Discussion Forum > 90 minutes of focus
Alan -
I've spent the past week reading about the Pomodoro technique. I've been searching for a structured way to deal with my unstructured time and I think this may work. Because my time varies - when I'm with a client, my time is quite structured - I'm considering 15 minute intervals of focused work, with 5 min breaks. Moreover, I'm going to follow the rules as stated regarding interruptions and tracking. I'll report my results.
As an aside, the author of Pomodoro Illustrated - http://pomodoro-book.com/ - cites a few of Mark's books.
I've spent the past week reading about the Pomodoro technique. I've been searching for a structured way to deal with my unstructured time and I think this may work. Because my time varies - when I'm with a client, my time is quite structured - I'm considering 15 minute intervals of focused work, with 5 min breaks. Moreover, I'm going to follow the rules as stated regarding interruptions and tracking. I'll report my results.
As an aside, the author of Pomodoro Illustrated - http://pomodoro-book.com/ - cites a few of Mark's books.
March 2, 2012 at 18:59 |
avrum
avrum
Thanks for sharing, Alan!
March 13, 2012 at 10:46 |
BG
BG
Good article. Thanks Alan!
March 21, 2012 at 18:12 |
FocusMe
FocusMe
The ideas I especially like: productivity is NOT maximising output; it IS a measure of benefits relative to costs and "[don't ignore] the denominator of the productivity formula, which represents the cost of what I was doing."
So the best leverage would seem to be
1. maximise benefit
2. minimise time/effort/activity/hassle/annoyance/stress/resentment/things you dislike
Benefit may only be clear if you have a vision of how you see yourself looking, thinking, behaving, feeling and doing, acquiring with who etc. Otherwise most action has no benefit. For me the vision is the key to leverage. It keeps attention on benefits.
So the best leverage would seem to be
1. maximise benefit
2. minimise time/effort/activity/hassle/annoyance/stress/resentment/things you dislike
Benefit may only be clear if you have a vision of how you see yourself looking, thinking, behaving, feeling and doing, acquiring with who etc. Otherwise most action has no benefit. For me the vision is the key to leverage. It keeps attention on benefits.
April 2, 2012 at 17:38 |
michael
michael
That reminds me of Dad. He complained that his classmates would get praised for the hours they spent studying, yet their studying was ineffective. They still only got C's. He put in a tiny fraction of the time (sometimes only the time spent in class), and got straight A's, yet didn't get any praise for his efficiency.
My teachers complained that I didn't take notes in full-sentences, and rewrite them while studying. I told them that my goal was to learn, not have pretty notes. As long as I was getting straight As, my notes were none of their business. If they wanted to mark them, give it as an assignment. If they thought I needed practice writing full sentences, they shouldn't have let me into the gifted English program. It makes me wonder how many kids don't reach their potential because teachers insist on inefficient assignments.
(Then I learned shorthand. It was easy to convince them my notes were in full sentences.)
My teachers complained that I didn't take notes in full-sentences, and rewrite them while studying. I told them that my goal was to learn, not have pretty notes. As long as I was getting straight As, my notes were none of their business. If they wanted to mark them, give it as an assignment. If they thought I needed practice writing full sentences, they shouldn't have let me into the gifted English program. It makes me wonder how many kids don't reach their potential because teachers insist on inefficient assignments.
(Then I learned shorthand. It was easy to convince them my notes were in full sentences.)
April 3, 2012 at 17:03 |
Cricket
Cricket
I found in school that the more I took notes, the less I understood. Far better to pay full attention to the teacher and only note something that needed further review. Count yourself blessed though that you had an easy time of studies. I learnEd shorthand once. It was fun but I had such Poor penmanship I couldn't read back what I wrote.
April 4, 2012 at 3:20 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
The only notes I write during meetings are things that I need to take action on or facts that I want to check (usually because I think the speaker has got it wrong!)
April 4, 2012 at 9:54 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I have a hard time remembering things that I only hear orally. The act of writing and seeing the words on paper cements things into my memory.
When I was younger and with better eyesight, I wrote tons of notes in tiny scripts on A4 sheets folded into A7 size. When cramming for exams I would create stacks of these notes. Not that I ever read them back.
I guess the act of writing also keep me focused. Mmm ... now that I can touch type, I think the act of typing also can keep me focused. ;-)
When I was younger and with better eyesight, I wrote tons of notes in tiny scripts on A4 sheets folded into A7 size. When cramming for exams I would create stacks of these notes. Not that I ever read them back.
I guess the act of writing also keep me focused. Mmm ... now that I can touch type, I think the act of typing also can keep me focused. ;-)
April 5, 2012 at 17:48 |
sabre23t
sabre23t
It's not enough to hear something. It's necessary to think on what was said and relate it to your understanding.
Transcribing detailed notes on someone's speaking, because it consumes your listening time, interrupts that thinking process. Now if you're able to interpret the lecture and write your conclusions as the speaker talks, that works.
Transcribing detailed notes on someone's speaking, because it consumes your listening time, interrupts that thinking process. Now if you're able to interpret the lecture and write your conclusions as the speaker talks, that works.
April 5, 2012 at 18:10 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I outlined in some classes. Others were spent scribbling down equations so fast I barely read them. We were very happy when the profs started selling their notes!
Some of my exams allowed 1 sheet prepared at home. Some classmates spent their time at the photocopier shrinking all their notes. The ones who spent their time comparing equations and learning how they were related and prepared a sheet that was legible without a microscope usually did better.
Don't get me started on open book exams. Nasty things. Very different way of preparing.
Some of my exams allowed 1 sheet prepared at home. Some classmates spent their time at the photocopier shrinking all their notes. The ones who spent their time comparing equations and learning how they were related and prepared a sheet that was legible without a microscope usually did better.
Don't get me started on open book exams. Nasty things. Very different way of preparing.
April 6, 2012 at 0:39 |
Cricket
Cricket
The article concludes with successful results after spending a month of each day focusing 90 minutes on one thing, but I think that's the least interesting part! The whole is a well-read discussion on how to be effective in what you do. Check it out and see if you don't agree.