focus [Kindle Edition]

Leo Babauta (Author)

Book Description

A simplicity manifesto in the Age of Distraction. Focus shows us how to find the focus among all the digital distractions in our world, so that we can create, focus on what's important, and find time for quiet and contemplation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leo Babauta has been a reporter, editor, speechwriter, and freelance writer for the last 17 years. Babauta lives in Guam with his wife and five children, where he posts regularly on ZenHabits.net.

Product Details

• File Size: 180 KB
• Print Length: 136 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Pipe Dreams Press (October 21, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0049B32AQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,966 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Disconnect from the Internet and connect to the world around you... it will make a change. November 10, 2010

By Floris van Eck

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Disclaimer: I am a passionate follower of Leo Babauta's blog, Zen Habits.

My friends call me inspector gadget. I have always been a pioneer, an early adopter... always living on the edge in terms of technology. However, the more I got connected, the emptier I felt in side. A few years ago, I stumbled upon Leo's blog, Zenhabits. I read an article now and then and thought "hey, this guys knows what he's talking about." Over the years, I have completely changed my lifestyle, and most of that knowledge came from Zenhabits and affiliates (guest authors that lead me to other blogs I am following now). Nowadays, I have a inbox zero policy, I got rid of television, don't follow the news actively anymore, minimized my RSS subscriptions and declutter my home (still not as much as I would like).

Because Leo has become my lifestyle Guru, I decided to support him by buying his book. And I can tell you this: this book, Focus Manifesto, accumulates all the knowledge from 3 years of Zenhabits in one easy to read, to the point book that should be thought in every high school. After reading this book, I decided to seriously cut down my time on the internet. I don't even go on the Internet till late in the afternoon, so my mornings are productive and creative and I am not distracted by e-mails, feeds and notifications. I am even considering a Digibattical or disconnecting the Internet in weekends. I think I am again at the front, many people will drop-out in the near future.... the Internet and television are draining all of us and we will pay the bill if we don't take care.

I can recommend this book to everyone... and if you combine it with David Allen's Getting Things Done (for some tasks, not everything in you life... it will make a difference....

To make a long story short: Highly recommend for everyone.

Leo, I wish you all the best. You are my guru, and I am sure I am not the only one who sees you that way. You did change my life more than anybody else. Thank you so much. Read more ›

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best books you'll read on controlling your own life December 3, 2010

By arvind s grover

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Leo, thank you for this book. I am the Director of Technology at a school with a 1:1 laptop program for students and teachers. I am keenly aware of how technology can contribute to people's lack of focus.

This book is thoughtful, fun, and easy to read. The advice is clear, and if you can even take up a few practices you will feel amazingly free. If you can do more than a few then you will feel truly blessed.

I have been working recently to help people use technology more effectively e.g. not be on e-mail all day long, but rather working on the things that are of greatest importance. Leo's book should be required reading in schools, particularly for teachers who are often pulled in so many directions simultaneously.

I must also say that if you are compelled by Leo's book, please read Tony Schwartz's "The Way We're Working Isn't Working." It is a higher-level book about optimizing one's life, but Leo and Tony have very similar ways of structuring change in small pieces that anyone can do.

My only critique of this book is that Leo doesn't cite any sources. Much of his thoughts seems to come from other books and studies I've read, but I didn't see them mentioned anywhere.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I like it, but... December 13, 2010

By M. Koschwitz

Format:Kindle Edition

There are (so far) five 5-star reviews on here if you want all the positives of the book. I agree with them mostly, so read them for that.

My one critique of the book is that it gets very repetitive about halfway through. I took away the same thing halfway into it that I did after finishing the book. For a book about focusing, I just think it should have been more condensed and well... focused.

With that said, the book is only $9 on here and he also offers a free version on his site in PDF format. On the other hand, if you REALLY enjoy the book in that free format, maybe you should buy it here or the premium version (offers videos, guides, and audio interviews) also featured on his own site. These are both offered at focusmanifesto dot com.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good thoughts -- but not very deep January 31, 2011

By Matt Lugar

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoy Leo's blog and I think he makes some great points regularly. However, taking many of these blog posts and morphing into a book is a stretch. After a while the points become rather redundant (although still important) and there wasn't much of anything fresh beyond the first 1/3rd of the book.

I'd recommend it for those just starting to think about living a minimalist lifestyle with limited distraction and increased focus, but don't expect any deep 'a-ha' moments from this book.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the most important book you will read all year. October 30, 2010

By Adam Boettiger

Format:Kindle Edition

In "Focus: A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of Distraction", Leo Babauta goes in-depth on what will likely become known as one of the most prevalent and critical issues affecting our lives in the 21st century: Distraction.

This book is well-written, easy to read and priceless. If you read one book all year, this is it.

I wouldn't be surprised if, 20 years from now, we look back on this time and see that this has become one of the most important topics (and books) of our lives, a book that clearly defined the "Aha" moment for us and empowered us to profoundly change our lives in a powerful and positive way.

Five Stars. Six if I could. Destined to be a best-seller.

Adam Boettiger
adamboettiger dot com

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Following One's Own Advice September 18, 2011

By J. F. O'Neill

Format:Kindle Edition

From the author's blog:

"Stop buying the unnecessary.
Toss half your stuff, learn contentedness.
Reduce half again.
List 4 essential things in your life, do these first,
stop doing the non-essential.
Clear distractions, focus on each moment.
Let go of attachment to doing, having more.
Fall in love with less."

"Stop going to online sites that are full of stuff you might want to buy. Stop going to online shopping sites so much."

I am enjoying the blogs of its writer.

I would like to point out that an $8.99 e-book violates every principle advocated on the blogs of the author.

First, this is paying money, more than the Kindle minimum, for something which is costless to copy, secondly, it violates the author's claimed values:

I quote:

"The minimalist also eschews ownership, at least to some degree, and believes owning things doesn't make him happy. Doing things makes him happy. Helping others makes him happy. Creating makes him happy."

The fact that this book is marketed on the blogs (which are good blogs to read), one is left to conclude that its pricing and availability is not the result of the publisher (who actually probably owns the copyright) alone.

I have published some public domain works on the Kindle, at the minimum price, but I have made sure to make the e-books alone available for free. The Kindle's Whispersync service is very valuable to use (which is why I published on the Kindle, so I could buy my works and then use them on my Kindle devices). The minimum price is $0.99....

The uncopyrighted blog of the author, on the "mnmlist: avoid new stuff" page gives the following list (which is expanded in a paragraph, but it rather easy to understand):

Reconsider your need.
Borrow.
Ask friends and family.
Freecycle.
Buy used.
Make your own.
Go without.

So here is my advice: read the author's blogs. They are free and very good resources. I do not intend to call anyone a hypocrite, but I cannot word this any other way. If you read the blogs, then you will either want the book, but the principles of the blogs would dictate you shouldn't buy it, and if you don't like the blogs, then you won't want the book.

Once you buy the book, you are stuck with it, and the $8.99 is lost forever.

Focus on the message (of the blog writer, and myself) not on the person (of the blog writer, and myself). Read more ›