A Minute to Think audiobook cover - Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work

A Minute to Think

Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work

Juliet Funt

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ProductivityCreativity

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A Minute to Think
The Problem of Busyness+
The Power of Pausing+
Time Thieves (Basic Drives)+
Digital Distraction+
Intentional Interaction+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the author, how is building a campfire a metaphor for our daily schedules?
  • A. We need different types of tasks to spark true creativity.
  • B. We pack our schedules so tightly that there is no 'oxygen' or space to breathe and thrive.
  • C. We need to constantly feed our minds with new information to keep the fire burning.
  • D. We often burn out quickly if we start the day with our most difficult tasks.
Question 2 of 8
What does the term 'performative busyness' refer to in the modern workplace?
  • A. The economic phenomenon where individuals internalize that busier is better and feel guilty when not busy.
  • B. The practice of taking on high-visibility projects specifically to impress senior leadership.
  • C. The habit of switching rapidly between tasks to create the illusion of high output.
  • D. The requirement to log more hours than colleagues in order to secure a promotion.
Question 3 of 8
According to research from Harvard Business School, which types of breaks actually boost productivity?
  • A. Nutritional and cognitive breaks
  • B. Cognitive and social breaks
  • C. Relaxation and social breaks
  • D. Nutritional and relaxation breaks
Question 4 of 8
How does the author suggest managing the drive for excellence, which can often lead to perfectionism?
  • A. By treating excellence like a finite purse of golden coins and saving it for tasks that truly matter.
  • B. By lowering your overall standards so that you can complete tasks 40 percent faster.
  • C. By delegating all detail-oriented work to junior team members.
  • D. By adopting the 'hallucinated urgency' method to finish tasks before perfectionism sets in.
Question 5 of 8
Why do we often feel a compulsion to constantly check our emails, according to the text?
  • A. It provides a sense of 'performative busyness' that impresses our managers.
  • B. It engages the frontal lobe, which helps recharge our brain's creative centers.
  • C. It prevents information overload by processing data in small, continuous batches.
  • D. It gives us a dopamine hit similar to gambling and allows us to procrastinate on harder tasks.
Question 6 of 8
When should you choose a '3D' medium of communication (like a phone call or Zoom) over a '2D' medium (like an email)?
  • A. When you need a quick 'yes' or 'no' answer.
  • B. When the conversation involves complex topics, nuance, and emotion.
  • C. When you are communicating with multiple people across different time zones.
  • D. When you need to establish a written record for accountability.
Question 7 of 8
What two questions should you ask yourself before accepting a meeting invitation?
  • A. 'Do I have a unique contribution to make?' and 'Would I benefit from going?'
  • B. 'Is there a clear agenda?' and 'Will my boss be attending?'
  • C. 'Can this be resolved in an email?' and 'Is this an urgent crisis?'
  • D. 'Do I have the free time?' and 'Will this improve my relationship with the host?'
Question 8 of 8
What does the author mean by the term 'hallucinated urgency'?
  • A. The anxiety felt when a major deadline is rapidly approaching.
  • B. The tendency for managers to assign unrealistic deadlines to straightforward tasks.
  • C. The habit of treating every decision, request, or email as if it is highly time-sensitive.
  • D. The physical exhaustion that occurs after a period of intense, uninterrupted focus.

A Minute to Think — Full Chapter Overview

A Minute to Think Summary & Overview

A Minute to Think (2021) explores how busyness is harming our productivity – and why it's so important to take regular pauses. It reveals the mental and economic costs associated with our hectic modern working environments and explains how we can reclaim our time. 

Who Should Listen to A Minute to Think?

  • Busy professionals hoping to claw back some me-time
  • Leaders seeking to build a more creative working environment
  • Managers wanting to improve their team’s well-being

About the Author: Juliet Funt

Juliet Funt is a keynote speaker and an advisor to many leading Fortune 500 companies. She is also the founder and CEO of The Juliet Funt Group, a corporate consulting and training firm. She has worked with companies including Spotify, Nike, Pepsi, and Wells Fargo. 

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