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Ten minutes a day

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Re: Ten minutes a day

#41

Post by wuunderbar »

beatgammit wrote: post #36

I like the pomodoro technique [1], which breaks tasks up into 25 minute work chunks with 5 minutes break between parts. I find I'm able to get more work done because I'm focused on one task. 10 minutes seems like not enough time to really get meaningful work done since it often takes me a few minutes to get back into whatever it is. I think 10 minutes just isn't quite enough time, so I think I'll just include it as a…

What if what you're working on is going to take longer than 25 minutes, and then taking that 5 minute break breaks up your mental flow?

That is, after returning after 5 minutes it takes a couple minutes to re-orient yourself to the problem at hand?

Re: Ten minutes a day

#42

Post by drdeadringer »

m3kw9 wrote: post #34
abainbridge wrote: post #12

So if I time-slice the 8 productive hours of my day into 10 minute slots, can I write 48 books in 499 days? Of course not. I've tried working on pet projects for 10 minutes before going to work each day. The problem I find is that while I might only do active work on the task for ten minutes, my brain is thinking about it for much longer. Spending those ten minutes in the morning reduces my ability to do my day job b…

No, if you read what he wrote, he said during the time he isn’t writing he would be constantly working and think about it in his mind. So practically, he works on it like a few hours a day. The writing just takes ten minutes, the design takes the rest.

So, something like: "Think really hard, then execute really quick."

Re: Ten minutes a day

#43

Post by Tempest1981 »

The email trick seems like a great way to avoid procrastinating, and get started:

> The other thing that really helped is that I didn’t allow myself to check my email until I worked on the book.

Re: Ten minutes a day

#44

Post by Tempest1981 »

wuunderbar wrote: post #41
beatgammit wrote: post #36

I like the pomodoro technique [1], which breaks tasks up into 25 minute work chunks with 5 minutes break between parts. I find I'm able to get more work done because I'm focused on one task. 10 minutes seems like not enough time to really get meaningful work done since it often takes me a few minutes to get back into whatever it is. I think 10 minutes just isn't quite enough time, so I think I'll just include it as a…

What if what you're working on is going to take longer than 25 minutes, and then taking that 5 minute break breaks up your mental flow? That is, after returning after 5 minutes it takes a couple minutes to re-orient yourself to the problem at hand?

For me, Pomodoro is a technique to help you get started, and to focus. Vs procrastinate all day.

For the case you mention, I would adapt the technique to whatever benefits you the most. If you're in the flow, defer the break. If you defer too much, and start feeling burned out, adjust.

For some people, 25 minutes is too long. Find what works for you.

Re: Ten minutes a day

#45

Post by alexallain »

drdeadringer wrote: post #42
m3kw9 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, if you read what he wrote, he said during the time he isn’t writing he would be constantly working and think about it in his mind. So practically, he works on it like a few hours a day. The writing just takes ten minutes, the design takes the rest.

So, something like: "Think really hard, then execute really quick."

I wouldn't say that it felt like I was thinking really hard in times I wasn't writing. It's a bit like the technique of putting down a crossword for a little while when you get stuck - you might not be thinking much about the puzzle, but somehow you're turning it over in your head.

FWIW, I do agree with the original comment at the top of this thread that this technique couldn't yield 48 books in 2 years - there's only so much headspace available, and this technique is one that taps into that headspace effectively for long-term projects, but it's not magic.

Re: Ten minutes a day

#46

Post by melenaos »

patrickg_zill wrote: post #28
melenaos wrote: post #13

Recently I have start workout for 10 mins a day including warmup. To go for an hour in the gym it's much harder because it take +30 mins to commute +15 min to shower. After 1 hour of gym I feel exhausted and I don't want to do it again next day. But with 10 mins per day, I don't have to convince myself to do it, it's such an easy task and I feel better after doing it. I don't lose my time in commute and I do it every…

The Canadian government sponsored the development of the 5BX program, which is designed to give you a decent fitness level in 11 minutes per day. Have you ever tried this program?

No, I haven't. I bought an ebook about body weight training and I follow that. It is 90 sec warmup and after that it's 30 rest and 30 sec per exercise. It's about 10 exercises so it add up to 11 min.

The most exercises you would have encountered them in yoga, pilates or other gymnastics and are nicely combined so you wont get hurt and got bored.

Its nice to hear that 5bx claims max personal fitness with 10 mins too. That means that it might work.

Re: Ten minutes a day

#47

Post by felix_nagaand »

drieddust wrote: post #32
abainbridge wrote: post #12

So if I time-slice the 8 productive hours of my day into 10 minute slots, can I write 48 books in 499 days? Of course not. I've tried working on pet projects for 10 minutes before going to work each day. The problem I find is that while I might only do active work on the task for ten minutes, my brain is thinking about it for much longer. Spending those ten minutes in the morning reduces my ability to do my day job b…

In the book Psycho-cybernetics, auther talks about delegating the details to subconscious mind before sleep and downloading the processed material tomorrow morning. I read the book and dismissed the idea but maybe it some value. I shall try it again.

One problem with this that I have is I lack the self control to limit to merely think before sleep. The other problem I have is these thoughts actively prevent me from sleeping by making me feel the need to work right then. My solution is to prevent myself from thinking about work while trying to fall asleep but if I happen to get a good idea I'll put enough into a note or on paper to jog my memory when I can flesh it out the next day or whenever.

Re: Ten minutes a day

#48

Post by felix_nagaand »

melenaos wrote: post #13

Recently I have start workout for 10 mins a day including warmup. To go for an hour in the gym it's much harder because it take +30 mins to commute +15 min to shower. After 1 hour of gym I feel exhausted and I don't want to do it again next day. But with 10 mins per day, I don't have to convince myself to do it, it's such an easy task and I feel better after doing it. I don't lose my time in commute and I do it every…

Get a dog. You'll be forced up exercise everytime it needs to go. Whether you want to or not.

Re: Ten minutes a day

#49

Post by vincengomes »

teddyh wrote: post #30
sowbug wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also liked this: "... today might not be a good day, so let’s use it for something I have to do anyway." The idea transfers well to coding. Maybe you're not feeling inspired today, but there's probably something mechanical that needs to happen to your project -- resolve a TODO, update the docs, triage a bug report. So do it, and even if that doesn't snap you back into the groove, at least you got that one thing don…

“You have to move forward a little bit, every day. It doesn’t matter if your code is lame and buggy and nobody wants it. If you are moving forward, writing code and fixing bugs constantly, time is on your side.” — Joel Spolsky, Fire And Motion , https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2002/01/06/fire-and-motion/

"If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward"

- MLK

Re: Ten minutes a day

#50

Post by melenaos »

felix_nagaand wrote: post #48
melenaos wrote: post #13

Recently I have start workout for 10 mins a day including warmup. To go for an hour in the gym it's much harder because it take +30 mins to commute +15 min to shower. After 1 hour of gym I feel exhausted and I don't want to do it again next day. But with 10 mins per day, I don't have to convince myself to do it, it's such an easy task and I feel better after doing it. I don't lose my time in commute and I do it every…

Get a dog. You'll be forced up exercise everytime it needs to go. Whether you want to or not.

I have a demanding baby, its enough!
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