Tony Schwartz's Blog

Take Back Your Attention
Focus, Mental Needs, Technology | February 10, 2011
As I sit down to write this blog, I'm facing a blank page. I know it's going to be difficult, because it always is. Maybe I'll just check my email first, or update on Facebook or Twitter, or read the morning headlines on The New York Times, or sneak a peak at Google Analytics, or read the comments readers have left overnight on my earlier posts.
Read the full post
A 90-Minute Plan for Personal Effectiveness
Focus, Mental Needs, Renewal | January 24, 2011
For nearly a decade now, I've begun my workdays by focusing for 90 minutes, uninterrupted, on the task I decide the night before is the most important one I'll face the following day. After 90 minutes, I take a break. To make this possible, I turn off my email while I'm working, close all windows on my computer, and let the phone go to voicemail if it rings.
Read the full post
Leadership Begins at Home
Focus, Leadership, Mental Needs | November 23, 2010
One of the greatest gifts you can give your kids is help in foregoing immediate gratification, by setting boundaries for them and by modeling the behavior yourself. That's also one of the greatest gifts you can give to those you lead or manage.
Read the full post
Warning: Your Attention is Under Siege
Focus, Mental Needs | November 15, 2010
So I’m watching “Morning Joe” while running on my treadmill this morning and Mika Brezezinski asks her co-host Joe Scarborough a question. He looks at her blankly. This is live television. Then he acknowledges that he was distracted by something that appeared on the iPad on his desk.    He’s not alone. Do you find your mind wandering at times when people address you? Do you frequently switch from one activity to another? Do you have difficulty sustaining attention on a task and are you easily distracted by what’s going on around you?
Read the full post