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“Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

vangemert.dev

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Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#71

Post by teekert »

someone_jain_ wrote: post #45
sho_hn wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I'm one of the people who shuts down their computer at the end of the day and starts fresh. I don't use any type of session resume at the OS level or in the browser, I don't like it. But! I've learned to harness the power of ending the day without complete closure. I stop work when I know the next step I'm about to do fully. Then the next day it's completely obvious what to start with, and I'm back in the flow wit…

Fellow shut-down-er? :P I somehow started doing this from the very start of my computer interaction, so I never understood why people find it weird. But now if I keep my system on, I feel uneasy, as if I have work pending, so I am make sure to shut it down at the end of day everyday :)

I'm like that too. Sometimes I work for too long and go for dinner, get kids to bed etc... And then take some time to shutdown the computer. Sometime I write myself a note in a readme of the current task. But I close every window on every desktop manually (inc browser which start with clean session), thinking about if I still need anything from it. Then relaxing can begin.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#72

Post by NookDavoos »

Todd wrote: post #36
torben-friis wrote: post #29

I’ve always have wanted a clean project area on my computer, never managed it though. I try to keep a space for organization (slack, jira, whatever) and another for the ide, for example. Start working, and pretty soon I need to check an old pr on GitHub, and see it side to side with the ide, next someone sends a link in slack that opens a chrome window which is a doc with links that go into tabs. Hold, I have to hop…

Multiple desktops in Windows can help with this. Ctrl+Win Right/Left cursor keys to switch.

I cant stand it connecting app instances into 1 group. If i have 2 excel files open on Desktop 1, and then i try opening 3rd on Desktop2 -> it will jump back to Desktop 1 and open it there.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#73

Post by dirkc »

Maybe this is why I still prefer working with a very vanilla vim setup, when I start with a coding task, I have to think for a moment about what files I need to work in and start by opening one. There is no IDE with 5 files already open. I do sometimes cheat and put a TODO comment in some files so that `git status` helps me remember where I left off previously.

Another thing that I've enjoyed a lot is a browser plugin called OneTab, when I start a new task or context switch I just hit the button and all the browser tabs are saved and closed. I then go through the list and only open up the tabs relevant to the task or I just start from scratch.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#74

Post by myky22 »

ozim wrote: post #66

Wonder how many people don’t even shut down their work computer. I shut down work computer every day and every day in the morning I start it up. Sometimes if I really have something I didn’t finish and want to start on early in the morning then I leave it running with all apps open.

I like to force myself to restart my computer and work desk every day.

I do this reset for my business side work, my programming project repo and my clinical work (I'm a kid physician).

I feel It both liberates me and at the exact time forces to understand my workflow and think of logical folders and separation of responsabilities. If something doesnt belong anywhere, maybe It is ephimeral and deserves to be erased... Though, but practical and I LOVE It.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#75

Post by bob1029 »

> The next time you begin your workday, try this: clear your work surface completely.

I prefer to clean my workspace at the end of the workday and to leave a clearly defined task for myself the next morning. I can deal with a lot of friction after noon. Not so much at 6am.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#78

Post by OJFord »

colelyman wrote: post #57
Nevermark wrote: post #13

Every day I work on my main project, I clear my desk completely, take out a small notepad and write my overriding goal, and my next step goal, and then make a list of tasks for that next step goal. Then I work. Writing the major goal every day is important to not let sub-goals overshadow it. Writing the immediate goal every day is important because together the two goals create a very clear direction of action with a…

Could you elaborate as to what the difference is between your overriding goal and your next step goal?

I would assume the former is the 'actual' goal - implement the feature, fix the bug, etc.; the next step goal is the current burrow of rabbit hole, the refactoring, dependency upgrade, patch to third-party lib, unexpected other ticket, etc. that you had to do on the way.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#79

Post by bartvk »

FarmerPotato wrote: post #17

I have a system for electronics projects where a new project gets a labeled container to store extra parts, papers, spare PCBs, weird cables I might need later... It works pretty well, especially when I want to take a project to a meetup. Unfortunately, I also have a bin labeled "Projects".

Same. I've got a couple of folders in my ~/Documents titled "Other".

Also, if you have projects with lots of parts, and you've got a 3D printer: have you discovered Gridfinity? (or others like Multibuild?) For the uninitiated, these are wall/drawer 42mm grids, in which you place bins that are multiples of 42. So you get perfectly-sized Tetris-like drawers and walls.

Re: “Nothing” is the secret to structuring your work

#80

Post by Nevermark »

colelyman wrote: post #57
Nevermark wrote: post #13

Every day I work on my main project, I clear my desk completely, take out a small notepad and write my overriding goal, and my next step goal, and then make a list of tasks for that next step goal. Then I work. Writing the major goal every day is important to not let sub-goals overshadow it. Writing the immediate goal every day is important because together the two goals create a very clear direction of action with a…

Could you elaborate as to what the difference is between your overriding goal and your next step goal?

My recently achieved overriding goal took 32 years to accomplish! i worked on it as a side project all that time and it took me places i never expected. Very happy.

I recommend being less ambitious! Or be smarter than me!

Now my major goal is to complete the first tools in that area. it’s still challenging but I think the first version will have only taken 12 months. There is just a lot of newly settled stuff that I am getting fluent in.

12 months seems like a good length of time for a major goal.

Immediate goals are the closest challenging milestone. I.e. a necessary task that requires non-trivial design and/or implementation.

I think both major and immediate goals should be stretch goals with actual impact at different scales. 6-18 months and 2 to 8 weeks are typical ranges. But as my first paragraph notes, the major goal is the big thing that needs to be done, so however long that takes. It is inspiring to aim for significance, and it pushes me to not waste time on all scales of life.

And then I replot my path to the immediate goal. Usually takes under a minute. Mundane steps and questions to settle.

I recreate a the whole plan every morning like that. The repetition embeds the plan and goals into my conscious and subconscious minds.

And also keeps everything fluid.

Every morning, any new perspective can alter anything in the plan, including the goals if need be. Altering the immediate goal, or a better definition of the major goal.

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