD. Despite this, while I do have ADHD, it became clear quickly on that the target audience is a person who has trouble in one or a few areas.

The introduction was frustrating, as the same information was hashed out over and over again. When you're dealing with distracted people, this is not a good technique. I found myself having to reread the same page on more than one occasion. The remainder of the book focused on six "rules" to get your life in better order. While some of the anecdotes were helpful, I felt that the gems of the book could have been condensed into a six page magazine article.

My other major annoyance was that it almost solely focused on people working out of the home who can effectively tune out distractions. I'm a stay at home mom who is in the process of starting a business out of my home, and my distractions (in the form of two small children) cannot and should not be ignored. When coupled with my true blue ADHD, many of the suggestions were outright laughable.

Was it a waste of time? No...but it was hard for me to get through, and I ended up skimming after a while, because it was just too repetitive.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes some techniques to help modify Inez's responses to environmental stimuli to create less stress and more productivity. The pair of authors are good coaches through the process of change. Distractions are going to occur, but this book helps you by guiding you towards mindful rather than impulsive decisions.

The author suggests creating motivators into mission statements. For example, I will improve my relationship with my children if I am better able to tame the frenzy and focus mindfully on our conversations. She states that the best motivators connect change to a higher purpose so one should consider what will make you thrive and enable you to realize your life's purpose or legacy.

While we are good at identifying our deficiencies, we are not so good at identifying our strengths, which is necessary to help us make and sustain change, especially when it is difficult. To learn more about strong points, www.strengthfinder.com or www.viacharacter.org.

Rules of order:
1/ tame the frenzy
When we are emotionally heated, we have less cognitive control because the amygdala is acting up and invoking fear or anxiety while the rational part of the brain, or cortical, is quieting down. Cognitive reappraisal can calm the emotions to allow increased reasoning. We want to seek a state of calm rather than anxiety, sadness and anger by minimizing our internal frenzy because we cannot always control the external noise and stress.

2/ sustain attention
What hooks our attention is something consistent with our goals, but it can be side-tracked by other stimuli. We need to struggle to stay focused by intentionally giving attention to our goals. The ideal state of attention is called, flow, which the experience people have when they are completely immersed in an activity for its own sake, stretching mind and body to the limit voluntarily to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Flow feels effortless, like "being in the zone." And more flow more happiness and fulfillment. Read research of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi for more info) strengths2020.com can also help determine strengths.

3/ apply the brakes
Welcome an impulse, but also listen to rational thoughts. Keep in mind the long run because impulse control can allow you to achieve a more organized life. Impulses may provide creative tension, and balance is needed so that we not only listen to our hearts today, but invest in the future too.

4/ mold information
Improve your working memory--the function on a daily basis kind of memory--to allow info that is no long right in front of you to still be useful and accessible. The ability to mold information is a problem-solving step as well as an analytical and creative step. To improve working memory, get enough sleep, learn something new before going to sleep so your brain can mull it over, break study sessions in to two instead of one long one, exercise, learn new skills, hang with a younger crowd now and again, create a memory book (goals, visions, observations of your own behavior, documents of things you use often that might get lost--and where you keep them), gesture with your hands when you learn new information.

5/ shift sets
Be flexible in your thoughts and behaviors. Prevent tunnel vision. Shift with a sense of intent or planning. Don't multi-task, but define a task/problem, prioritize it and then tackle it even in smaller time frames and leaving a part of it unfinished rather than drifting from task to task as you happen to notice them. Make deliberate, intentional choices.

6/ connect the dots
The goal of an organized brain is to be able to see the big picture and act on it, rather than just reacting to an impulse or interruption before us. Quieting the inner frenzy, developing consistent and sustain and focus, developing cognitive control and adapting with flexibility to new stimuli and molding new information are processes of synthesis, and we must always be ready for change. This will lead to less chaos. We cannot always control crises that arrive, but we can better deal with them and feel more peaceful rather than disordered.

[Sandy Swain · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the type of book that I usually really like and devour but for some reason I had a hard time getting through this one. I can't quite put my finger on why but the writing style was not compelling enough to keep me interested.

I guess the best insight I got was the distinction between "multi-tasking" and "set-shifting". There was an excellent example of a woman going through her day trying to multi-task and ending up in a big distracted mess with a bunch of unfinished projects. Then it went through the exact same day only this time using her skills to decide whether to keep on the task at hand or purposely reschedule the task for later in order to do something else. Having a clear head helped her be more efficient at what she was doing and make better decisions because her brain wasn't trying to hold many tasks at the same time.

