Slashdot Mirror
Ask Slashdot: Software To Help Stay On Task?
GiboNZ writes "Like many others, I easily get distracted when working on a computer. Say I work on a task — be it a programming job or bookkeeping or whatever — and need to quickly check something on Google. Unfortunately after a while I often find myself on Slashdot or eBay or reading emails instead of continuing with the job I was doing before. Maybe if I had a 'single-tasking desktop' it wouldn't be such an issue. I couldn't Alt-Tab to my email client with tempting 200 unread emails, Alt-Tab to browser with 10 tabs open for later, Alt-Tab to unfinished document from yesterday, Alt-Tab to ... you know what I mean. I want to be forced by some technical means to work on the problem I should work on. Will alone doesn't work — I tried. Like when mowing a lawn — there I've got nothing else to do and I keep mowing until it's finished. If I could multitask in the same way I can on a computer our little backyard would take me the whole day to do. Any ideas how to inhibit the distractions ever present on modern multi-tasking internet-connected desktops? I genuinely want to be more productive but the technology is against me."
Turn your wifi connection off. After the first few 404's you'll be surprised as how much work you'll get done.
You can't magically change your behavior and habits with a piece of software.
Tired of being "punished" by the Slashdot $rtbl since 2002. I'm now over at http://soylentnews.org/ .
Good news my friend, modern science has found a cure for your condition: http://www.noob.us/humor/south-park-the-best-treatment-for-add/
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
Maybe look into a time-management solution and learn discipline like the pomodoro technique rather than using a high-tech solution as a crutch.
Install an operating system that would be compromised immediately after perusing some webpage, like Windows 98/95. Or, stick to Windows XP with IE6. IE6 can't go to a myriad of websites without crashing.
Your subsequent unemployment will motivate you to stay on task.
I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
I know sometimes a job is just a job and it's boring. But you'll have to discipline yourself to think that your job at hand is much more important than ebay or slashdot. I know I suffer from the same problem, and I struggle to find my "zone," but once I'm in it, I work nonstop for several hours, even foregoing food. One project I actually lost 5-7 after 3 months, and it wasn't just water weight.
Perhaps you need to understand why what you're doing is important and who it affects? Personally, that makes me feel accountable for someone and it goes up in my priority list, rather than my own whims such as amazon. I also hate mowing the lawn, but I hate making my wife angry even more and so I do it. But what I hate the most is if starts crying and then I feel like a jerk (as a side note, it's always more than just the dishes or mowing the lawn). In short, try feeling accountable for what you do, or the lack thereof. It worked for me and it's a mind game.
This alt-tab solution you're seeking will be quickly be overridden by your own cleverness. Search for external forces you can't control. Either learn discipline or ask for a more challenging project. Or worse, a boss who breathes down your neck.
Use chrome and stayfocusd extension.
While it has no features to force you to stay on task, Grindstone is a good time-tracking program. Perhaps you can set it up so that it'll time your work for, say, 15 minutes, grant you a 'distraction break', and then go back to timing work. For some folks, simply keeping an actual account of how much time they permit themselves to 'goof off' can be a good way to reduce said goofing off. Maybe you can set it to chime in with periodic reminders every 10 minutes saying "Are you on task?" Again, it won't forcibly limit you to only 1 task, but I thought it might be helpful. It's free, so it can't hurt to try it, I guess.
http://www.epiforge.com/grindstone/
Disable (smash to non-function) either the alt or tab key, which ever is least important to you.
Or develop some will power.
I don't mean to trivialize this, because I've encountered the same issue you describe. However it isn't the key combo's enabling the distraction, it is you (your conscious mind) wishing for diversion. Fix yourself.
Work offline, not even logged into your computer, and head out to someplace like Barnes and Noble where you can spread your papers out and drink coffee while you work.
Try the surefire combo of Growing a Pair, and Being a Man. It's the tried-and-true solution that's been used for generations! You'd be amazed at how many of life's little problems just disappear when you Grow a Pair and start Being a Man.
Like it or not, you are only productive 20% of the time. It doesn't matter how your work pattern is. So even if you had a single-tasking UI and only kept your main task window open, you still couldn't reach more then 20%.
You should instead concentrate on being ultimately efficient in that 20%. That's the secret. Sometimes, bright ideas on how to achieve this come to you in the remaining 80% while you think you are not working...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray#Personal_life
Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
If you are on salary, you can only waste so much time without being unethical.
If you are paid by the job, you can only waste so much time without being inefficient.
OTOH, in the cosmic scheme of things, you'll soon be dead, so pick your own balance.
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
The first order of business is to turn off all your IMs. Next order of business is to tell people who call you that you're busy working. If your company is a programming company, but still communicates via IM, suggest going to email only. Nothing is worse for coding than distractions.
God spoke to me
Your mind contains a sophisticated goal setting mechanism (among other features).
To activate it, write down your goals for the day. If it's important to do X hours of work on a particular task, write that down.
It's important to write it out longhand - don't type it. No one knows why this is, but I suspect that writing things out longhand rehearses the goal in several sensory modes: you're speaking the words as you write, you're feeling the words as you write, and you're seeing the words as you write.
Goals should be present, positive, personal, and measurable.
Positive: positive logic. You can't say "I stop doing XXX" because the goal mechanism is a lower-order mechanism and can't do logical negatives. Say "I *do* xxx" instead.
Personal: Start the goal with "I", as in "I complete X hours of work".
Present: Phrase the goal in the present tense, as if you've already accomplished it. "Today I *do* X hours of work on XXX".
Measurable: Some way to determine that you're making progress. Writing "I purchase a new car" is less effective than "I set aside XXX dollars towards purchasing a car".
Tape the written goal to your screen and occasionally glance at it as you're working.
This works for all types of goals - short and long term. So long as they're doable and reasonable, writing them down engages your mental systems to make the outcome happen.
Stop it or I'll bury you alive in a box!
(I don't make change.)
Net Nanny?
It is a time tracker, but will also periodically popup a reminder of the job you should be working on.
Like many others, I easily get distracted when working on a computer.
iShock, the app for the easily distracted.
When you stray from your work apps, the iShock will gently remind you via electric shock to get back on task!
Be seeing you...
