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On Task: How Our Brain Gets Things Done
A look at the extraordinary ways the brain turns thoughts into actions―and how this shapes our everyday lives
Why is it hard to text and drive at the same time? How do you resist eating that extra piece of cake? Why does staring at a tax form feel mentally exhausting? Why can your child expertly fix the computer and yet still forget to put on a coat? From making a cup of coffee to buying a house to changing the world around them, humans are uniquely able to execute necessary actions. How do we do it? Or in other words, how do our brains get things done? In On Task , cognitive neuroscientist David Badre presents the first authoritative introduction to the neuroscience of cognitive control―the remarkable ways that our brains devise sophisticated actions to achieve our goals. We barely notice this routine part of our lives. Yet, cognitive control, also known as executive function, is an astonishing phenomenon that has a profound impact on our well-being.
Drawing on cutting-edge research, vivid clinical case studies, and examples from daily life, Badre sheds light on the evolution and inner workings of cognitive control. He examines issues from multitasking and willpower to habitual errors and bad decision making, as well as what happens as our brains develop in childhood and change as we age―and what happens when cognitive control breaks down. Ultimately, Badre shows that cognitive control affects just about everything we do.
A revelatory look at how billions of neurons collectively translate abstract ideas into concrete plans, On Task offers an eye-opening investigation into the brain’s critical role in human behavior.
Why is it hard to text and drive at the same time? How do you resist eating that extra piece of cake? Why does staring at a tax form feel mentally exhausting? Why can your child expertly fix the computer and yet still forget to put on a coat? From making a cup of coffee to buying a house to changing the world around them, humans are uniquely able to execute necessary actions. How do we do it? Or in other words, how do our brains get things done? In On Task , cognitive neuroscientist David Badre presents the first authoritative introduction to the neuroscience of cognitive control―the remarkable ways that our brains devise sophisticated actions to achieve our goals. We barely notice this routine part of our lives. Yet, cognitive control, also known as executive function, is an astonishing phenomenon that has a profound impact on our well-being.
Drawing on cutting-edge research, vivid clinical case studies, and examples from daily life, Badre sheds light on the evolution and inner workings of cognitive control. He examines issues from multitasking and willpower to habitual errors and bad decision making, as well as what happens as our brains develop in childhood and change as we age―and what happens when cognitive control breaks down. Ultimately, Badre shows that cognitive control affects just about everything we do.
A revelatory look at how billions of neurons collectively translate abstract ideas into concrete plans, On Task offers an eye-opening investigation into the brain’s critical role in human behavior.
344 pages, Hardcover
Published November 10, 2020
104 people are currently reading
923 people want to read
About the author
David Badre
2 books10 followersDavid Badre received his B.S. from the University of Michigan in 2000, and his Ph.D. from the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT in 2005. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, he joined Brown's Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences as Assistant Professor in 2008 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014. He is also an affiliate of the Carney Institute for Brain Science at Brown and a trainer in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. His lab at Brown focuses on the cognitive neuroscience of memory and cognitive control with an emphasis on frontal lobe function and organization. Dr. Badre serves on the editorial boards of Psychological Science, Cognitive Science, and Behavioral Neuroscience. He served as Section Editor covering "Executive Function and Cognitive Control" for Neuropsychologia until 2017. Presently, he serves on the Board of Reviewing Editors for the journal eLife, and he is a standing member of the Cognition and Perception study section of NIH. His research is supported by NINDS and NIMH at the NIH, and through the Office of Naval Research. His work has been recognized by several awards, including an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship in Neuroscience, a James S. McDonnell Scholar Award in Understanding Human Cognition, and the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Young Investigator Award.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 9, 2021
On Task by David Badre is a well written book about the science of cognitive control. It is a truly fascinating read on how “our brain gets things done.” The reader learns a great deal about the evolution of cognition and the origins of cognitive control.
