Review of The psychology of efficiency. A discussion of the hygiene of mental work

Abstract

Reviews the book, The psychology of efficiency. A discussion of the hygiene of mental work by Arthur Gilbert Bills (1943). As the author points out in his preface, "Books on how to avoid worry and overcome fear, how to prevent and remove emotional conflicts and maladjustments, are plentiful, as are treatises on how to avoid friction in dealing with others and how to improve our personalities....Yet an almost complete dearth of books exists on the subject of mental efficiency; i.e., how the average, normal, well-adjusted person, geared to a daily program of work, can manage to get the most efficient service from his own mental equipment." To supply this lack, the author here brings together the principal results of a wide variety of experimental studies on mental and motor efficiency. In contrast to several books written for industrial engineers and supervisors, the author's point of view is stated as "that of the mental worker himself who would like to know how to accomplish the most with the least wear and tear and the greatest longtime satisfaction to himself." The book is written in a clear, direct, and readable style, with frequent summaries. At its level of presentation it should prove a valuable addition to the libraries of both students and professional workers in this important but hitherto neglected field. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)