What you need is brainware, not software. With our new focusmaster brainware you will be able to utilize 99.9% of your thinking capacity on one task.
*Side effects may include a complete loss of short term memory
Schedule more meetings.
There's an entry in there that looks something like this:
127.0.0.1 localhost loopback
Change it so it looks like this:
127.0.0.1 localhost loopback slashdot.org
#DeleteChrome
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/strict-pomodoro/cgmnfnmlficgeijcalkgnnkigkefkbhd?hl=en If you don't know what Pomodoro is, check it out - it's exactly for this problem. This helps me a lot.
If your bitterest enemies are people who hack the heads off civilians, then I would say you're doing something right.
After 6 months of unemployment, I'm really, really focused on my new job.
How about "software help me not eat more calories than I burn" or "software to help me stop masturbating". Look, you've got a problem with self-discipline. What makes you think software is the answer? If it was important enough to you, you would do it yourself!
Not necessarily in that order. I usually download my fresh Brazilian horsecock tranny porn for the day and masturbate to the first video Downloadhelper finishes first. Then I clean up and head to the gym. This is a serious workout, no talking or BSing. 10-15 minutes of treadmill or stationary bike at a high level and then 30 minutes of weights and 15 minutes cool down and stretching. Then I head back home, masturbate again and then my head is clear and I can focus for the next 8 hours.
Outlook
Most linux users don't know this, but the man pages were named after Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris fsck'ing hates noobs!
I use hosts file to block time wasting sites at work. Just map them to 0.0.0.0 and enjoy the productivity.
I keep a tall can of Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey (cold tea, $0.99 each at the grocery store, and they are tall cans 695mL each). I take a sip every few minutes, as one does when one has a drink nearby.
The result is two-fold. First, instead of alt-tabbing away during natural cagnitive breaks, I wind up taking a sip. That sip ends in five seconds, and I'm faced with the same screen, so I resume the same work. More importantly, very soon my bladder fills up. Turns out that with a full bladder, I push to get one-more-task done before getting up to go to the bathroom.
The task itself distracts me from the bladder issue, and I wind up on the next task. Then the bladder issue distracts me from the alt-tabbing. Then the task distracts me from the bladder. Then the bladder distracts me from the alt-tabbing. It's circular, and it lasts until the work is done or I really can't sit anymore and the bladder takes over.
One ninety-nine cent can of this fairly healthy tea tends to get me a good three to five hours no matter what.
I speak from experience. Think back to those sessions where you busted your balls for who knows how long, not even stopping for a drink or potty break. You did it because it was interesting stuff, a unique challenge, right? Now, contrast that with your day to day work. Either find the discipline to deal with the boredom, or find a way to make your tasks less boring.
When I faced with this need, I created a web app for myself http://discipline-score.appspot.com I set the tasks, given the time for it it and then give myself points to complete the task. At the end of the task, I rate how I completed. My unfinished tasks are carried over the next day by the system. I have found this effective for 4+ years now and I wish to better myself from 65% of my discipline score in my system. Try the link and see if helps you too. -- Senthil
Depending on your reasons for distraction, you could try delaying the distraction. So you want to check emails or facebook or something, do it in 5 minutes instead of now. Then in 5 minutes review your impulsive decision and see if you can delay the distraction any further.
:)
Failing that, get yourself a desk with a screen that can easily be seen by others. I'm assuming you work in an office or something here... if you are working from home then your employer has made a foolish decision (self employed or not
Clearly, this is the internet's fault.
Also, don't keep your e-mail open. Check it when there's a natural break, and then close it.
It is a fantastic plugin that lets you setup a blacklist of websites that can be blocked by day/time. There are lots of advanced options and you can set it to prevent you from being able to access the settings of the add-on during your "block" times...so there isn't an easy way out even if you wanted to disable the add-on during work hours. If you really really need to access a blocked site, you can always use another browser, but IE is the only other option at work, and it is so painfully slow (XP on my work laptop) that IE by itself is deterrent enough for me if I can't use FF.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/leechblock/
Apart from that, I agree with suggestions on setting goals for each day. I've found that to be really helpful.
As with many human problems a technical solution isn't always best. The real underlying issue is that our brains are built according to a fundamentally parallel architecture which isn't very well understood. Your consciousness is something like a "software" trick that gives you the illusion of serial operations. You can focus the spotlight of attention on one thing at a time but you're never really doing that, it's just a simulation. Classical computers are the complete opposite--though in modern times we do now have truly parallel CPUs. It's not just technology that's against you, you're working against the nature of your brain.
Your problem is that you are trying to force your brain to function in a way that it is antithetical to its design on a fundamental level. Doing this for too long causes real and measurable fatigue. If you are finding yourself overstressed from the demand of focusing too intensely on a task you should change your workflow. I would suggest breaking up your time into smaller chunks, maybe of 15-20 minutes so that you are not focused on any one thing for too long. Not every task is amenable to this procedure, so there's going to be time when you simply have to endure.
You can also set achievable goals and have some sort of metric for measuring and verifying them. Write down that you'll answer X number of E-mails or spend 15 minutes doing that twice a day. Write down a schedule and tape it to your computer screen.
If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
They make drugs for this.
Go command line only.
I am thinking that the layout of pages in modern software is pleasing to the brain. Maybe you're conditioned to like the constant action, smooth lines and flickering lights. We've grown up staring into TV sets and modern desktop computing has grown to mirror that in the past decade.
I would suggest switching to pine for email and lynx for browsing. If you can...get rid of the desktop itself. You can switch different terminal windows with the f keys but your brain doesn't get any little rush from it like a modern system.
Staring at the harshness of text on a screen means you get it done and go on to the next task. People who work with crappy old dos terminal software (like inventory and distribution software) or system admins or programmers will hopefully back me up on this.
It'll be out once i can climb out of the pits of maslow's hierarchy.
Don't complain about syntax, grammar, or spelling. There is no.hell like input on android.
http://procrastitracker.com/
This won't change your habits, but at least it's gonna make you feel bad about them. Windows only, unfortunately.
Sounds like you need to be fired.
You are thief. If I pay you an hourly wage and you goof off I might as well flush that cash down the toilet. Grow up and get to work! With a high unemployment rate it you should be happy you have a job and your boss can easily replace you with someone else with better ethics.