In a compelling narrative style, Badre takes a relatively complex technical neuroscience concept and makes it easy for the neophyte to understand by using real world settings. For example, to explain the concept of “Hierarchical” cognitive control, Badre shows the progression of abstractions to sub-goals in cognitive control by using the familiar example of trying to get morning coffee in a hotel. This and many such examples of everyday tasks made understanding technical concepts very easy.
If you’re interested in the state of the art of how our brain evolved to control the everyday tasks we perform, in the cognitive management of multitasking, in hierarchical cognitive control of developmental change, in how the brain controls and manages the progression from knowledge to action, and in other words, “how our brain gets things done,” then I highly recommend you read this book.
In a compelling narrative style, Badre takes a relatively complex technical neuroscience concept and makes it easy for the neophyte to understand by using real world settings. For example, to explain the concept of “Hierarchical” cognitive control, Badre shows the progression of abstractions to sub-goals in cognitive control by using the familiar example of trying to get morning coffee in a hotel. This and many such examples of everyday tasks made understanding technical concepts very easy.
If you’re interested in the state of the art of how our brain evolved to control the everyday tasks we perform, in the cognitive management of multitasking, in hierarchical cognitive control of developmental change, in how the brain controls and manages the progression from knowledge to action, and in other words, “how our brain gets things done,” then I highly recommend you read this book.
February 20, 2021
How do we manage to make a cup of coffee without planning every single step? How can we deal with new situations that we never encountered before and come up with good solutions? Why do we struggle to remember things when we get older? This and other questions are addressed in David Badre’s authoritative text on the science of cognitive control - a similar, commonly used concept is executive function. Across 10 chapters, Badre introduces the history of thinking about cognitive control, the evolutions of this field, and the current state-of-the-art. He skilfully manages to provide a conceptually understanding without shying away from getting into the computational models that have driven much of the progress in this field in recent years. I found it especially refreshing that the book was so up-to-date. Many books from eminent scientists reflect insights that have become textbook knowledge with the occasional morsel of new and exciting developments sprinkled in. However, this book is a true reflection of current thinking and provides an excellent overview for anyone who is interested in this field or wants to get into it. That being said, I would not consider this book to be a popular science book. While it is very readable, the level of detail may be a bit too much for someone without any foundational knowledge in psychology, cognitive science, or related fields.
September 13, 2025
I originally bought this because it seemed like it would be relevant to my dissertation, but I really don’t know why I keep buying pop neuroscience books when taking the time to read them instead of papers comes with such a huge and predictable opportunity cost. BUT, I did like this one, and was pleased by how much of it was devoted to more computational and subcortical type stuff
April 4, 2021
Interesting read! A bit more 'hard-boiled neuroscience' at times than I expected, but readable nonetheless. Made me think about the way I approach tasks and I found myself recalling stuff I'd read when going about my daily life and doing stuff.
November 19, 2022
An incredible read regarding how the brain functions. As with most Princeton Press books, this is geared towards those with extensive knowledge of the subject at hand. As such, a bit challenging here and there but I did like that the author composed a bit more than 50% in layman concepts. This book really allowed me to appreciate the functioning of the brain in ways I had previously discounted. Safe to say we take our mental faculties for granted. I really gained significant insight into the challenges others face, whether that be through trauma, genetics, or age. Fascinating.
March 31, 2023
Very interesting but not what I thought it was.
July 30, 2023
The author starts the book discussing the concept of being able to make a cup of coffee successfully.
This is of course a menial, mundane and insignificant task.
His idea though, is the now cliche, that even the most simple natural tasks are substantially more complex, involved and sophisticated on a naturalistic perspective than we can comprehend . This is a good thing of course. The trajectory of evolution has ensured that we need not account for such silly things.
To stay on task, is about those silly things. It involves not only the resources of all the basic notions of executive functioning (look into Russell Barkley’s adhd work if curious ) but also the ability for your brain to plan a complex sequence of motor movements, with a great deal of abduction and addiction. Push and pull of the limbs mixed in the course of an appropriate. Sequence. Meaning we need to walk up to the coffee machine, or whatever you have, move our arms, grab a cup, make the coffee pour the milk creamer sugar blah blah blah.
