

How to stay focused by eliminating distractions and procrastination - mace
http://struct.ca/2010/focus/

======
edanm
One of the few things that has worked for me is the Pomodoro Technique.

If you haven't heard of it, it's very close to what the author is talking
about: create a very specific list of tasks, with high granularity, and then
concentrate on one task for 25 minutes. Put a mark next to it when you've done
25 minutes, then go rest for 5 minutes. Rinse and repeat.

This has all sorts of psychology built-in, like forcing you to stop after 25
minutes, often in mid-task. This makes you more anxious to get back and finish
the job. It's also much easier to get yourself to say "ok, I'll just work on
this one thing for 25 minutes", rather than "ok, let's get started on this
4-hour-long task."

For anyone interested in more information, you can read about the technique
and download a (free) ebook about it from www.pomodorotechnique.com.

Also, I'm currently working on a small webapp that helps you manage your tasks
using the Pomodoro Technique. You can sign up to be notified of the beta at
www.pomodoroplanner.com.

~~~
benohear
I found the Pomodoro Technique to be a bit like daily pushups. It really does
work, but it requires discipline and/or a routine to keep it up. The problem
is that once you've missed a few days for any number of reasons, it requires
effort to reinstate, and in my experience that inevitably gets procrastinated.

~~~
edanm
Yep - that's usually the problem with these types of things. We're working
hard on trying to solve that problem with our app, though it's a tough one.
I've been thinking along the lines of emailing people reminding them of their
tasks, but I don't know if that will be too intrusive (people tend to dislike
getting too many mails.)

~~~
riledhel
Don't forget people sometimes complete the tasks, but are too
lazy/distracted/busy to use your tool. So include something to update your
tool very very quickly so people can get that burocratic thing out of the way
fast.

------
benohear
The thing that has really worked for me is disabling all the "procrastination"
sites (Hacker News, Reddit, BBC etc) on my work machine and keeping a netbook
/ ipad in the living room for browsing.

This is a light version of the advice that PG gives here
<http://www.paulgraham.com/distraction.html>, for those of us that actually
need an internet connection to work.

The other one is a fixed work day. It's a lot easier to allow yourself a
"quick check of the news" at 3pm when you say to yourself that you'll be
working until 10pm. That's very different when you've only got 3 hours left.

Central to all of this is getting started. Normally if you can avoid giving
into the craving to dick around and get started with work, within a couple of
minutes you will be into it. A trick there is to say "I'll work for ten
minutes and then check the news" rather than the other way around.

There is also a question of managing brainspace. There I found that the first
thing I do in the morning has a huge influence on what preoccupies me for the
rest of the day. So I try to resist the temptation to start my day with email
or checking the news and make sure my first thoughts are dedicated to
productive work.

------
aeontech
This eliminates 90% of distraction:

    
    
      vim /etc/hosts
      127.0.0.1  reddit.com
      127.0.0.1  facebook.com
      127.0.0.1  news.ycombinator.com
      127.0.0.1  digg.com
      127.0.0.1  reader.google.com
      127.0.0.1  stumbleupon.com
    

Add whatever sites you visit that are massive firehoses of information. Sites
that just serve bite-size chunks are safe to leave off - you most likely don't
visit them much anyway, and even if you do visit, you'll quickly leave because
they don't offer that constant stream of content that submerges you and drags
you off into the net with that overwhelming "just one more click" reward
system.

On the mental side, I find that it's easiest to stay focused by harnessing the
same mental pleasure/reward cycle but hooking it to concrete tasks that are a
part of what I'm working on. Breaking down your todo's into very concrete
steps so that you never have an opportunity to get distracted by wondering
what you should be working on next helps you keep the flow going, and also
helps you by providing that miniature rush of reward every time you complete a
task. Avoid having large ill-defined projects because they quickly grow
mentally draining and feel like an endless slog that you want to escape
because there is never a concrete feeling of accomplishment.

------
yewweitan
Eliminating distractions was actually quite easy for myself. As long as I've
got silence, I can focus well.

Procrastination is another issue, for exactly the reasons that the author
states: lack of concrete goals.

With bigger projects, concrete goals are harder to make. Especially with
software, I'm always a horrible estimator, and I'll write something like "Get
X feature to start working". It may be a small feature, but it ends up moving
in all the different directions that I'd never expect it to take.

I've tried becoming a better estimator, by recorded what I intended to get
done, what I did get done, and then reflecting on that. It's a slow and simple
process, but I think it's working. Or maybe its my bad estimation ability
fooling me again =p.

------
kennet
Stepping on * a lot * of toes with these kind of posts. They are the cold
truth and people aren't used to it.

Internet and social addictions are real. There are many IRC chatrooms that are
filled with people who haven't done anything, not a single finished project or
any sort of plan with their lives, because they are too busy filling the
craving of talking about whatever, or "planning" to do something/"hoping" to
finish a project, and so on.

I'm also someone who has recently shook off gaming. A friend of mine tells me
I am doing it wrong because I should be enjoying life, however looking back I
sank way too much into SC1, Day of Defeat, Counterstrike, and was almost
baited by SC2--the same games that Matt Rix mentions.

I prefer to play Single Player nowadays because there is a definitive start
and finish. This acts as a cue for me to get back to work if I have been
slacking off too much.

For me, once I get over the initial plateau of starting up again from where I
last left off on a project, the feeling of laziness and procrastination goes
away. Again, Matt mentions knowing the concrete things you wish to do and then
executing them. It works for me(tm).

------
raphar
I found the advice on focusing sound but pretty standard. What I found
interesting was that Identified with the author's problems, but still he was
able to produce a fine and concrete piece of work. Having played his game, I
found his story inspiring.

pd: btw, I really loved his game trainyard.

------
seles
I wonder if it is intentional irony that this post about avoiding distractions
has videos embedded, that seem to serve no purpose except to entertain and
distract.

That being the said the irc one was hilarious...

~~~
SkyMarshal
_"IRC. Internet Relay Chat. It's how hackers talk when they don't want to be
overheard."_

And here was me thinking they used private IRC servers, PGP, and other, you
know, private methods, when they don't want to be overheard.

 _"I'll set up an alarm to alert us if either name [chat handle] enters an IRC
channel"_.

That's one hell of an alarm, that scans in real time all the IRC servers and
channels out there.

------
huherto
The stay focused chrome extension has worked for me.
[https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmip...](https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji)

I would like to have a bit more granularity. Like having several rest periods
during the day.

------
3pt14159
I'm going to give it a try. Removed Starcraft 2 from my machine just now;
winning 300+ games is enough for now.

~~~
kqr2
A little tongue in cheek, but previously discussed here: _Why Startups Should
Only Hire Good Starcraft Players_

[http://www.helloko.com/2010/09/why-startups-should-only-
hire...](http://www.helloko.com/2010/09/why-startups-should-only-hire-good-
starcraft-players/)