I had a link from one of my favorite speakers Larry Winget who wrote "Shut up! Stop whinning and go get a life!". The link is dead but he talks about this. You are being paid to service the customer. You can goof off on your own time but not theirs or mine if I am your manager.
Before I get modded down I have to ask does any other boss think different? Work is work man. I think working at McDonalds afterwards will scare you into an attitude adjustment on how bad life can be. This happened to me after I fucked up and went on slashdot and was shown the door. These days I know better.
The best way to stay on task is to focus on what is the most important and keep yourself super busy. There is always somethign you can do and you need to work past mental exhaustion as that is what you are paid to do. Do this every day and you will get promoted. It is pretty simple and what workers in India and China do. Companies hire them not because they are cheap but because they are committed and work very hard to make sure all goals are achieved and not quit at 5:01.
http://saveie6.com/
Don't ask for technology to solve a problem that you have with technology. Get a grip. Grow a backbone and set some boundaries for yourself.
I for one don't have my email client auto-check. I have to click a button to catch up on email and that's on my own terms. It made a huge difference in productivity for me.
Need to reduce your multi-tasking activity and productivity? Sounds like Windows 8 Metro interface is perfect for you! This whole submission smells like a Windows 8 troll if you ask me...
There is no better tool for keeping a modern writer on focus.
Stop blaming the computer. Technology is absolutely 100% not against you. Your own mind is, and therefore you are seeking an excuse to blame something other then yourself.
You are the problem. Either make an active effort to break these habits you've formed, or seek professional help.
Slashdot is not going to regurgitate some magical "fix" that changes your state of mind and magically makes you the efficient work-centered individual you apparently want to be. The sooner you realize that you're the problem and not the computer, the sooner you can start working on fixing that problem.
No Slashdot would improve my productivity...
It sounds like you're working from home doing contracting/consulting programming. If you find yourself unable to police yourself, admit that this type of job isn't for you and find a full-time job. I am the same kind of person. I have my work computer, with minimal distractions, and my home computer which is full of distractions. If you have both long-term and short-term goals in an office environment, it's much easier to focus on what you're supposed to be doing. Being in an office environment discourages you from straying off-task because you feel pressure to not do so. I've spent many hours doing independent contracting, but I realized early on that I couldn't be as productive as I could be when I was away from the distractions of home.
Basically make it a rule that as soon as you finish any task, or get bored with it, you have to power off your computer.
Full details
Any time I start to waste time randomly surfing I turn it on for 40 minutes. It helps to keep the habit from gaining a foothold. http://anti-social.cc/
This is called chronic media multitasking, and you are not alone (likely a large portion of those calling you a loser and telling you to get over it are avoiding doing something more important). http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/24/chronic-media-multi-tasking-makes-it-harder-to A single-tasking environment would be helpful, but at what cost? While it isn't good to read your e-mail and surf the net while you are trying to get something done, it IS often useful to look up that related e-mail or useful reference. You might use some measure to block the websites you abuse the most, but who is to say something else won't take their place? What worked for me was simply to recognize and study the problem. Once you see what a common occurrence it is, and how it affects your ability to function even after the fact, it should make it easier to prioritize fixing it. For me that meant hiding most Skype notifications, closing my e-mail client while I worked, and closing out programs that I didn't need for the current task. Your mileage may vary; this is what worked (very well) for me.
Smoke less weed, allow times for it and period when you don't. Finally, you are probably not giving yourself enough breaks from the screen and it's your body's way of telling you to get up move around and grab a drink, come back to it and you will be more focused on what you are supposed to do.
Above all take responsibility for yourself, it's not the computers responsibility to get you to use it effectively. So remind yourself "stay on task" and eventually you will.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
Habit was exactly my concern here. If you have work to d o, why do you leave emails in your inbox and open tabs in your browser? Remove the distractors! First of all: close all tabs! Second: shedule time to go through the most imortant emails. Delete the rest!
I would pay money for some software that basically acted like a bell at school, dividing up my time by hours for specific tasks, with notifications and progress tracking. I don't mean just some alarm, I want something that will tell me i have like 3 minutes to save my work or whatever and then it will launch whatever other application I need for my next section of work. I really think something like that to sortof split my time up and enforce limits on different projects would make me massively more productive.
Personal Productivity Secrets
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1118179676/
It focuses in the issue you describe, and might provide you with personal tools to help you focus.
I couldn't stand a regular 9-5 job. Almost 4 years ago now, I was fired from the last I worked at and haven't looked back. In the last 30 days I've worked on about 16 different projects for various clients. That's typical for the last three years. Many of those projects are long term, multi-year, projects but none of them occupy all my working time. I work on them, take a couple days off for the client to review and give me feedback, and then I repeat the process. It's very rare now that a single project takes up all my time for more than a week.
You just need to embrace your ADD and find diverse work to do. Then you can distract yourself with productive things to do.
The other thing to do is start getting paid hourly. If you're not being productive you can just clock out and come back when your brain is ready to cooperate. Being paid for 8 hours whether you do nothing or something is probably not helping.
The other ADD friendly thing for me is having a backlog of tickets. If I have one thing to do, my brain tends to shut down because it's bored by the prospect of doing one thing. I need to be close to overwhelmed with tickets in order to maximize productivity for extended hours.
Work Safe Porn
This probably seems like a problem right now because your work situation isn't aligned with it. Fix that and you're good.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
What bothers me is this "200 unread emails" bit. If these are work-related emails, why aren't you reading them? If they aren't, why do you have you personal email open when you're supposed to be working?
It sounds like you're using a single machine to do both work and personal stuff.
Set up a second user account for work. Don't keep bookmarks to Slashdot, eBay, etc on your browser on the work user account. Don't set up your personal email on Outlook. If you install games on your computer do it from the "personal" user account side and set it to only be accessible for your user account so it's not tempting you from the Start menu on the Work side.
Electrodes on the testicles. Worked for me!
