I can’t overemphasize the number of times I happened to end up walking outside in nature, most recently sledding, and suddenly had clarity on some next steps for a solution I was working on… not just nothing on your desk but no desk! It’s so hard to remember, especially in winter, but it feels closer to real magic than anything running on a computer even in the age of “ai”!
“Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
141–150 of 188 posts
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#142The author found something that works for them, but for some folks who have working memory issues (i.e. ADHD), using visual cues as reminders is one of the top tips in ways to address the issue. This can seem messy to some, but for those that need it, it is a lifeline. As a contrast to the author, if I put something in a drawer, it might be months before I remember it, even if it was something that absolutely needed to be dealt with (and yes, there will often be consequences of having not done the thing, and this has to be balanced against leaving everything out which isn't good either). Electronically, if I close Slack/Teams, I might go hours before remembering to open it and check in - maybe great for focus, not so great for team work.
I've found that for me, spreading things out and having visual cues allows my brain to relax and focus on the task at hand, because I know I don't have to use a memory slot to remember to do something that I don't have a visual cue for, because every so often I see that cue and know it isn't going anywhere until I have time to deal with it. Almost the exact opposite of the anxiety the author describes. (And before it's suggested, yes, I also take notes and put important tasks there, but it isn't as helpful for my brain to let something go compared to having a visual cue.)
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#143The author found something that works for them, but for some folks who have working memory issues (i.e. ADHD), using visual cues as reminders is one of the top tips in ways to address the issue. This can seem messy to some, but for those that need it, it is a lifeline. As a contrast to the author, if I put something in a drawer, it might be months before I remember it, even if it was something that absolutely needed…
This. My very first thought upon reading this article was "this author does not have ADHD." I've achieved one of my most productive setups ever by keeping more browser tabs open, and using tab groups to organize them. When I need to switch to one of a handful of projects I'm working on, the tabs in that group help hydrate my memory space around the project.
I work better with a conceptual (but not actual) blank slate, by asking myself each day what the top three things are that I need to get done that day, and not allowing an ever-growing TODO list to get in the way of seeing what's important.
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#144Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hear hear! I maintain it’s because productive people know how to focus on what matters, to cut through the noise, and it’s not just by carefully thinking things through (though that’s an important skill too). It’s partly because they “just don’t see” the noise - if you like, they’re not distracted by it, they can tune it out - or rather, they don’t need to spend any energy tuning it out because they don’t ‘see’ or he…
I don’t tidy up very often, but when I do, it doesn’t take much time or energy. I just dump everything that isn’t version controlled into a junk folder, and it feels great.
I keep Inbox zero, mostly, using this system. If I haven't read it, how important could it have been, CTRL+A, DEL gets you to zero.
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#145A thing which happens to me very often: I realize I'm experiencing a very real visceral discomfort nagging at me in the back of my mind. It happens because I will have ctrl+c'd something several minutes ago. My mind subconsciously "holds" onto the info that I have text copied in my clipboard. It's only when I ctrl+v it and consciously discard it does the nagging go away. I have no idea why it happens or if others exp…
I have the opposite problem. I often forget what the last thing I copied was, or whether I copied it, and have to go back multiple times to get the copy + paste achieved. A clipboard history would help me, too, but thus far I've been unable to make using one a permanent part of my toolkit (I'd have to remember the history exists).
That said, copying and pasting (and the attendant switching between windows/tabs) does often feel like one of the biggest cognitive frictions I have to deal with in any given day. That's a nut I'd like to crack one day.
One thing that has helped me the most in that regard is Alfred's multi-clipboard feature, where I can append to clipboard, which means I can copy-paste N links in N+1 actions instead of N*2 actions.
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#146The author found something that works for them, but for some folks who have working memory issues (i.e. ADHD), using visual cues as reminders is one of the top tips in ways to address the issue. This can seem messy to some, but for those that need it, it is a lifeline. As a contrast to the author, if I put something in a drawer, it might be months before I remember it, even if it was something that absolutely needed…
I agree with your point, that you need to find something that works for you.
I have ADHD and use the start-from-zero or as I would call it Inbox-Zero method personally
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#147I've worked in the software industry for just over twenty years now. In my experience basically without question the most productive people I have known have had the messiest most chaotic setups online and offline. Hundreds of windows open, more icons on their desktop than it can display. I worked with an older gentleman for the last decade until recent layoffs who had worked on Oregon Trail for MECC. Single most pro…
Likely because the high-productive people have already transcended basic hurdles like getting overwhelmed or distracted through sustained long-term practice, to the extent that they no longer feel having an uncluttered environment necessary to have an uncluttered mind at work.
It is unlikely this will work for those less experienced.
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#148But I will loose it all, that's why you should bookmark everything, have terminal bookmarks of paths, use git worktrees to allow leaving workspace messy. Use a lot of notion docs, .md docs, notebooks. Places where you organize stuff, so that you can come back easily when you need it again.
I tried this. Never managed to bother going back to those "organized" notes though; ended up being a waste of time.
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#149I second this
Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work
#150The problem most of us have isn't clutter per se, it's that we never switch modes