While this is trivial from our experience and can feel as intellectually involved as driving a car, on the level of the brains networking, as it pertains to planning, movement and staying focused. It is actually absurdly complex. Hence why practical robotics engineering has such a learning curve and is still relatively primitive to what it will become.
In short, there is a popular notion of task in psychology and neuroscience. It is a BASIC notion of planned movement,and thought which navigates whatever terrain the brain finds itself in.
This book is a is good academically published non-popular capitulation of the modem understanding of how people sequence , or struggle to sequence their behaviors . It is rife with cognitive theory as it mostly pertains to neuro and psych with a bit of non technical A.i(which btw is pretty much in ALL books these days)
Id expect it to be smooth read for a well educated reader especially if they are fairly literate in the subject mentioned above. They may need to skim past some of the not super duper complex neurophysiology.
Overall solid book.
If you’re interested in the science of cognitive control meaning how the mind controls the body, and you’d like to know why sometimes it fails. This is a MUCH more accessible read than what you would find on a journal
This is of course a menial, mundane and insignificant task.
His idea though, is the now cliche, that even the most simple natural tasks are substantially more complex, involved and sophisticated on a naturalistic perspective than we can comprehend . This is a good thing of course. The trajectory of evolution has ensured that we need not account for such silly things.
To stay on task, is about those silly things. It involves not only the resources of all the basic notions of executive functioning (look into Russell Barkley’s adhd work if curious ) but also the ability for your brain to plan a complex sequence of motor movements, with a great deal of abduction and addiction. Push and pull of the limbs mixed in the course of an appropriate. Sequence. Meaning we need to walk up to the coffee machine, or whatever you have, move our arms, grab a cup, make the coffee pour the milk creamer sugar blah blah blah.
While this is trivial from our experience and can feel as intellectually involved as driving a car, on the level of the brains networking, as it pertains to planning, movement and staying focused. It is actually absurdly complex. Hence why practical robotics engineering has such a learning curve and is still relatively primitive to what it will become.
In short, there is a popular notion of task in psychology and neuroscience. It is a BASIC notion of planned movement,and thought which navigates whatever terrain the brain finds itself in.
This book is a is good academically published non-popular capitulation of the modem understanding of how people sequence , or struggle to sequence their behaviors . It is rife with cognitive theory as it mostly pertains to neuro and psych with a bit of non technical A.i(which btw is pretty much in ALL books these days)
Id expect it to be smooth read for a well educated reader especially if they are fairly literate in the subject mentioned above. They may need to skim past some of the not super duper complex neurophysiology.
Overall solid book.
If you’re interested in the science of cognitive control meaning how the mind controls the body, and you’d like to know why sometimes it fails. This is a MUCH more accessible read than what you would find on a journal
July 23, 2021
How do we get things done? Why are some struggling to finish tasks, while others are already working on the next? What causes procrastination? Why do people text and drive? How is memory linked to it all?
It turns out that it comes down to cognitive control. This book answers many of these questions, explains the process in great scientific detail by looking at and examining the neuroscience behind the gap between thought and action. Although not all concepts are easy to grasp and will often challenge (but not break) your brain, it certainly helps that David sprinkles his knowledge, research, and insights with a great sense of humor. He also applies these concepts to everyday life, such as making coffee or dealing with children.
I only have two minor reservations here. One, I do not share his view on Freud. Although by no means a focus in his book, I think he underestimates and devalues the major contributions of the founder of psychoanalysis, but it is, sadly, in line with what most scientists still believe.
Secondly, the book would have been better without its postscript. Although I agree with the importance and relevance of his views, I think it diminishes and takes away from the clear-eyed and open-ended view he had throughout the book, and it is an unfortunate turn. The values and insights contained in this book already speak for themselves, and they can be applied to many different aspects of our lives ranging from dealing with addiction to living a healthier and happier life.