127.0.0.1 slashdot.org www.slashdot.org reddit.com www.reddit.com imgur.com www.imgur.com
I was having this same problem, and somewhere along the line I heard about RescueTime (http://www.rescuetime.com) -- I think maybe on The Verge or some similar site. Anyway, it's a self-monitoring package that tracks everything you're doing with your computer: the applications and documents you use, the sites you visit -- and has a nice categorization and data visualization UI, as well as the ability to set goals for yourself to track. When I started out about two months ago I was averaging around 53% productivity per day; I'm up to 76% as of this past week and still climbing.
The net result is that your daily productivity becomes a min-maxing game, which is addictive as heck for a hardcore RPG gamer like myself, and I suspect many others as well.
Well, if you can hold your attention on a single task for a short amount of time then I would try the Pomodoro Technique. I had issues similar to what you describe and this has helped me a great deal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique Briefly: you pick a task, set the timer (the recommended time is 25 minutes), focus on that one thing, and then reward yourself with a five minute break. Reset timer, repeat. It can become game like, challenging yourself to stay on task until you get to the chime, and the 25 minute boundary seems like the right level of challenge versus attainability. Lots of free software/apps out there to help you with it.
Get the fastest computer you can, and set your browser's default homepage to (blank).
I find that my worst temptations to hit Slashdot at work are whenever I go to do something that just... ends... up... being... painfully... slow. It's rare for me to stop mid-thought and go hit Slashdot. It's common for me to go launch something, get stuck waiting 30 seconds for something to time out before the network will let me continue, get frustrated, angrily jump over to Slashdot for a minute, and end up having the next 20 minutes to an hour or more go up in smoke. Anything that breaks your concentration is dangerous.
It's absolutely *sick* how many companies spend thousands recruiting highly-paid employees with relatively rare skills, then turn around and squander their time by skimping on their computer hardware. Seriously. Add up the marginal cost of the most outrageously gamer-grade Intel Extreme Edition i7 Xeon, 16 gigs of ram (vs 4), a large Intel SSD (no Sandforce, unless it's merely acting as a write-through read cache for a real drive), and 3 24" monitors (compared to the hardware you'd give the receptionist or someone in sales), then compare it to the opportunity cost of having just 2-4 10-minute periods of that same employees' productivity get incinerated every day. If you view the computer as at least a 2 year investment, with the monitors being good for 3-4 years, the extra kilobuck or two you'd spend on top-notch hardware will pay for itself within a month or two.
High-end hardware pays for itself in the form of reduced support costs, too. It's a fact -- slow computers running Windows have WAY more problems than fast computers running Windows, because the slower and more resource-constrained the computer is, the more likely it is to get itself into a state where just about anything can kick it past the tipping point and cause problems to start piling up, especially when users get pissed and cycle the power or repeatedly flood the event queue by clicking unresponsive buttons. It's times like those that Bad Things(tm) just start to happen, and happen, and happen.
Likewise, change your browser homepage to (blank), and try to disable anything that throws up things like "article of the day", random breaking news, etc. Get in the habit of searching from Firefox's search bar instead of going to en.wikipedia.org or google.com.
TBH it sounds like a setup for the answer to be "install Windows 8".
Carbon based humanoid in training.
I use a Firefox extension called LeechBlock.
Basically, you give it a list of domains to block, and when to block them.
For instance, I usually get my best work done between 5:00 and 10:00 PM. So, I gave LeechBlock a list of websites on which I typically waste my time. Between 5:00 and 10:00 PM, it only lets me waste 10 minutes of my time every two hours.
When I go over my time limit on time-sucking websites, it shows me a page informing me of my condition. I configured LeechBlock such that I can click on a button, and see my time-sucking page anyway. LeechBlock serves as a gentle reminder to get back to work.
It is rather configurable. For instance, there is a setting that allows you to disable the add-on manager during a given time interval. The idea is to prevent yourself from turning the extension off.
The extension is incredibly customizable and surprisingly effective.
There is a similar extension for Chrome.
This is a productivity training class that you might be looking for: http://www.missioncontrol.com/individuallevel.php
If you're on Windows 7, you could create a new user account that has a number of special group policies that block apps or functions you don't want to have access to while you're working. Obviously you could bypass this by logging into your primary account but if you're determined enough, you'll be able to bypass any suggestions anyone gives you.
I don't think even more tech will resolve your issue. Everybody is different and I don't know it will work for you but what I have done is:
1. Find a job were I work on challenging, engaging projects. If your mind is wondering off, chances are you have a really boring job. Find a better one.
2. Get quiet working conditions: eliminate distractions, shut down email, IM, put phones on DND. If something urgent comes up, they'll have to come over in person. If your job requires constant distraction, either train yourself to handle the quick context switching or find another job.
I think this TED talk is relevant: http://www.ted.com/talks/jason_fried_why_work_doesn_t_happen_at_work.html
HTML is obsolete. It's time for a new, simpler and richer markup language.
1. Pomodoro technique - search it on the web
2. The book Getting things done
I use the time account software 'Rescue Time', it records what application has focus every second, and gives me reports, so i can find out what is eating my productivity. The client also has 'focus mode' that stops you getting distracted, by blocking apps you've tagged as 'unproductive'
At first, I could just disconnect from the internet to get work done.
But now, since I have to interact with servers on the internet during work, I just set up a proxy which allows me only to connect to the work servers. It's called Privoxy and it can run on windows or linux, and it's easy to enable/disable it.
hemi
As far as overcoming interruptions and context switches between programming tasks, you could take look at Tasktop.
Seriously, dude, stop posting on your wall and get the fracking job done :D
I'm assuming you still need connectivity, otherwise just unhook the machine you work from.
Either talk to the IT-department (if at work) or set up a pure work-machine (if working from home):
1) Install two browsers and use one only for specific work-related tasks and the other for "review later/personal"
1b) Make sure the non-work is closed and have a _long_ loading-time.
2) Set up the proxy/firewall to treat any requests from the work-browser to only allow whatever search-engines you're using when sending requests without referrers
2b) Make sure the work-browser is set for a deny (or redirect to a reminder of what you are doing wrong) of your known timesinks (slashdot, ebay, gmail (see email-client below))
3) Use a dedicated email-client (ie, no webmail, no integration with browsers (this is to avoid all the "click here"))
3a) Make sure it is has good support for marking emails as unread and moving them to another "folder"
3b) have a few folders called Later.Foo where "Foo" is the category and anything non-urgent gets moved there as soon as you can classify where to send it (i.e stop reading, mark as unread, and then move) and read them as soon as you are in the "do emails"-cycle. (yes, at first email will be a timesink, but you will catch up a lot faster this way, and then it is less of a problem).
