The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload

Advances in computer technology and the rise of the Internet have led to an onslaught of information confronting us each day. Drawing upon the results of psychological research, Levitin (James McGill Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, McGill Univ.; This Is Your Brain on Music) explains how the mental processes of attention, working memory, and categorization limit the amount of information that we can take in and remember. By employing practical strategies that work in concert with these mental processes, we can become more organized, make more informed decisions, and increase our efficiency at work, at home, and in our social lives. Levitin illuminates his points with vivid real-world examples such as company management structures, probabilities involved in medical diagnoses and treatments, and organizational strategies used by celebrities, CEOs, and their assistants. Owing to frequent references to current web applications and public figures, however, this book may soon become outdated.