Autopilot cover art

Autopilot

The Art & Science of Doing Nothing

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £11.99

Buy Now for £11.99

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 Management & Leadership Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Business Human Brain Witty Habits Leadership

Editor 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.
All stars
Most relevant
Fresh perspective
New ideas
Surprisingly rigorous with a basis in solid science
Having read and listened to
Dozens maybe hundreds of books in similar genre
I liked it , not every chapter but has it’s moments , worth a second and third listen
Would of paid but first would have needed a recommendation

Not what I was expecting

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book helped me understand the relationship between the idle mind and all things that make the human experience so unique! If you want to know why you should do nothing, this book has some answers for you!

Fantastic book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I've read a lot of neuroscience books lately, some very good - this is not one of them. There is one core scientific at the heart of this (re. neuronal noise) on which is built a lot of strong statements 'of fact' with no backup evidence given. For example some C19 poet had a moment of supreme creativity after years of creative drout because there were strong winds on his walk that day. Really??

If you want to hear a rant against being made to sit through six sigma training go ahead, otherwise there are better books.

Pseudo science dressed up

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book should be read by the many as to start opening eyes to the power of the one percentile

Awesome

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book sheds a lot of light on structures of the brain, relationships between neurones, hormones and behaviour. Nuggets of great information.

However, I was not a fan of the ending. Although short he begins to rant about economic growth, class systems and utopia. While also laying claim that global poverty is only increasing... Opinions aside on the truths, this book did enough to be an interesting read/listen without the ending.

Love that ants have fungi gardens, a nugget from this book I'll forever regurgitate.

A worthy listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews