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Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

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Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#61

Post by mr_spothawk »

yosito wrote: post #40

I could never be productive in software using the Pomodoro technique. In order to make progress on most of the things I work on, I need 3-4 hour windows of uninterrupted focus where I don't get out of my seat. If I was interrupting myself every x minutes, I wouldn't get anything done.

for the last few weeks I've been working from a kitchen counter in a small studio apt. it's about the perfect height for a standup desk, within 5 paces of a toilet and the refrigerator. I've managed to set it up with a 2nd monitor & I'm really impressed with the "flow" I've found. in a week or so, I'll move on to the next spot... let's hope it can be as successfully productive.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#62

Post by teaspoons »

eckza wrote: post #12

I feel like while all of these productivity "hacks" and systems (like Pomodoro) may have some merit, they're completely unnecessary. It's really not too hard to: * Work. * If you lose focus, be mindful of the fact that your attention is wandering, and focus on your work again. This part takes some discipline. Discipline takes time to develop. Be patient. * If you feel that you cannot focus on your work, get up and wa…

Couldn't agree more but I think some people need a prescribed system, because they find it hard to listen to their own intuition. Following your intuition is optimal however, because we're all different.

I want to add one point, which is related to your final points: we all need to move regularly for health. Getting up and running up and down the stairs, round the block, or round the room is essential. It actually improves concentration too. Unlike conversational interruptions, intermittant bursts of exercise don't make you forget where you where, instead they help prevent tunnel-vision and allow your mind to zoom-out briefly to ensure you're going in the right overall direction.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#63

Post by Yokohiii »

derefr wrote: post #52
eckza wrote: post #12

I feel like while all of these productivity "hacks" and systems (like Pomodoro) may have some merit, they're completely unnecessary. It's really not too hard to: * Work. * If you lose focus, be mindful of the fact that your attention is wandering, and focus on your work again. This part takes some discipline. Discipline takes time to develop. Be patient. * If you feel that you cannot focus on your work, get up and wa…

You are, essentially, a person with 20/20 vision saying “what’s the point of glasses?” The point is that not everyone has the capacity to be even 10% productive without help, let alone 100% productive. Just like some people are still nearsighted even after all the vision correction possible, some people still have trouble focusing even after taking ADHD medication or whatever else. If such people want to have any cha…

Productivity isn't just doing things at all. It also implies to distribute your efforts on various tasks. Some tasks are less interesting then others and you can get lost on the ones you like. You can feel productive for streaks but after a week you realise that you forgot/ignored all the important stuff. This is what pomodoro can deal with.

But most productivity hacks need an decent amount of discipline, which people with some sort of "clinical lazyness" won't have. Building this discipline is a completely different topic.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#64

Post by brazzledazzle »

Yokohiii wrote: post #63
derefr wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are, essentially, a person with 20/20 vision saying “what’s the point of glasses?” The point is that not everyone has the capacity to be even 10% productive without help, let alone 100% productive. Just like some people are still nearsighted even after all the vision correction possible, some people still have trouble focusing even after taking ADHD medication or whatever else. If such people want to have any cha…

Productivity isn't just doing things at all. It also implies to distribute your efforts on various tasks. Some tasks are less interesting then others and you can get lost on the ones you like. You can feel productive for streaks but after a week you realise that you forgot/ignored all the important stuff. This is what pomodoro can deal with. But most productivity hacks need an decent amount of discipline, which peopl…

Regular reminders to stay on task (and what that task is) can be really helpful even with medication. There is still an element of discipline there and disorders make a mountain out of discerning where the disorder ends and the lack of discipline begins. But if it helps it helps.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#65

Post by dalu »

idk.. every time I open a page like this I think "what are they going to try and sell me this time"

Everyone is different. For instance I have productivity phases, and non-productivity phases.

I have about 2-3 weeks of hardcore 12-14 hours / day coding sprees and then I just can't even if I try and sit there for hours, nothing good or much happens. So I do other, fun stuff, not work related, useless wastes of time. And then I see something or get reminded of something and BAM I'm back on the coding spree and I dare you to interrupt me. I order food, at most I take a 30min walk out the house for bare minimum health, but the rest of time is dedicated to getting the job done. And then... relaxation phase.

And something else. If my mind feels like it need to wander off, then it should. You don't sprint all the time, you also sit down somewhere and enjoy the scenery. That wandering mind thing means you need a break and maybe should end work soonish and do fun things.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#66

Post by sudosteph »

teaspoons wrote: post #62
eckza wrote: post #12

I feel like while all of these productivity "hacks" and systems (like Pomodoro) may have some merit, they're completely unnecessary. It's really not too hard to: * Work. * If you lose focus, be mindful of the fact that your attention is wandering, and focus on your work again. This part takes some discipline. Discipline takes time to develop. Be patient. * If you feel that you cannot focus on your work, get up and wa…

Couldn't agree more but I think some people need a prescribed system, because they find it hard to listen to their own intuition. Following your intuition is optimal however, because we're all different. I want to add one point, which is related to your final points: we all need to move regularly for health. Getting up and running up and down the stairs, round the block, or round the room is essential. It actually im…

Haha, you and I must have drastically different intuitions. My intuition will cause me to see a "5% battery warning", think to myself "OK, I have a few minutes I will finish this line of code and then plug it in" and then proceed to code for 10 minutes until my laptop dies or I see the 1% warning and remember that I need to find a charger. This happens multiple times a week.

Totally agree on using short breaks for exercise or walks though. I usually continue thinking about work on them, but the change of environment can be helpful if in a rut.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#67

Post by gnode »

Yokohiii wrote: post #63
derefr wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are, essentially, a person with 20/20 vision saying “what’s the point of glasses?” The point is that not everyone has the capacity to be even 10% productive without help, let alone 100% productive. Just like some people are still nearsighted even after all the vision correction possible, some people still have trouble focusing even after taking ADHD medication or whatever else. If such people want to have any cha…

Productivity isn't just doing things at all. It also implies to distribute your efforts on various tasks. Some tasks are less interesting then others and you can get lost on the ones you like. You can feel productive for streaks but after a week you realise that you forgot/ignored all the important stuff. This is what pomodoro can deal with. But most productivity hacks need an decent amount of discipline, which peopl…

> But most productivity hacks need an decent amount of discipline, which people with some sort of "clinical lazyness" won't have.

Dismissing ADHD as "clinical lazyness" is about as insulting and technically incorrect as calling Alzheimer's disease "clinical stupidity". Sufferers of ADHD have problems with distractions, and maintaining attention, and systems like those mentioned in the article can help to manage that.

Re: Build a Focus System for Better Work/Life Balance as a Web Developer

#68

Post by Moru »

SyneRyder wrote: post #55
Moru wrote: post #16

I'm curious how work and breaks are set up in other countries. In Sweden we have a long tradition of 2 hour work, short coffee break, 2 hour work. Lunchbreak 30-60 minutes, repeat. The long break has to be latest after five hours and is not counted towards working time. You are allowed to leave the workplace. The shorter breaks is included in your work time but has no forced length other than it has to be adapted to…

>Taking a coffee break is almost mandatory, even the boss will look funny at you if you skip it. This is where you talk about the day, plans ahead and other things connected to work or life in general. Do those count as 'fika' coffee breaks, then? That's one of my favorite ideas from Swedish culture, even if I don't fully grok (understand) it yet. It feels like fika at work is a reminder that work isn't the end goal,…

Yes, that would be Fika :-)
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