4) If you can do your work-tasks from keyboard alone I'd suggest you put the mouse slighty out of reach when not using it (I use an officechair and have the keyboard in my lap, and I use make sure I sit just to far away to use the mouse when doing keyboard-only tasks). I have found that anything involving mousing is a lot more likely to distract me
4b) Anything related to chatting that actually is needed for work use things that force you to go via a terminal (i.e ssh), as this reduces mousing and browser-integration.
5) Anything that pops into your mind as "I should do that" but isn't related to the task at hand needs to be dealt with right away by jotting it down (paper, or at most notepad.exe) so you get it out of your mind.
5b) Having a few bunches of post-it-notes of different colors (one for each category of tasks) helps with this (also is great for breaking down job-related problems as well)
6) If you are a teadrinker learn how to use a gaiwan, they are highly relaxing once one has gotten into the habit of using them and are good for a quick "mental cat-nap" when one notices a lull (and this usually is when one starts doing unrelated surfing, so getting a quick legstrechter is good at this point anyway).
This is how I set it up at least...
And yes, the goal of it all is to just make the cost in time and/or effort be too high to casually drift.
Is for sure a ego related problem. Read something of Jiddu Krishnamurti.
I had a similar issue, and I'm self-employed, meaning I wasn't just losing time but also money. The problem was massively mitigated when I started using Toggl for time tracking. I became averse to stopping the clock, and would fight distractions and keep working. I still need about 2.5 hours of distractions to work 8 hours, be they lunch, breaks, etc., but it's much easier now.
And use the hosts file trick to break the habit of just opening a new tab and losing 15 minutes.
This is all assuming you like what you're doing. If you don't, you won't be able to fight distractions.
*blinking cursor*
First of all, as many others have pointed out, there is no magic technological cure.
However, I personally like to use virtual desktops so that there is only one application visible at a time. Out of sight, out of mind. I use Fluxbox without the panel, so I really only have the application window visible. Of course, there are no icons on the background. I can't imagine getting any work done on a typical Windows box that looks like a candy store.
I can't give any general advice on how to actually concentrate better, but you could start with actually trying and wanting to do it. For example, I recently returned to student life, and I wonder about all the kids chatting with each other and doodling on Japanese puzzles, when there's a lecture going on. Later, the same students will complain how they "don't remember" the stuff, and they have to study again at home (thus wasting valuable 'student life' time). It's the same thing with any work. Think about why you're there, are you actually interested enough, or should you perhaps change your career.
Speaking of change, I find it incredibly useful to have two projects/hobbies going on at the same time. Alternate between them whenever you feel like a break from one, and you'll stay productive for a long time.
Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
Use Windows 3.0. No multiple desktop, pager, networking, pager, media player or multitasking.
Your welcome.
After years of research and painstaking hours of coding, Common Sense Software of Cambridge recently released a package called Personal Responsibility v1.0.
It seems many people could actually use this. Too bad it's not FOSS.
Maybe we could get a crowd-source project to provide copies to all the members of the US Congress as they apparently have a problem focusing on their jobs also :).
-- L8R, guitardood
These days are all about information overload. You need to simplify.
Do the following for a month. And I mean really do it - don't do it half assed. Do it completely - commit to it.
Check email only 3 times a day: Once in the morning, once during lunch, and if you must once at the close of the day. All other times, turn off the notification that you even get email. Turn off your cell phone. Shutoff all IM clients. Tell your boss that you can't be interrupted unless it's a critical client problem. Exercise self control when looking things up on the Internet, keep it work based only. In short, setup your work environment so it allows you to concentrate and focus on the task at hand.
If that still doesn't work - seriously consider finding a new career, cause this on is boring the shit out of you.
Dear GiboNZ, there is no hope as no matter what you do you will tweak on it.
"Like many others, I easily get distracted when working on a computer.
You published this problem, not "other people" the blame to point is 100% staring you in the mirror.
Say I work on a task — be it a programming job or bookkeeping or whatever
1. Define "task" without using the scatterbrain description words "or whatever"
2. A programming "job" is a JOB, not a task.
3. Bookkeeping is part of business, business isn't some "task" it's "putting quality food on the table consistently to maintain your health" , balancing books to understand where you are, where you are going, and what you CAN do vs what you WISH you could do, and "go to jail for fraud" when you put bad numbers or get a FAT thumb typo in your business balance sheet.
Stop treating work, as merely a "task" when it is actually more than work, it's life itself.
— and need to quickly check something on Google.
You need to block google.com
there is no reason on this Earth that you need to "check google"
close ALL your google accounts right now. get your email change over to your ISP's email server and get the fuck off google, it might take you a couple days to get your email off of google, ebay, paypal, bitcoin, amazon, other businesses you have software for. Get them ALL off google right now.
Go to searchlores.org and FIND another fucking search engine. duckduckgo is nice. There's a nice addon for firefox "add to search bar" https://firefox.maltekraus.de/extensions/add-to-search-bar If you install this and say only visit 20 sites a day, add each of those sites search engines to your search engines and boom, google is fucked, and your productivity goes up.
Unfortunately after a while I often find myself on Slashdot or eBay or reading emails instead of continuing with the job I was doing before.
Um, maybe if you got fired or sued, or you fuck up something you promised someone, you would stop this. There's a book I recommend, it came out in the 70's called "A Whack On The Side Of The Head" It's OKAY to visit slashdot, or bid on ebay, but when you are doing work that you promised someone, you need to finish that work first. Please don't tell me next your work computer is your home visit slashdot computer. STOP. Go build a network, isolate your work workstations away from your HOME playstations, then continue. It's OKAY to have fun, you don't work 24/7, if you do, WHY is that? Are you the support for 500 unmanaged boxes 6 miles below ground in a bunker? no, then outsource this shit, you have no business running unmanaged servers when you can't manage your own home network from your business. Also the day shit goes down from infection by playing games and it spreads to your business boxen, lookout. Maybe time to fall on your own sword for being such an unplanned walking disaster.
