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Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive
by
Are you driven to distraction at work?
Bestselling author Edward M. Hallowell, MD, the world’s leading expert on ADD and ADHD, has set his sights on a new goal: helping people feel more in control and productive at work.
You know the feeling: you can’t focus; you feel increasingly overwhelmed by a mix of nonstop demands and technology that seems to be moving at the speed of ...more
Bestselling author Edward M. Hallowell, MD, the world’s leading expert on ADD and ADHD, has set his sights on a new goal: helping people feel more in control and productive at work.
You know the feeling: you can’t focus; you feel increasingly overwhelmed by a mix of nonstop demands and technology that seems to be moving at the speed of ...more
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Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
January 6th 2015
by Harvard Business Review Press
(first published November 18th 2014)
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Start your review of Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive
My name's Emma and -- this will be deeply shocking to exactly zero people on Goodreads -- I have an internet addiction. A screen time problem. Electronic FOMO.
Unfortunately, Hallowell's solution is a complete non-starter for me. "I [prescribe] human connection as a replacement for screen time."
Dude, all my connected humans ARE ON THE SCREEN!!!!
I'm going to read his Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood now. Although I don't ...more
Unfortunately, Hallowell's solution is a complete non-starter for me. "I [prescribe] human connection as a replacement for screen time."
Dude, all my connected humans ARE ON THE SCREEN!!!!
I'm going to read his Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood now. Although I don't ...more
Further ruminations on update 2 / page 135:
It's funny, because I can see the intent behind the fictional case studies, but they just don't feel realistic. The "screen addiction" one feels so outdated-- he recommends keeping a record of when you "log on" and "log off" the internet, as if that's something you have to consciously choose OR something you can avoid doing while at work. The author does admit to being in his late sixties, so that might explain the slightly out-of-touch feel to these ...more
It's funny, because I can see the intent behind the fictional case studies, but they just don't feel realistic. The "screen addiction" one feels so outdated-- he recommends keeping a record of when you "log on" and "log off" the internet, as if that's something you have to consciously choose OR something you can avoid doing while at work. The author does admit to being in his late sixties, so that might explain the slightly out-of-touch feel to these ...more
The author of this book definitely does a good job highlighting attention/focus issues in today's world, but he also does a good job at making a lot of the information up. Also constantly advertising his previous books. You go Ned.
Don't get me wrong, he's probably a very experienced and knowledgeable writer, however he doesn't need to overthink every situation in terms of ADHD. It's great how he addresses all the problems and gives tips and guides on how to deal with it. Still, most of the ...more
Don't get me wrong, he's probably a very experienced and knowledgeable writer, however he doesn't need to overthink every situation in terms of ADHD. It's great how he addresses all the problems and gives tips and guides on how to deal with it. Still, most of the ...more
Sounded promising, but not quite what I thought it would be. Hallowell outlines six ADTs (Attention Deficit Traits)--behavior types or ways that people tend to lose focus at work: "screen sucking” (internet/social media addiction), multitasking, idea hopping, worrying, playing the hero, and dropping the ball. I saw a little of myself in each of these, so I was hopeful that I'd find some good advice to combat these traits. The problem is that he bases each of these types on very individualized
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There are a lot of books about getting things done and how to be more effective. But for me I often feel the more I try to do, the less effective I am. And there might be something to that.
This book isn’t just for adults diagnosed with ADHD/ADD: it is for anyone experiencing symptoms in line with that diagnosis. Many “effective behaviors” we learn as young adults or even as children might get us to where we are but then hinder us in the long run: multi-tasking becomes a loss of focus and ...more
This book isn’t just for adults diagnosed with ADHD/ADD: it is for anyone experiencing symptoms in line with that diagnosis. Many “effective behaviors” we learn as young adults or even as children might get us to where we are but then hinder us in the long run: multi-tasking becomes a loss of focus and ...more
Hallowell breaks down 6 distracted employee types, including technology addicts, multitaskers who can't say no, idea people who can't follow through, those who do for others before themselves, worriers and those with clinical ADHD. The greatest thing about this book is how Hallowell creates a fictitious sufferer of each of his types, allegedly an amalgam of people he's counseled or interviewed. It's great because Hallowell clearly enjoys creating these personas, who have remarkably detailed
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Reading 2015 - For a few years now I have noticed it increasingly difficult to focus my attention at work. Not to the point where my work suffers significantly, but definitely to the point where perhaps I am a ways off my best. This has been a topic of conversation at work amongst a few of us, and someone mentioned this book. "Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive"
by Edward M. Hallowell.
