> As a bonus, there is a chance that new, better ideas will come while you sleep or rest.
IMO this feature should not be underestimated. Happens to me semi-regularly.
A simple habit that saves my evenings
11–20 of 113 posts
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#12The habit is in the 7th paragraph, after 2 images: > Rather than trying to complete your task in 20 minutes, take this time to write down your thoughts, and a step-by-step action plan of what you think you need to do to finish your task. Then go home. Rest. A feeling of incompleteness will motivate you to come back and finalize your work the next day. Only you will be full of energy, together with a settled plan. No…
a feeling of incompleteness couldn't even motivate me to finish thi
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#13If the problem is that you get interrupted all day, how does waiting for tomorrow help?
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#14To add to that, leaving something in a very obviously broken unfinished state really helps to jump back into the flow the next morning, or whenever you come back.
I actually find it very hard to do this, to walk away with some code that isn't compiling or a test that isn't passing. It feels like leaving something unfinished.
When you return it's an easy jumping off point, with a tangible goal and helps bring you back into the context.
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#15Reminds me of Cal Newport's "Shutdown ritual" advice. Marathon sessions can lead to burnout. It's better to use time block planning to prioritize the most important tasks. A feature of time block planning is you have to stop working at the end of the aloted time.
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#16The habit is in the 7th paragraph, after 2 images: > Rather than trying to complete your task in 20 minutes, take this time to write down your thoughts, and a step-by-step action plan of what you think you need to do to finish your task. Then go home. Rest. A feeling of incompleteness will motivate you to come back and finalize your work the next day. Only you will be full of energy, together with a settled plan. No…
OP discovered clocking out and going home, how innovative!
Next up: how to poop on company time.
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#17The habit is in the 7th paragraph, after 2 images: > Rather than trying to complete your task in 20 minutes, take this time to write down your thoughts, and a step-by-step action plan of what you think you need to do to finish your task. Then go home. Rest. A feeling of incompleteness will motivate you to come back and finalize your work the next day. Only you will be full of energy, together with a settled plan. No…
a feeling of incompleteness couldn't even motivate me to finish thi
I see what you’re doing, yet it’s still infuriating me.
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#18I'd recommend one more step - after closing the laptop, bring a notebook and a pen with you.
People often get new ideas or unblocked somehow after stopping the work. If this happens, don't open the laptop again. Write it down.
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#19To add to that, leaving something in a very obviously broken unfinished state really helps to jump back into the flow the next morning, or whenever you come back. I actually find it very hard to do this, to walk away with some code that isn't compiling or a test that isn't passing. It feels like leaving something unfinished. When you return it's an easy jumping off point, with a tangible goal and helps bring you back…
"park facing downhill"
Re: A simple habit that saves my evenings
#20The habit is in the 7th paragraph, after 2 images: > Rather than trying to complete your task in 20 minutes, take this time to write down your thoughts, and a step-by-step action plan of what you think you need to do to finish your task. Then go home. Rest. A feeling of incompleteness will motivate you to come back and finalize your work the next day. Only you will be full of energy, together with a settled plan. No…
OP discovered clocking out and going home, how innovative! Next up: how to poop on company time.
I wonder what the oldest reference is we can find to this practice. I bet it's very old. Oldest I know of is only the late 19th century, but I bet we could beat that by at least several hundred years. Surely it comes up at least once somewhere in Shakespeare?