Maybe if I had a 'single-tasking desktop' it wouldn't be such an issue.
This is the most retarded opinion I think I've ever heard, sounds like some new fangled government copyright shit, yeah lets fucking cripple the public's computers and only we can sell movies
I couldn't Alt-Tab to my email client with tempting 200 unread emails
I was thinking um, set some Hotkeys, but something else caught my attention...
why so much email? even a security list doesn't have that volume. what the fuck is going on? Do you really read them all, why not script them to be "marked read"
Maybe you should unsubscribe, or close some more email accounts? what client do you use? It sounds like fucking shit, and I know your not going to fucking tell me next that this is "webmail." NO MORE FUCKING WEBMAIL. None, stop it, get off it. Right now! Setup a real fucking email client like kmail in linux or ritlabs thebat!, eudora, or becky on windows (softpedia is your friend for freeware.)
Perhaps your email management is a s
I've been using a Firefox extension called Leechblock that allows you to set a limit to how much time you spend on a website. When your time's up, away goes the site.
I could open the blocked website in another browser and continue, but /. without being logged in, which is painful enough that I rarely do it.
a. I only have Firefox and IE installed, and IE is a stock install without any saved passwords, cookies, adblocker etc. so I end up browsing
b. the blocking page serves as a reminder and psychological barrier.
n/m
The Isolator by Hugo Gernsback
"When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
Not sure if this applies to you, but having lots of icons on the desktop was a major distraction for me.
I've recently swapped to the KDE desktop from MATE for two reasons: (1) there's none of my data on the desktop - so I can't get distracted by it and (2) KDE activities let you completely swap the visible environment.
1) I used to use the Desktop as a temporary holding place, but it rapidly got out of control. Now that there's no desktop (at least not one I can store arbitrary files on), I have to either put things away or use /tmp. I tried Gnome 3 a while ago but remember not liking the inability to create custom toolbars, and Unity with its one navbar is not for me. Not keen on its ALT-TAB behaviour either.
2) KDE activities can also give you completely different web browsers histories, restore open folders ... for each "activity", each with multiple desktop if you want. You can set up an activity for development (Eclipse/Emacs), src folder views .., another one with photography related stuff etc. , and also have things that appear on all desktops it you like. I haven't used them much yet, but the KDE configurability is refreshing.
Thinking about this, I could have achieved the clean-desktop look by simply making the MATE desktop folder read-only, but I'm growing to like the configurability of KDE.
Less clutter, less distraction! Another way is to minimise horizontal surfaces :-)
I tend to have a similar problem, though not as severe as in the OP's case. When I really need to get some work done, I often go to the National Library, a stately old building in Vienna, and settle for a nice place in a studying room, close to a window with a view upon the garden. Of course, I turn WiFi off. Amazing what one can do in one day.
Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
Get a manual typewriter.
Even the best of minds need to conquer it's greatest foe: itself
Yoga is proven to be able to change habits, lack of focus and restlessness. Go with a tutor that teach the real thing, breathing exercises, meditation amd even chanting, and you'll start wondering how you lived without it.
Captcha: foremost
the first comment wasn't about doing dev work in a Windows 8 Metro "app". That should keep you on target!
And reboot the computer whenever you're going to switch tasks.
Disconnect the dopamine release from the task you want to do instead of current work
http://blog.xkcd.com/2011/02/18/distraction-affliction-correction-extensio/
Depending on what you are using, you could either remap or disable the alt-tab hot key so that switching between apps isn't instantaneous or isn't nearly as easy. If you had to type in a url or make a combination of key/mouse clicks to get to where you want to, you would be less apt to bother because a: it's more of a pain and b: you have more time to become aware of your impulse and therefore you can act on it with your conscious mind. It's just a matter of setting up your desktop to work for you and not against you.
As with any cravings, you need to find the root cause. If you just suppress them you can develop neuroses and even psychosomatic issues causing various issues like headache, tiredness and weakened immune system or more serious health issues.
To find the root cause, you can use a simple technique like mindfulness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_(psychology)
Basically when you find your attention slipping, examine your emotions and thoughts. Observe what is going on in your head when it happens, how you feel, how does your body feel. And DON'T be judgemental about your feelings and thoughts, don't label them as good or bad, just acknowledge their existence. This reflection is often enough to weaken the craving in a few minutes.
Of course using this technique you can realize that deep down you despise what you are doing or feel that you should be doing something else, then you need to change the work if you want to stop the cravings and be more productive.
Each day I make a new folder for the day: "02" for March 2, under folder "03" for March, under folder "2013".
Pick an icon for the folder based on my mood, hopes, expectations for the day.
Drag a shortcut to the desktop.
The desktop has daily shortcuts from the previous two or three days. (Also some shortcuts for most-used apps, off to one side. Not too many -- the point is to keep the desktop free of "anything I'm not using right now, or not likely to use soon several times a day".)
Open up yesterday's daily folder. It contains shortcuts to work in progress: files, folders, apps, URLs. Anything I need to do *today* gets dragged from yesterday's folder into today's folder. Anything not so urgent stays in yesterday's folder.
Take a quick look in the folder from two days ago. Anything urgent (not common) gets dragged into today's folder; non-urgent stuff gets dragged to yesterdays' folder, or gets dragged to the "To File" folder.
Folder from two days ago gets removed from the folder. Remaining folder move up the screen to close the gap.
Now get down to actual work. Open today's folder. That's my daily To Do list. Whatever I'm working on Right Now, I drag the corresponding shortcut icon(s) from the daily folder, and drag to the desktop. When I change tasks (which is a lot, I'm restless that way), I drag the "working" icons back to the "daily" folder, and drag out icons for the new current task
All of this props up my mental planning with constant visual reminders. I suppose it sounds like wankery to some, but it seems to help me stay on task.
-kgj
Rescue time will track your computer usage and give you a report based on productivity. It won't actually keep you from wasting your time, but it turns a bright light onto how your time is spent, perhaps forcing you to change your habits. Give it a shot. www.rescuetime.com.
Im self-employed so I use Rachota to keep track of my time. Its a java app that allows you to enter in things you are working on and runs a timer for each one. It asks you with a pop up what you are doing every 10mins to see if you changed your task and keeps track of your productivity time verses your down time. its pretty good.
