An Experiment in Focus
So I have one of those “fighting fire” sorts of jobs. A lot of program management – setting priorities, designing experiments, attend meetings, communicating to other departments, coordinating resources, etc.
This week is a little different and I’m having a bit of trouble because my boss and I have agreed to write a perspective in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (I know folks will be lining up to get that – but don’t worry I’ll be happy to sign your copy if you like…) – and I’ve had a hard time making progress on my sections – and I think it’s because of the fire fighting nature of what I do.
So today – an experiment in focus. There are two short meetings this morning which should be over by 10 a.m. At that point, Outlook gets turned off, Gmail notifier gets turned off -- maybe I'll even turn my phone to mute... Let’s see if I can get something written by decreasing the pings that beep “Look at me!”
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Comments
Only two more minutes of time-wasting joy! Are you sure you want to go through with this...
I find it more distracting to turn off the "pings" because my mind is so trained to be aware of them and to look for them that having them off makes me constantly wonder what I'm missing. Also, the fact that I'm looking for the "pings" knowing everything is turned off is equally distracting.
I don't like to focus much... or at least my ADD (which I swear I have but can't prove) refuses to allow me to do so.
Good luck with that! :)
I'd have to turn my computer off entirely to get any real work done. Even now - trying to write a marketing plan, and I'm commenting on your post.
must... turn... away... from... Vox...!
Aughh! Wanting to check the responses to my QotD are sucking me back in...
I find I kind of need the fires to make me concentrate on the task at hand or else I lose focus and don't get much of anything done.
Good luck! I have a relatively boring job, unlike you and Fish...
And I definitely want an autographed copy. :)
Or you'll just stare at a blank Word document trying to figure out what all the icons mean or exactly how many times the cursor blinks over the course of a minute. :)
Congrats on the science journal article! I happen to think that's very cool.
It's so funny that you mention this, because our local paper just had a letter writer go deep into how "multitasking" has killed the concept of focusing on the task at hand. Even more so, the letter writer was saying that when people are cross trained to do "everyone's" job then no one is a specialist in their own section, and that in the "olden days" the consumer could count on finding someone in the company who focused on one area and knew a lot about one thing, as opposed to now when people know just a bit about everything.
Not that you have "customers", but just that I think it's true, focusing on one thing is highly valuable and a lost art at that. ps Love the painting!
UPDATE: Thanks so much for the input! Clearly, I'm not alone in this struggle. The plan worked pretty well. I turned off all the outside connections and then decided to check work email at the top of every hour. In-out. Easy. I got a lot done. I may have to practice this on a more regular basis.
(Fish): Ususally, I'm the same way, but needed to block all that stuff out and then convince myself that it would sit for a day or two.
Hapa: Actually, VOX does have a notifier, which is why i needed to turn off my gmail notifier! I would have gotten nothing done if I'd been sucked in by vox-comments.
Jen: I will definitely send you one when it goes to press!
Corissa: Cracking me up!
Angelanoel: Actually writing that first paragraph is DEFINITELY the worst!
Maya: Well, I guess my customers are my senior management and my product is progress on our projects -- but you're right -- sometimes I bounce from thing to thing and all of a sudden the day is over and I can't recall what I actually accomplished.
What's your article about?