I thought I would give it a read and I am a little surprised to say that I think ...more
by Edward M. Hallowell.
I thought I would give it a read and I am a little surprised to say that I think ...more
There wasn't too much "new" information and a lot of instances where distracting issues were covered but not in the way to assist the reader or improving focus. Although I did not read this title cover to cover, but instead chose specific chapters I felt I could adapt and improve my own attention. I still had trouble seeing how an individual could apply this in real life.
I felt as if the author enjoyed hearing himself expound on the wide variety of reasons why so many get distracted, going in ...more
I felt as if the author enjoyed hearing himself expound on the wide variety of reasons why so many get distracted, going in ...more
LIbrary book. Actually surprised I finished it. Def not hte book for me. His examples are so extreme I couldn't find anything in common with them or I couldn't even identify any co-workers who had items in common with them.
Also, his examples, in my opinion, had so many of their bad habits blamed on their parents and child hood that I really wonder about hte applicability to other readers.
Would not recommend to anyone.
Also, his examples, in my opinion, had so many of their bad habits blamed on their parents and child hood that I really wonder about hte applicability to other readers.
Would not recommend to anyone.
Interesting premise on distraction while doing things, and how to minimize that distraction. The author, who is a clinical psychiatrist, that was one of the first to identify ADD in the early 90s, believes that adults who operate in fast-paced or information-dense occupations may also suffer from "ADD-like" ailment which he labels Attention Deficit Trait (ADT), that has many different, potentially independent, drivers.
The book is laid out, in the case-format, half a dozen or so scenarios that ...more
The book is laid out, in the case-format, half a dozen or so scenarios that ...more
Super clear, ADHD-friendly format (but I guess that's kinda par for the course from one of the leading ADHD experts eh?) A treasure trove of tips, tricks, strategies, and suggestions for becoming more focused, intentional, productive, happy, loved, and, ultimately, feeling like we're living lives that really matter.
This book was recommended to me by a friend that is focused and productive. It was an easy read and made me evaluate the aspects of my life that needed improvement: mainly multi-tasking and worrying. I dog-eared several sections that were helpful as I journey towards my more focused and productive self.
Had some very insightful ideas, very glad I read. Covers a lot of causes for distractions, most of which won't be relevant to a single person. Skimmed a lot. Some advice has been said a million times. But worth the skim to get the valuable bits.
I wasn't able to finish this book, because it wasn't interesting enough nor did it have practical advice. I had high expectations since this is a book authored by the renowned ADHD specialist Dr. Hallowell, but it fell short.
This is an exceptional book on promoting healthy productivity, and not just at work! Hallowell’s insights are powerful – wise and timely, ingenious and practical, doable and effective. This is definitely on my “to-reread” list.
Good information if you can wade through the fictional scenarios that are way to cheesy.
Very helpful in de-stigmatizing and bringing to light attention deficit disorder, very comprehensive and enjoyable to read with many relatable anecdotes
I read everything by Hallowell. If you know me, you know why.
I picked up this book at the library last week in the "new" nonfiction area and it was a perfect read over the past week two weeks. The author is an expert on ADHD but his focus here was to examine the reasons why people get distracted at work. There is a chapter for each of the six distractions-screen sucking, multitasking, idea hopping, worrying, playing the hero, and dropping the ball. Then he provides some realistic advice about how to deal with the issues. Yes- I am guilty of the
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The author comes up with some categories of distractedness for which you can take a test to determine which category(s) you fit. Then gives some strategies for dealing with these types of personality types. I took the test, but not sure if it accurately categorized my type. I thought I might fit numerous types but after reading the individual examples I wasn't too sure. The suggestions he had for dealing with distraction were valid and some suggestions were things I agreed I needed to work on.
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Overall, this is a good book that covers many areas of distraction but his solutions are somewhat simplistic which may make many not want to participate. His previous book deals with ADHD so much of that has been filtered into this book and while it may have a bearing, I am not convinced it is at the core of all the issues.
