Real Focus

Book description

Psychologies, the leading magazine for intelligent people, provides their inspirational yet rigorous approach to the perennial topic of focus, to include topics of mindfulness, clarity and productivity.

How are you today? We would hazard a guess that your answer will be along the lines of 'I'm so busy,' 'I feel so frazzled,' or 'what-am-I doing-even reading-this-book, I've got so much to do!'

However, we also suspect that you know in your heart of hearts, that life's not supposed to feel like this. You're not supposed to feel like you're in a hamster wheel that you can't get off; that life is a ‘whirlwind' or ‘one never-ending To Do list.' You know there has to be another way - but what is it? Well here it is: Real Focus.

Written in association with Psychologies Magazine the leading magazine for intelligent people, covering work, personal development and lifestyle issues Real Focus is:

  • Packed full of tips, techniques and advice to help you focus in on what matters
  • Based on scientific evidence and cutting edge global research
  • Rigorous with credible content presented in a light and accessible manner
  • Inspirational yet down to earth and practical

Table of contents

  1. FOREWORD
  2. INTRODUCTION
    1. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
    2. THE EXPERTS INTERVIEWED FOR REAL FOCUS
  3. 1 HOW FOCUSED ARE YOU?
    1. CHAPTER 1 Defining ‘Real Focus’
      1. HOW DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW?
      2. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO FEEL?
      3. TAKE THE TEST HOW FOCUSED ARE YOU?
    2. CHAPTER 2 The Busy Trap
      1. SO WHAT IS THE BUSY TRAP AND HAVE YOU FALLEN INTO IT?
      2. THE BIG GLASS JAR THESIS
      3. ARE YOU A BUSY BRAGGER?
      4. BUSYNESS: ARE YOU DOING IT TO YOURSELF?
      5. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IDLE
      6. ARE YOU EVEN AS BUSY AS YOU THINK YOU ARE?
      7. HOW THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES KEEP US IN THE BUSY TRAP
      8. WE JUST FEEL BUSIER – THAT’S THE PROBLEM
      9. TAKE THE TEST ARE YOU PRODUCTIVE OR JUST BUSY?
    3. CHAPTER 3 The Impact of Being Overwhelmed
      1. INFORMATION OVERLOAD
      2. ARE YOU ADDICTED TO DISTRACTION?
      3. THE STRAIN ON OUR BRAINS
      4. TAKE THE TEST HOW DISTRACTED ARE YOU?
  4. 2 WHY DO YOU LACK FOCUS?
    1. CHAPTER 4 The Attention Deficit
      1. EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
      2. PROCRASTINATION AND PRIORITIZATION
      3. WEISURE
      4. TAKE THE TEST DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRIORITIZE?
    2. CHAPTER 5 Finding a Balance: Men, Women and Our Changing Roles
      1. THE SO-CALLED GENDER REVOLUTION
      2. THE STALLED GENDER REVOLUTION
      3. THE SEXIST SHIFT
      4. ROLE-SHIFTING AND ROLE OVERLOAD
      5. SO WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS INEQUALITY, IMBALANCE OF WORKLOAD?
    3. CHAPTER 6 Focus Robbers
      1. 1. VICTIM MENTALITY
      2. 2. OVERCOMMITTING
      3. 3. TELLING YOURSELF UNTRUTHS
      4. 4. PERFECTIONISM
      5. 5. TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF
      6. 6. NOT TAKING BREAKS
      7. 7. NOT SCHEDULING THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN
      8. 8. CONFUSING BUSYNESS WITH PRODUCTIVITY
      9. 9. PEOPLE PLEASING
      10. 10. NOT BEING REALISTIC
  5. 3 HOW CAN YOU BECOME MORE FOCUSED?
    1. CHAPTER 7 Do What Matters
      1. KNOW YOURSELF
      2. PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
    2. CHAPTER 8 Reclaim Your Time
      1. KNOW WHERE YOUR TIME GOES
      2. PROTECT YOUR TIME
      3. INVEST IN YOUR TIME
    3. CHAPTER 9 Be Present
      1. WHAT DOES BEING ‘PRESENT’ REALLY MEAN?
      2. WHY IS BEING PRESENT SO IMPORTANT?
      3. WHAT IS MINDFULNESS ANYWAY?
      4. WHAT TO DO WHEN WE’RE OVERWHELMED ‘IN THE MOMENT’
      5. KNOW WHEN THE GOOD MOMENTS ARE HAPPENING
    4. CHAPTER 10 Embrace Systems
      1. IN PRAISE OF SYSTEMS
  6. WHAT NEXT?
  7. ABOUT PSYCHOLOGIES
  8. REFERENCES
  9. EULA

Product information

  • Title: Real Focus
  • Author(s): Psychologies Magazine
  • Release date: June 2016
  • Publisher(s): Capstone
  • ISBN: 9780857086600