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Autopilot

The Art & Science of Doing Nothing

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Autopilot

By: Andrew Smart
Narrated by: Kevin Free
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About this listen

Andrew Smart wants you to sit and do nothing much more often - and he has the science to explain why.

At every turn we’re pushed to do more, faster, and more efficiently: That drumbeat resounds throughout our wage-slave society. Multitasking is not only a virtue, it’s a necessity. Books such as Getting Things Done, The One Minute Manager, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People regularly top the best seller lists, and have spawned a considerable industry.

But Andrew Smart argues that slackers may have the last laugh. The latest neuroscience shows that the “culture of effectiveness” is not only ineffective, it can be harmful to your well-being. He makes a compelling case - backed by science - that filling life with activity at work and at home actually hurts your brain.

A survivor of corporate-mandated “Six Sigma” training to improve efficiency, Smart has channeled a self-described “loathing” of the time-management industry into a witty, informative, and wide-ranging audiobook that draws on the most recent research into brain power. Use it to explain to bosses, family, and friends why you need to relax - right now.

©2013 Andrew Smart (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
Creativity & Genius Management Business Human Brain Witty Habits

Editorial reviews

For Andrew Smart, idle is ideal. In a society that stresses overachievement, multitasking, and constant stimulus, Smart uses neuroscientific evidence to argue that the human brain needs rest to function properly. So while we may be preoccupied with being busy, it is actually crucial to embrace our inner sloth in order to increase mental health and well-being. Smart's reasonings are compelling, but it's the ingratiating performance of Kevin Free that makes idleness seem like a credible life choice. Free manages an imploring style that is remarkably gentle, and convinces the listener that laziness can be a virtue.

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terrific scientific insight with caveats

This meticulously covers the science of the idle mind but lacks the fundamental idea about how to be idle what constitutes idleness. I feel like the climax I was awaiting never came but I still learnt a bunch

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Great concept but didn't seem to have a conclusion

The first half seemed to really be going somewhere and had me excited, but then it just sort of petered off, and there was no climactic or meaningful ending. I still learnt a lot and there was a lot of helpful information to ponder. Also, I don't know why the graphs he directly refers to aren't available in a pdf? Very difficult to visualise something he is not explaining because he assumes you can see it.

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