He does provide 10 tips at the end of each chapter and the points, while basic, are helpful to anyone looking to resolve the issues they are dealing with. Can make a great ...more
He does provide 10 tips at the end of each chapter and the points, while basic, are helpful to anyone looking to resolve the issues they are dealing with. Can make a great ...more
I like that Hallowell is not afraid to be authentic and admit how these techniques have worked for him and why. Especially when he talks about energy - so many doctors preach when it comes to food and exercise, but he was realistic. I also liked that he used case studies as examples of the different problems with focus that people can have. Mostly, this book reiterates what I have learned in other books about focus, including others by the same author. It's well-organized and clear, and presents
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This has been my work book for the past few weeks and in typical business book fashion it had some good tidbits which it then repeated a bunch of times. You know what I mean - eke a book out of a blog post? I'd recommend this book for a certain type of person who has trouble focusing (not my particular issue) and it definitely had some good takeaways but it was about twice as long as it needed to be. Good for a skim if you're looking for some help focusing!
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One of the best books on productivity and focus that I've read. Far more actionable than Daniel Goleman's book "Focus: the hidden driver of excellence."
Practical tips aplenty on how to eliminate distractions while also training attention. What I like is that the book isn't a giant system, that you need to adopt wholesale to see results. You can easily pull out a few nuggets and start applying to see results. The stories highlighting the start of each chapter are also interesting, albeit too ...more
Practical tips aplenty on how to eliminate distractions while also training attention. What I like is that the book isn't a giant system, that you need to adopt wholesale to see results. You can easily pull out a few nuggets and start applying to see results. The stories highlighting the start of each chapter are also interesting, albeit too ...more
I appreciated how this book was written by a doctor who specializing in attention and focus and that the anecdotes and examples were from patients and not personal essays. The lists were easy to follow and examples clear to understand. I wish that there was more content for the second part of the book and/or less detail in the first. I will probably refer back to this book in the future to revisit it and for the lists of supplemental readings.
Recommend For: Adult/Self-Help/Professional
Recommend For: Adult/Self-Help/Professional
Good Stuff; nothing earth shattering
It was an interesting read that I actually finished so that must mean something :) It is comforting to know many people deal with similar issues so I would recommend the book on that alone. I think it os easy to get down on yourself as "undisciplined" or "lazy" when you deal with ADHD or even ADT but it is good to know we can do things to set ourselves up for success and identify those things that are bringing us down.
It was an interesting read that I actually finished so that must mean something :) It is comforting to know many people deal with similar issues so I would recommend the book on that alone. I think it os easy to get down on yourself as "undisciplined" or "lazy" when you deal with ADHD or even ADT but it is good to know we can do things to set ourselves up for success and identify those things that are bringing us down.
I skimmed this book, as I've already read 'Driven to Distraction' several times (it is the ADD Bible) and most of the information is already in D2D. This book is not what I expected it to be. It calls ADD "ADT" = Attention Deficit Tendencies, which I personally think is stupid. I would recommend reading 'Driven To Distraction' instead of this book. It covers more information, and covers it much better.
For some reason, I thought an expert on ADHD might have some good thoughts on managing focus at work. Instead this book is full of "feel-good" recommendations like talking about your feelings and having lots of sex. Really? I was looking for concrete solutions to managing distractions in the workplace, and this book was certainly not it.
Excellent book written by a psychiatrist using the ADHD experiences of clients - and the various distractions in today's complex technology driven world. The principles in this book will be relevant for leaders and managers everywhere, both personally and for their teams, in terms of improving time management, productivity, mental health and achievement.
Jan 03, 2016
Liz
added it
Did not finish. The book was good, but I felt like I was able to read the parts that pertained to me without finishing the whole thing.
Very good advice for victims of "screen sucking" (internet addiction).
Very good advice for victims of "screen sucking" (internet addiction).
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Edward (Ned) Hallowell, M.D., is a child and adult psychiatrist, a NY Times bestselling author, a world-renowned speaker and a leading authority in the field of ADHD. He has authored twenty books including the 1994 ground-breaking New York Times best-seller on ADHD, Driven to Distraction. In aggregate, Dr. Hallowell's books have sold more than 2 million copies on various psychological topics
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“A heightened distractibility and a persistent feeling of being rushed or in a hurry, even when there’s no need to be, combined with a mounting feeling of how superficial your life has become: lots to do, but no depth of thought or feeling.”
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“A feeling of loss of control over your own life and a nagging feeling of “What am I missing?”
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