It's a subtle difference but an important one and I think it will help me.

[Kathryn Bashaar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay for me. I already do most of the things they advise. I'm just a sucker sometimes for a book that looks like it's going to work some kind of magic, that if only I were COMPLETELY organized and disciplined my life would be perfect. This might be a good book for someone who is really disorganized and kind of starting from scratch.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book showed me what social media and the internet have done to my brain: they've made it harder and harder for me to ignore distractions and engage in focused sustained mental effort. If I were speaking of getting hijacked by the internet alone, it wouldn't be such a big deal, but my alertness to distractions of any sort has increased over the last several years (along with my social media and internet usage). This was an excellent self-discovery. The solution offered in the book: foster as much goal-directed attention as I can. Figure out what time of day my ability to concentrate is at its peak and utilize that time for the tasks that require the most focus. Put up roadblocks to distractions during that time (such as turning notifications off on my phone). Cultivate mindfulness. Utilize my character strengths to elicit attention. Take brain breaks throughout the day, 5-10 minute mindful moments. And perhaps the most interesting: practice mind-wondering once in a while.

There are five other characteristics of an organized mind covered in book ("Rules of Order"). I just described Sustained Attention, which is one of them. The others are Tame the Frenzy (control your emotions), Apply the Brakes (stop thoughts when needed), Mold Information (get the most out of your working memory), Shift Sets (know when to shift tasks and then come back to the task you left), and Connect all six.

Also, kudos to the authors for discussing what is often the sham called multitasking.

[Experience Life]

What do your neurological patterns have to do with the mess on your desk? Everything, say the authors of Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life. That’s why this book doesn’t just teach readers organizational and list-making skills. Instead, it tackles the source of the problem — cloudy and disorganized thinking.

Distraction has become an epidemic, say authors Paul Hammerness, MD, a Harvard assistant professor of psychiatry, and Margaret Moore, life coach and codirector of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. As a result, they observe, many otherwise healthy people are suffering symptoms of OBLT, or being Overwhelmed By Life Today.

Their book presents a powerful collection of tools for tackling that malady. And because the advice comes from a brain scientist and a life coach, readers get both deep scientific knowledge and actionable advice. It’s an empowering combination. Whether you suffer from adult ADD, or just a case of too-busy-to-focus, learning to “organize your life by better organizing your mind” offers palpable relief, and fresh hope.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a team authorship of psychologist and life-coach. The psychologist, Paul Hammerness, specializes in patients with ADHD. Since my son has ADHD and I have some ah, characteristics of my own, learning more about the operation of the brain and how emotion and stress affect its function was really helpful. I also thought that the life coach, Margaret Moore, had very realistic suggestions on ways to improve attention and effective time management. For me the funniest moment was a story about a woman who went out to "spend an hour cleaning the garage" and ended up out there all day. Oh boy. I do that kind of thing all the time. I have to set a timer to make myself stop doing things longer than necessary. The garage cleaning activity is actually useful, it's just that it wasn't the only thing she had to do that day. The discussion was about how to prioritize activities and time and how to shift focus when necessary in order to get necessary things done. Highlights: multitasking does not work, sleep is vital to good brain organization, as is exercise and healthy eating habits, it is possible to change ineffective behavior. Highly recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a surprising help to my ADD-tendencies and general scattered-ness! I learned some things I didn't know about myself, learned that, in fact, they are not necessarily normal or functional, and I feel so much clearer and able to focus now. I read it a chapter per week so I had time to integrate each step into my daily life. I only gave it four stars because in some places the writing is a little disjointed, and also there are several paragraphs of repeated, dumbed-down information that I think could have been eliminated to make this a more streamlined read. But other than that, I recommend this to anybody who is struggling on a regular basis to have any semblance of organization in their life.