It turns out that it comes down to cognitive control. This book answers many of these questions, explains the process in great scientific detail by looking at and examining the neuroscience behind the gap between thought and action. Although not all concepts are easy to grasp and will often challenge (but not break) your brain, it certainly helps that David sprinkles his knowledge, research, and insights with a great sense of humor. He also applies these concepts to everyday life, such as making coffee or dealing with children.
I only have two minor reservations here. One, I do not share his view on Freud. Although by no means a focus in his book, I think he underestimates and devalues the major contributions of the founder of psychoanalysis, but it is, sadly, in line with what most scientists still believe.
Secondly, the book would have been better without its postscript. Although I agree with the importance and relevance of his views, I think it diminishes and takes away from the clear-eyed and open-ended view he had throughout the book, and it is an unfortunate turn. The values and insights contained in this book already speak for themselves, and they can be applied to many different aspects of our lives ranging from dealing with addiction to living a healthier and happier life.
April 30, 2021
Would give it 6 stars, if i could.
As information rich as the topic commands, yet accessible all the way through.
David Badre is a fantastic scientist and writer.
Rigorous, curious and funny.
This could have been 10 times as long and I would have wanted to keep reading it.
This is a book written for the interested brain practicioner aswell as anyone in philosophy/science wanting to get a solid introduction to current thinking in the cognitive neurosciences regarding the control mechanisms of thinking and behavior.
Some background in neuroscience, and/or computer science will be of great benefit. Otherwise a second or third reading of certain chapters may proof necessary to extract everything. The concepts are laid out in such terms tho that much can be gathered, even if some details are not integrated in the process.
The audiobook version is really well read in my opinion. Treat yourself to these really mind expanding lessons on how you do what you do.
After revisiting some of the earlier chapters myself, I will expand on this review.
As information rich as the topic commands, yet accessible all the way through.
David Badre is a fantastic scientist and writer.
Rigorous, curious and funny.
This could have been 10 times as long and I would have wanted to keep reading it.
This is a book written for the interested brain practicioner aswell as anyone in philosophy/science wanting to get a solid introduction to current thinking in the cognitive neurosciences regarding the control mechanisms of thinking and behavior.
Some background in neuroscience, and/or computer science will be of great benefit. Otherwise a second or third reading of certain chapters may proof necessary to extract everything. The concepts are laid out in such terms tho that much can be gathered, even if some details are not integrated in the process.
The audiobook version is really well read in my opinion. Treat yourself to these really mind expanding lessons on how you do what you do.
After revisiting some of the earlier chapters myself, I will expand on this review.
December 30, 2022
Over the years I started to like science books that have more concrete examples (experiments) and nuanced discussions. I don't want a dumbed-down version, a simplified picture; rather, if something is not clear, just say it, and say where we are now.
This book satisfies this criterion, and I like it.
It's about our control system. How we gate different processes; how we stop things; how we evaluate things; how age affects these abilities and what we can do about it.
What's most interesting for me is the anterior cingulate cortex -- how it may evaluate opportunity costs and give rise to the feeling of mental efforts. -- motivation vs mental efforts vs performance: we can feel great pain and unbearable mental efforts in doing something, but with enough motivation, we can still do it and our performance doesn't suffer much. Willpower may not be depleting in the same way as a trained muscle -- a popular concept I have held for several years from other books. The discussion about meta-analysis, registered reports, multiple-lab replication studies is really crucial.
This book satisfies this criterion, and I like it.
It's about our control system. How we gate different processes; how we stop things; how we evaluate things; how age affects these abilities and what we can do about it.
What's most interesting for me is the anterior cingulate cortex -- how it may evaluate opportunity costs and give rise to the feeling of mental efforts. -- motivation vs mental efforts vs performance: we can feel great pain and unbearable mental efforts in doing something, but with enough motivation, we can still do it and our performance doesn't suffer much. Willpower may not be depleting in the same way as a trained muscle -- a popular concept I have held for several years from other books. The discussion about meta-analysis, registered reports, multiple-lab replication studies is really crucial.
