I like your #1. The advice to "eat that frog" presupposes that you have the willpower to do so already. I prefer the phrasing "using small wins to build momentum."
I haven't considered #2, but I'll try that next time I'm in a slump. I generally avoid early morning chatter so I don't drain my introvert battery early, but I suppose I could "seed" a conversation to give the extroverts their morning boost.
Could you elaborate on #3, please? What are some other examples of systems besides the Pomodoro technique?
I agree with #4, with the caveat that you can be efficient with things, but not with people.
For #5, it would be nice to work in a place where people explicitly acknowledge that productivity is variable. My workplace doesn't do that, so I explicitly tell my subordinates that I don't expect them to operate at 100% efficiency every day. But I also want want their 125% days to make up for their 75% days, so everything still evens out.
What insightful comments thank you! I love your comment on point 5 - yes, we are not machines and life is variable, but it should even out in terms of productivity. In terms of systems, I think it's about using what works for you - setting timers is one way, using "micro breaks" (10 minutes doing something else) is another. Something that keeps you focused.
Do you find that "attention residue" is an issue when using the Pomodoro/micro break techniques? It's a big problem for me when I task-switch too much. I also find that trying to stick "deep work" into a clean allotment of X minutes isn't conducive to creativity.
I try to lump all my rapid-shallow tasks to one part of the day, and my slow-deep tasks to another. And I try to do slow-deep when I'm most clear-minded, with rapid-shallow filling in the spaces when I'm just kinda "meh."
A lot easier said than done in the workplace, where I'm beholden to the needs of others :-/
I like your #1. The advice to "eat that frog" presupposes that you have the willpower to do so already. I prefer the phrasing "using small wins to build momentum."
I haven't considered #2, but I'll try that next time I'm in a slump. I generally avoid early morning chatter so I don't drain my introvert battery early, but I suppose I could "seed" a conversation to give the extroverts their morning boost.
Could you elaborate on #3, please? What are some other examples of systems besides the Pomodoro technique?
I agree with #4, with the caveat that you can be efficient with things, but not with people.
For #5, it would be nice to work in a place where people explicitly acknowledge that productivity is variable. My workplace doesn't do that, so I explicitly tell my subordinates that I don't expect them to operate at 100% efficiency every day. But I also want want their 125% days to make up for their 75% days, so everything still evens out.
What insightful comments thank you! I love your comment on point 5 - yes, we are not machines and life is variable, but it should even out in terms of productivity. In terms of systems, I think it's about using what works for you - setting timers is one way, using "micro breaks" (10 minutes doing something else) is another. Something that keeps you focused.
Do you find that "attention residue" is an issue when using the Pomodoro/micro break techniques? It's a big problem for me when I task-switch too much. I also find that trying to stick "deep work" into a clean allotment of X minutes isn't conducive to creativity.
yes that can happen. For deep work, i need to prioritise it somehow, so that works for me, but what other ideas have you tried?
I try to lump all my rapid-shallow tasks to one part of the day, and my slow-deep tasks to another. And I try to do slow-deep when I'm most clear-minded, with rapid-shallow filling in the spaces when I'm just kinda "meh."
A lot easier said than done in the workplace, where I'm beholden to the needs of others :-/
That is such a good approach!