On Mac there is a program called Vitamin-R designed to solve this problem. It's designed to set short term goals and keep you focused. It's not bad I think.
place to ask. If we knew the answer, we wouldn't be here!
I don't know if I would restrict your use to a single-task desktop. That seems counter-productive.
I think I might enjoy planning or coding something to this end, though, because I've felt the need for the exact same thing.
You would have to dedicate yourself to it somehow. Either going to the app and opening your "target / focus" app through the anti-distractor, or else have it load at login and then monitor what applications you are opening. As you open each app, it will take focus and come to the front of the desktop, and ask you to prioritize what you're working on.
Once it has a top-priority app, it could bother you to keep working on that.
You could attach opened apps to a node tree under other opened apps when it queries you. Or just maybe have it do that for you based on the assumption that whatever you're using (in the foreground) when you open another app is the priority-parent of that app.
When you close an app, it should put that app's prioritized parent in the focus and foreground immediately, and give you a reminder "this is what you were working on when you had the inkling to open the other app that you just closed, so you must be back to this again."
Something like that? What operating system or environment are you working in?
"Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee
There is an obvious solution I don't think anyone has pointed out yet: Disconnect the network cord. Don't plug it back in until you've completed your work. Anything you need to look up on-line write down and look up at the end of the day.
I have a similar problem (I'm here, so that is apparent). I find the best way to insure my work gets down is to make a list at the start of the day. I need to get A, B and C done before I go home. If I goof off and don't get to C I stay and finish it. The list helps me stay on task and the "you don't finish, you don't go home" rule is good incentive to complete all the tasks.
Sometimes we don't get enough feedback from our bosses at work, but usually we get reviews a certain number of times a year.
Are your reviews telling you? "Shape up or ship out."
Or are they saying, "Smooth Sailing?"
If you are having poor reviews then this is an employment problem, if your reviews are fine then it is simply a personal problem.
If you've already been getting bad reviews at work, you should probably be getting your resume in order, and doing other stuff to make the transition to another job. It's too late for salvation at this job, but your next job might be better, provided you take your time and look carefully.
On the other hand, if your boss loves you and consistently gives you good reviews then you aren't doing anything wrong. You are probably feeling guilty because your job actually only takes a fraction of your day, and you therefore have a lot of extra free time.
You may feel like it's a horrible waste to spend that extra free time at your desk on pointless nonsense, but if you finished all your work for the day in the first two hours and then spent the rest of the day staring at the wall, not only would that not be a better use of your time but you might start getting bad reviews because you no longer "look busy."
No, you can't leave the office at 10 and spend the rest of the day golfing, and you can't take up origami in your cube, because the biggest part of your job, aside from your actual job, is to "look busy."
Presumably you need the job for rent or a mortgage, and lunch and the like, so you need to do your job, which is "LOOK BUSY!!!"
Also, if you are getting good reviews from your boss, making enough money, and the job isn't too stressful, why would you change jobs?
Now, you might think, "Well, I could look busy and do something more educational or personally productive than watching episodes of Ninja Scroll on YouTube." Sure. That's probably true, but the trouble with that is if you are doing something personally productive, educational and interesting with your "LOOK BUSY!!" time, then you will have a resistance to dropping it to get back to your real job when it intrudes on you. Your job may only actually take 2 hours a day, but it's probably broken up into dribs and drabs 6.35 minutes here, 8.12 minutes there, over the course of the entire 9 hours your butt is in your chair.
For example, the other day, I solved an Internet problem for a lady working for a mining company in Indonesia.
My job has nothing to do with solving problems, the Internet, Indonesia or mining.
However, I got so into the technical challenges of solving this particular problem that if someone had come to me with some actual work, I would have been tempted to tell them, "Buzz Off, I'm busy." And they'd just sheepishly have gone away, and left me to the task... (none would dare question me!!!) fortunately there was very little actual work to do that particular day.
So, you see the problem, if I had been randomly searching for clips of Lemongrab on Youtube, or looking at pictures of Hot Italian Girls on Facebook, and some coworker came to me with some actual work, I would have guiltily dropped whatever it was and focused on the task at hand.
But because I got so into solving this technical problem at an Indonesian mining company, I felt like I was being more productive doing that than I usually do at my well-paying, relatively secure job, where I am loved by my bosses and have virtually no supervision. (And what did I get for solving the problem? Some heartfelt thanks in broken English, and the promise of a free lunch if I ever get over there... which is pretty unlikely.)
You see the problem.
"LOOK BUSY!!!!"
(Incidentally, I have a problem with vacation time. We're not supposed to carry it over from year to year, and I usually have tons of days left at the end of the year. I'm scared to take it, you see, because then I wouldn't be at my desk, "LOOKING BUSY!!!!!")
"MIT betrayed all of its basic principles."
It sounds like you have an above-average set of resources designed to allow you to save items of interest. The key would be in using them properly.
First, it's a good idea to map out your typical workday. When are you most able to get things done uninterrupted, when are you most/least mentally acute and so forth.
Then take the distracting tasks and parcel them out to when they are most convenient. Turn off the "You've got Mail" alerts and stuff like that in favor of set times of day to check for important stuff and push the less important stuff to a "later" folder. When the proper times come around, do your detailed mail activities. Ditto for the web stuff. Ditto for correspondence. And so forth. Don't switch back and forth - the multi-tasking overhead will make everything take longer, be poorer quality, and very likely you'll forget important insights and ideas that come to you when you see everything related to one activity in front of you.
And, of course, take the "give 110%" advice and tell them where to stuff it. Just because email reading and web surfing isn't productive in the obvious sense doesn't mean it's valueless - at least as long as you're sensible enough to only work on work-related topics. Allow enough slack in your schedule so that if one day you get an email overload you can deal with it without blowing the whole agenda to shreds.