May 28, 2025
This wasn't what I expected, but it was still fascinating. Using something as simple as making coffee in the morning, the author explains the science of cognitive control - how our brain works to accomplish even basic tasks. Some of the book got way too deep into the neuroscience behind it all, but most of it was easy enough for even this neophyte to understand.
If you're interested in reading about how the brain controls everything we do - and why it sometimes fails - and don't mind technical jargon and theories along the way, I'd recommend this book.
If you're interested in reading about how the brain controls everything we do - and why it sometimes fails - and don't mind technical jargon and theories along the way, I'd recommend this book.
July 19, 2023
A cognitive neuroscientist discusses the problem of cognitive control, how the brain configures your actions to achieve your goals.
I thought this was often very nice, I especially like the description of the evolution of congitive control. They show how stone axe development can be used as a proxy for how ancient human's brains were developing.
Overall it was a nice read, I suspect it will be a lot nicer in 50 years once we've worked out how it works,
I thought this was often very nice, I especially like the description of the evolution of congitive control. They show how stone axe development can be used as a proxy for how ancient human's brains were developing.
Overall it was a nice read, I suspect it will be a lot nicer in 50 years once we've worked out how it works,
November 29, 2023
Can’t say enough good things about this book. I went in knowing very little (nothing) about cognitive control and found the book to be very enlightening. It was fairly technical but also understandable. The ideas in the book are what set it apart.
I will likely share this book with as many people who are interested.
Has relevance for AI, for child development, for cognitive decline, and for many many other tangentially related fields.
Wonderful book.
I will likely share this book with as many people who are interested.
Has relevance for AI, for child development, for cognitive decline, and for many many other tangentially related fields.
Wonderful book.
December 13, 2025
I discovered this book accidentally while scrolling on Facebook, the name immediately captured me as I’m always wondering about the way our brain works and how it gets things done ?
This book tries to simplify the neuroscience behind cognitive control and our interactions with the world, I liked how it linked the behavioral patterns with neurological concepts, also the clear and plain language that makes it easy for anyone to understand.
This book tries to simplify the neuroscience behind cognitive control and our interactions with the world, I liked how it linked the behavioral patterns with neurological concepts, also the clear and plain language that makes it easy for anyone to understand.
September 3, 2021
The author has undoubtedly put a lot of effort into writing this book, I appreciate that.
However, I found the book way too scientific and too complicated for an average reader. I felt like reading a research paper.
Overall, the book is informative, but not one that I'd "enjoy" reading in my free time.
However, I found the book way too scientific and too complicated for an average reader. I felt like reading a research paper.
Overall, the book is informative, but not one that I'd "enjoy" reading in my free time.
February 5, 2024
I am biased but I love reading about the brain. David Badre gives an excellent overview of our nebulous and fascinating subfield of cognitive control.
I don’t know that this book is actually truly accessible to folks who don’t at least have a bachelors in psychology/neuro, but I think this would make for an excellent graduate-level seminar text on the topic.
I don’t know that this book is actually truly accessible to folks who don’t at least have a bachelors in psychology/neuro, but I think this would make for an excellent graduate-level seminar text on the topic.
Read
December 25, 2020DNF. Too profound
July 14, 2025
Well written book about a complex topic - at times I got a bit lost in the deep dives into neuroscience, but overall the explanations were clear and there were lots of interesting pieces.
March 10, 2025
I really liked that this book went into the full details of the neuroscience. Some parts were repetitive though, because the same nerve pathways were involved in many situations, so I don't blame the author for that.
I would have liked more of an integration as to how certain mechanisms can be used to enact positive changes in patients (and in our own) lives. This was a lot more theoretical. Overall a really good in depth review.
I would have liked more of an integration as to how certain mechanisms can be used to enact positive changes in patients (and in our own) lives. This was a lot more theoretical. Overall a really good in depth review.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews