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Consider the following three steps: 1) Pomodoro Technique. Aim for something like 14-18 pomodori per day. (Assuming 25 minutes per pomodoro.) If you do the mat
by acangiano 15y ago
Consider the following three steps:
1) Pomodoro Technique. Aim for something like 14-18 pomodori per day. (Assuming 25 minutes per pomodoro.) If you do the math you may think "oh that's not much" but you'll be exhausted by the end of it.
2) Install Rescuetime and religiously use it to track how your time is spent during the weekday. Use their "Stay focused" function when you are sprinting on a pomodoro.
3) Get a second device, like a tablet, which you use for surfing, reading, and leisure. Your laptop is no longer for that. It's exclusively for producing and for serious work.
- ktrgardiner 15y agoI second the third point. My most productive times are when I have my iPad right next to my laptop ready and waiting for me to need the internet. If I need to look something up I'll do so on the iPad and keep it open if I need to refer to it or turn it off again when I'm done. I find that not switching between windows really helps me stay in the zone. As soon as that code goes out of sight behind a browser, it's so easy for it to go out of mind.
- jergason 15y agoThat idea is the first one I have seen that would justify the cost of a tablet to me. Not just a toy or a third or .*th computer, but a device to limit your distraction. I like that a lot.
- JonnieCache 15y agoThis is not so easy if you write code targeting browsers :(
- squarism 15y agoSecond on the pomodoro technique. If I had major deliverables no matter what the task is, I'd use it if I was serious. I've used it on hobby project and saw an obvious difference. If I was indie, I'd put all my discipline energy into following it.
- Splines 15y agoThere's also a StayFocusd[1] plugin for Chrome which will block sites for you. I'm struggling with my own procrastination and it seems to be helping, although I find myself distracting myself via other means :-/ [1] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfm...
- gintas 15y agoAlso try Crackbook [1] for Chrome which delays pages instead of banning them. Works much better for me that Stayfocusd, which I just disable after a while. (Disclaimer: I am the author.) [1] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nbgjmohekjolcgemlolblankocjlgalf https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nbgjmohekjolcgemlo...
- potomak 15y agoI made Tomatoes[1] to track my pomodoros online. It drive my work time successfully now that I work as a freelancer (and I was having your same issues). [1] http://tomatoes.heroku.com http://tomatoes.heroku.com
- dpe82 15y agoThat looks really great though I wish I could enter tasks in it...
- jerf 15y agoBrilliant. Blocking the site makes the brain want to got around it, as others say. Delaying the site attacks the addictiveness directly, slowly weaning you off the feedback loop. Nice.
- bennesvig 15y agoGreat advice. I'll be checking out RescueTime. Do you use the pro version or just the free version?
- lfx 15y agoFree version works just fine.
- jaxn 15y agoI do 2&3 now. Maybe I will try pomodoro this week.
- qxb 15y agoI might be in a minority of one, but for anyone else who had never heard of the Pomodoro Technique before reading this: http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/ http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/
- bennesvig 15y agoSeth Godin's blog post on point #3: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/are-you-making-something.html http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/are-you-maki...
- whiteduck 15y agoThanks for the Seth Godin link, he's great.
- prawn 15y agoIs there a tool for using Pomodoro that incorporates music? e.g., assembles 25 minute blocks of music or noise with very subtle signals that you're nearing the end of a block (have found this gets me going faster).