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Think Less Learn More: Unlock the power of the unfocused mind
Most of us worry about our distractibility. We zone out, daydream and procrastinate, and then chastise ourselves for wasting time. But what if most of that “wasted time” was actually time well spent?As neuroscientist Dr. Srini Pillay explains, there is a neurological imperative for why we all do these things.Drawing on the latest brain research, compelling stories from his psychological practice, and colourful examples of counterintuitive success from sports, business, education and the arts, he reveals that there is a vital default mode network in the brain that only activates when we are unfocused, "doing nothing" or letting our minds rest. And that healthy default mode network is necessary for the brain to rejuvenate and function at its best.If focus is the valuable close and narrow beam that illuminates the path directly ahead, unfocus is the equally valuable beam that reaches far and wide, enabling our peripheral vision. It is the intelligent form of letting go.Challenging traditional ideas about productivity, Dr Pillay reveals how being too focused can be detrimental, and how you can harness and exploit the power of unfocus in many different areas of your to enhance creativity, improve your capacity for learning and even help you overcome a general malaise or an emotional or career rut.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 4, 2017
19 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 27, 2019
This book felt like a collection of lots of little ideas that weren’t really well explained. I struggled to find ways to implement this book into my life because it’s not very practical. Maybe I don’t know enough about the brain but I struggled to relate his ideas to being unfocused (which he really means as having superior brainpower).
His first area of thought is creativity and he has a chapter devoted to being more creative. However, he doesn’t clearly explain how being creative leads you to be more unfocused.
His second chapter talks about dynamic learning but he fails to explain the concept of dynamic learning, other than a short story about a school where children learn by doing.
His third area of thought is called ‘supertasking’. Put simply, he has just renamed multitasking. Apparently multitasking is bad for the brain but his type of multitasking is great. His points for this are: reduce stress, add a happy task to the day, loosen up during tasks (eg doodling or playing musical instruments) to allow the unconscious to do its job, combining tasks to save time, get feedback (either from yourself or others), look for ways that things can be connected mentally (like objects in your bedroom), filter out distractions. These things are quite vague and it doesn’t explain well how this relates to being unfocused.
I think this book has a lot of potential but needs a rewrite.
His first area of thought is creativity and he has a chapter devoted to being more creative. However, he doesn’t clearly explain how being creative leads you to be more unfocused.
His second chapter talks about dynamic learning but he fails to explain the concept of dynamic learning, other than a short story about a school where children learn by doing.
His third area of thought is called ‘supertasking’. Put simply, he has just renamed multitasking. Apparently multitasking is bad for the brain but his type of multitasking is great. His points for this are: reduce stress, add a happy task to the day, loosen up during tasks (eg doodling or playing musical instruments) to allow the unconscious to do its job, combining tasks to save time, get feedback (either from yourself or others), look for ways that things can be connected mentally (like objects in your bedroom), filter out distractions. These things are quite vague and it doesn’t explain well how this relates to being unfocused.
I think this book has a lot of potential but needs a rewrite.
October 11, 2019
Profoundly thought-provoking. This one took me a while to properly digest some of Dr Pillay’s philosophies. We often feel bad about procrastinating an important task but Pillay argues that losing focus is precisely what broadens our creative horizons and preaches steps to adopting a more carefree mindset.
Took one star off because I’ll just use this to justify my laziness.
Took one star off because I’ll just use this to justify my laziness.
March 6, 2018
This is a insightful read on the benefits of a well balanced life to achieving success. It uses story telling to reinforce data and points that clearly support the narrative. It was an eye opener in day to day best practices to learn more by focusing less. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 16, 2018
Excellent put through on thinking and focus.
Unfocus is more important than focus. Unfocus can be done by daydreaming, relaxing, imagining, embracing complexity
Unfocus to get ideas which clears the path to greatness
Unfocus is more important than focus. Unfocus can be done by daydreaming, relaxing, imagining, embracing complexity
Unfocus to get ideas which clears the path to greatness
December 25, 2019
Insightful, powerful and empowering.
A thought provoking read.
A thought provoking read.
July 10, 2021
Although I was familiar with this philosophy before reading the book (when you stop thinking about a problem and relax, the solution is likely to strike), I still enjoyed the read.
March 4, 2022
Nice concepts and easy to work on if put unfocus
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews