The Twelve Monotasks: Do One Thing at a Time to Do Everything Better
by: Thatcher Wine (0)
Reclaim your attention, productivity, and happiness with this âcaptivating, informative and beautifully writtenâ book by learning how to keep your focus on one familiar task at a time (Nate Berkus).
Modern life is full of to-do lists, all-consuming technology and the constant pressure to be doing and striving for more. What if you could train your brain to focus on one thing at a time? What if the secret to better productivity involved doing less, not more? Â
Drawing on research in psychology, neuroscience, and mindfulness, The Twelve Monotasks provides a clear and accessible plan for life in the twenty-first century. Practice resisting distractions and building focus by doing the things you already doâlike reading, sleeping, eating, and listeningâwith renewed attention. For example, the next time you go for a walk, donât try to run an errand or squeeze in a phone call, but instead, notice the cool breeze on your face and the plants and birds that may cross your path. Immerse yourself in the activity and let time melt away, even if youâre only actually out for 20 minutes. Notice how much clearer your head feels when you return home. This is the magic of monotasking. With monotasking you will:
- Become more productive
- Produce higher quality work
- Reduce stressÂ
- And increase happiness.
 Thatcher Wineâs The Twelve Monotasks will help you do one thing at a time, and do it well, so you can enjoy all of your life!
The Reviews
Wow! This book majorly mythbusts what I always believed - that multitasking is a good thing. Turns out, we're just overcomplicating things for our brains. The idea to value monotasking totally caught me off guard - but it makes perfect sense. This book is stocked with super useful recommendations to retrain your focus so that you can do everything better. It's distilled down and uncomplicated. Finally! A way to practice mindfulness that isn't overly frou-frou, and doesn't ask for way too much of my time. You just apply "monotasking" principles to the stuff you're already doing. This already feels like a game changer. Definitely recommend.
If you start the new year with any book, this is the one! Thatcher Wine has written a true gem, one to be passed along to absolutely everyone, regardless of age. Wine's message is profound, made the more so through its simplicity! This book is incredibly grounding and provides avenues for each of us to quiet the chaos, deepen connections with loved ones and, most importantly, find joy in simply doing one task at a time.
This was a great reminder to put down the phone, get off the computer, dial down the noise and focus on one thing, like reading a good book!
This book has taught me to slow down and enjoy life.
After spending decades as a "multi-tasker," this book has encouraged me to monotask - with ease, efficiency, calm, and achievement. Wow. Loving all of the advice and its thoroughness, guidance, and research-backed and practical methods. I especially liked the 'cultivate a sense of wonder' monotask. It took me back to childhood, with hours spent observing, imagining, incorporating, playing...and lots of joy. Beautiful. I plan to share and incorporate these great 12 monotasks into my work as a spiritual life coach, to help guide clients toward their goals with more centeredness and success!
This is NOT just another self -help book - this is a paradigm shifting personal manual that everyone should read. If you feel overwhelmed, overstressed, over-programmed, swamped by too much to do and too little time to do it, or just feel there has to be a better way to handle the rigors of modern life, this book just might have the right ideas for you. The author teaches, not preaches - a refreshingly accessible and actionable way of looking at your everyday activities as tasks to help you live a happier, more efficient and calmer life. Another nice thing is that it is not an all or nothing approach - you can take it one step at a time and incorporate a few or all of the ideas as you feel necessary or capable. Highly recommended!
In today's world of hustle-bustle, fueled by such technological advances as i-phones, computers, and the like, we are constantly being reminded of the virtue of multitasking, performing two or more simple activities simultaneously, so as to improve efficiency and better manage our time. Along comes Thatcher Wine now, to dispel this obsession with his compelling new book,The Twelve Monotasks-Do One Thing At a Time To Do Everything Better. As Wine says in his introduction, "The way we build our monotasking muscles is to do the things that we already do every day, but to approach them with renewed focus and commitment." He chooses twelve activities most of us perform each day, viz. reading, walking, listening, sleeping, eating, getting there, learning, teaching, playing, seeing, creating, and thinking. For each one, separately of course, he tells first why it will help you do everything better. He then provides a mantra for reinforcement, such as, in the case of learning, "I've got room in my brain for more." Next come exercises appropriate to that task and nothing else. Finally, he shows how you'll know you're good at it. Achieving success in monotasking can be arduous, the author reminds us, forcing us to abandon routines we've adopted over the years, but the rewards are clearly worth the effort. So, before you begin your read, remove your phone, tablet, or nearby computer, resist one more check of your emails, and begin your liberation from multitasking and your path to a more satisfying life!
As a member of Thatcher's writing group, I had the pleasure of seeing some of the content in advance of publication. It's a win/win for everyone to finally have this book on the shelf. Not only for the read, but for quality of life.