[davidbignell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read, some good nuggets in there. The brain science parts were interesting but not useful since i am not a brain scientist. Would have liked to see more of the coaching parts over the science. T

[Ramesh Naidu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors have formulated an interesting strategy to help with organization . Certainly no silver bullet but it does offer some very interesting and rather compelling perspectives

[Robert Nowlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Hammerness and Coach Megan have created a resource for adults to use as they or someone that they know comes to terms with ADHD. Dr. Hammerness’ Rules of Order are helpful and simple, while allowing for adaptation to personal needs and preferences. Coach Meg provides stories of people dealing with organization issues as she counseled them. This resource is for anyone with organizational challenges; a diagnosis of ADHD is no prerequisite, nor does reading this guarantee a “quick fix.” I have two critiques, however. The 6th Rule of Order really isn’t a separate “rule.” This can mislead and confuse someone who struggles to come to awareness of subtle implicit messages. Also, with shifts in the text from stories of common-day adults, to multi-pages long of background and theory, the audience of the authors appears broad at best, and undecided at worst. I skipped a bit of the colloquial terms and concepts in order to get to the “meat” of the principles that I need to apply to my own life. Regardless of these critiques, this is a much-needed resource for anyone struggling to use time and effort most effectively and efficiently.

[Marilyn Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful. But more like a compile of dense case study essay rather than a self-help quick read

I agree with much of the frustration in the comment section. The sentence could be simpler and more straightforward for a book that aims to help declutter one's life. I think most who pick up this one would love to be spoon feed with clearly structured, easy to understand points. The irony is that the rare uses of bullet points in the book are used to highlight common myths or mistakes rather than important points to takeaway. The titles and subtitles can be quite abstract. Sentence are long-winded, dense, takes effort to digest and the language flat. However, I do learn immensely from this book. Might be due to the advantages of structuring in a case study format followed by long-winded and dense reasoning. I have to reread the whole chuck more than usual to get to the gist of things (or maybe it is just me being unfocused). Definitely, a book I want to reread because I feel there are more to be uncovered. Might be helpful to start with appendix 1 and 2 which serve as a quick summary.

[Prerna Gupta · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there good coaching principles and tools, the examples are disturbingly and jarringly, typical, cis-het privileged lives around people who see life as a series of events like marriage, having kids, employment. There's not much you will get out of it if you like examples and are look for more diversity(even within the cis het framework to include single, no-kids, and other types of chosen life stages. It took me three days to get past some examples to continue reading and absorb what is good in the book. Not worth the time and effort.

[Marilyn]

17 Jul 2021 Mom gave me this book and asked if I’d join a book club with her. We soon added Ray and Pam. We read and discussed it for weeks during the pandemic and got as far as Chapter 3. I enjoyed feeling part of a group and accomplishing a goal.

We never finished. Maybe now that Mom had bought a house and can stop moving, Alissa and Isaac are married and I’m more settled in my new house, and the pandemic has lessened, we can pick it up again.

[BookBec · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. It offers neither stunning new information nor concrete advice.
A lot of focus on brain research, sometimes without clear takeaways for the subject at hand.
Many coaching tips seemed vague, or else mighty tough to do if you're feeling disorganized.
And why fill in the coaching grids with "sample answers"? Those just shut my brain down from putting thought into my own answers.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the concept. The writing was just ok, and made it seem MUCH easier to implement than these strategies actually are, especially for people with ADHD. Also, the "more done in less time" is misleading that is not really what the book was about at all. A lot of organizing books do not make the mind/results connection at all though so this was a great start.

[Neeraj Katoch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic and a very practical book, a must pick for anyone strugling with time.... I vouch for it....
Couple of good things it spks abt :
Multi tasking is myth, focus is the key.
Tame ur frenzy , use brakes....

Took Two mnths to complete but was worth it !!!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

My top take away is that I need to set goals and intention so that I know what to focus on and what to say no to. Many stars off because the everything is a story, an organized mind gets to the point quick.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great 5 step process. Confused whether it wants to be a scientific adhd study (and 2 pages of name dropping studies in the pipeline- outdated now anyway) But great and applicable advice for how-to in basic situations.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book by a life coach and a physician. It was different than many organizational books. It is broken down into parts such as staying calm, focusing and knowing when to stop working on a project so you don't neglect other tasks (guilty), and prioritizing.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books that were ok; but nothing memorable.

[Jonathan Metze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information but it's written in that annoying early 2000's business book style. Reading is a slog.

[Doaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

كباقى كتب التنمية البشرية يتحدث عن كيف تنظم العقل و الاولويات

[Laurie Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting and good points in this book!

[Luigi Benetton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This decently written book offers quite a few worthwhile nuggets, though (for me) it’s difficult to put everything together into a comprehensive whole. Still worth reading, though.

[Beckie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - definitely helpful and gave named strategies and coping mechanisms!! Would recommend for anyone like me (fill that in however you’d like!)

[Aisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

لا بأس به لاكن لم يكن بالفائدة المرجوه

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

read the chapter summaries, light-weight