How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking • Hacker News Board

Re: How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking

#31

Post by eru » Thu, May 27, 2010, 1:44 AM UTC

c00p3r wrote: post #25

It is funny, how people trying to make old stuff new again and again. =) The power of concentration, focus, impulse refusal and self-control were praised even in Upanishads. Then the Buddha become a great teacher to everyone, next this teachings was evolved into Zen and so on. Most resent psychiatrist rediscover it again and again as 'gestalt therapy', 'curing experience', 're-framing' and other 'great findings'. Rea…

> So, it's much better to try to learn some thousands-year-old techniques to boost your concentration, focus, attention and some relaxation and priming up methods, instead of reading crappy blog posts. =)

Buddhism had to start as crappy blog posts, too. =)

Re: How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking

#32

Post by jessor » Sat, May 29, 2010, 8:59 AM UTC

somebear wrote: post #11

biggitybones wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a great point, and something I struggle with. Although, I think it combines the problem of focus as well. While waiting for my project to compile and start, I switch to my browser, get lost in HN or e-mail and 5 or 10 min later forget what I was doing in the first place. When this happens several times a day, it becomes a real problem.

This is one of my biggest problems. When compilation, image creation, or device flashing takes longer than ~1 minute, then I will switch to the browser and get lost. 15-30 minutes later I will discover that my build, flash file, whatever was done, and will resume work (and feel really bad about it).

I'm still working on this, too. Read the classic NADD description: http://randsinrepose.com/archives/2003/07/10/nadd.html if you don't know it yet ;)

Re: How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking

#33

Post by somebear » Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 9:18 PM UTC

yummyfajitas wrote: post #18

somebear wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one of my biggest problems. When compilation, image creation, or device flashing takes longer than ~1 minute, then I will switch to the browser and get lost. 15-30 minutes later I will discover that my build, flash file, whatever was done, and will resume work (and feel really bad about it).

Instead of browsing, I do situps, pushups, etc. I get back to work the second my simulation finishes. Well, sometimes I do that. It is effective when I do it.

I think my colleagues would start to look even more funnily at me than the already do if I started doing this. Especially since we work in an open office environment. If I had an office I would definitely consider.

For now I think I will try and heed troutwine's advice: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1379082