I'm self-employed, and the work I do requires that I be online pretty much all the time. I definitely understand what the OP is talking about – the combination of the multitudes of distractions available online and a job that requires you to always be a single click away from those distractions can be tough. I've tried a ton of different strategies, but the ones I found that seem to work the best are:
1. Switch to a standing desk. I find that when I'm standing up, the fact that I will end up physically fatigued by farting around on the Internet tends to keep me focused. Combine this with
2. Workrave. It's a basic timer program (free), designed with ergonomics in mind, that lets you set time limits for work, micro-breaks, and longer rest breaks. What I do is set it up for 10 minutes of work followed by a 1 minute micro-break, and then a 10 minute rest break after 50 minutes of work. I stand up and work for 10 minutes, then the computer tells me to go walk around and stretch out for a minute, and I repeat that until 50 minutes have gone by; then I take my 10 minute rest break, check my email and whatnot, make a cup of coffee, etc. etc. and then get back to work.
If you don't have a lot of natural self-discipline (like me), it's really about consciously establishing a positive routine, rather than trying to punish yourself by locking your computer down or whatever. Worktime needs to be worktime, and Internet time/break time needs to have its own timeslot too. Just my $.02 – good luck! After being self-employed for 6 or 7 years, and struggling to maintain consistent self-discipline during that time, I understand how difficult it can be.
well bob I have 6 bosses and when I mess up I hear it from all of them.
And let me tell you about TPS reports.
Yes, for advice on avoiding distraction ... let's turn to ... slashdot. Because clearly the folks on slashdot have a handle on avoiding distraction.
I've integrated a silly little timer into my editor which alternates between long work periods and short break periods. I'll check emails and the interwebs on the breaks and close/minimize browsers to focus on task during the work times. At first I look forward to those little break times, but I get into a nice zone by the end of the day.
Ita erat quando hic adveni.
As silly as it sounds, I find that I'm far more productive when I take a few minutes before I start working and make a list with paper and pen of the things I want to accomplish today. Cross them off when complete. Something about the list living in the real world versus a list in a text file keeps it more "real". Maybe it's the way my brain is wired since I grew up when computers were things you hooked up to your TV. I definitely understand the OP's situation. It's really hard to focus when you literally have the world at your fingertips.
Write a list of what you want to do on *paper*. It works better than with computers. Magic tip.
Each day, make a realistic list of priority tasks, goals, etc. Do the same for weekly and monthly. Revise as needed. It really is that simple. If you don't meet your own requirements more than not, you can consider yourself lazy and a personal failure. I don't like thinking of myself as lazy or a failure, so I spend at least 90% of my "work" time actually working and crossing things off my list. As for the other 10%, I'm only human and have to avoid burning myself out.
I prefer Evernote, but anything similar, including a pad of paper will work. When I'm having a hard time focusing, keeping the list visible, be it on another monitor, tablet, phone, etc, helps immensely.
Pick one (or two) work periods. Set the router to block all traffic to the WAN for your work period(s).
I have a 90 minute work period in the morning. I have the router block 9:00 AM to 10:30AM. The first hour of the day is review, prep, etc. for the work period. My phone beeps to let me know it started, and blocks phone calls. I'm amazed how well it works.
After 10:30, I spend the next hour dealing with people bitching that I was ignoring them. I intend to try other times. Anyone have thoughts on this?
Place nail here >+
Horribly misunderstood, but the inability to retain focus (aka scattered attention) can also point to depression.
Hint: Whatever you likely think depression is, it isn't.
Hint: Drugs plus the right therapy can fix it. "Fix" can mean: stop the drugs.
Hint: for everything else, lists work for me. Well, except for the three things at the very bottom that likely will never, ever be dealt with.
Three Squirrels
In the past I have used rescue time from https://www.rescuetime.com/
It lets you mark any program or website either as productive or non productive on a five point scale.
Then you can enable focus mode and it will disallow you any of the non productive things you do.
Also it gives you great insight in where you are spending your time, for example you can see if those e-mails really take that much of your time away.
Using tools like this is said to improve your productivity about 15% just by creating awareness you are going to be more focused.
The linux integration is not official supported and not so good at the time, but it works really good on a Mac or Windows. Also on multiple machines or virtual machines at the same time. I think they also have mobile clients.
And as others have suggested try to become a advanced user of the pomodoro technique: http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/download/pdf/ThePomodoroTechnique_v1-3.pdf
Step 1: Close Slashdot. :-|
Step 2: Not sure what that is, because I've never completed Step 1.
Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
Here are two simple changes that help me:
Turn off any kind of notification (visual or acoustic): no IM, no new email pop-up, cellphone in do not disturb mode etc. Nothing breaks concentration like a popup window appearing on the screen. I even quit the email program so it doesn't change the icon in the status bar.
I tend to go astray when I have reached a concentration limit. Instead of alt-tabbing to Slashdot, look out the window until you are yourself again (also good for the eyes to focus on a far away point). Even better, get up and walk around. How many times have I found the answer to my current problem after getting away from the desk. If you can't do either at your workplace, learn how to look like you are working while mentally taking a walk in the countryside.
Finally, relax. You are not the only one who can stay focused for 8+ hours every day.
Hope this helps,
Christian David
Chrome extension. Whitelists, blacklists and time-limited-browsing. Work hours / free hours set by weekly schedule. Set it and leave it. My favorite use case: kicks me off the web at midnight.
http://www.productivityowl.com/
Just put the web sites that pull you in most in your hosts file. Have them point to a site that reminds you how undisciplined you are being. Swap it out when you want to be undisciplined.
No more Alt-Tab problems, OS X uses Command-Tab to switch between programs.
Turning the wifi off can be undone in a moment. You need a device that you preset for a defined period of time... so that once you activate it, a whole range of applications and websites are blocked until the app times out. You might want to allow the browser to be available, but block your 20 favorite websites for one hour or three hours. Better, have it beep when the lock out ends to give you 10 minutes unblocked... and then lock you out again.
Oh, and the device has to lock you out of itself too. A settings request change has to trigger a one hour or three hour waiting period, during which you can consider what you REALLY want to do. Obviously it has to be resistant to restarts. You have to chain yourself to the mast... I have often thought of this. If someone built it, I would buy it.
http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/
Great link. Speaking of "mileage", a treadmill workstation can help too, by providing some extra extraneous input and thus supporting focus on the task at hand.
http://www.squidoo.com/walkingwhileworking
Consider that the original poster said her or she has no problem mowing the lawn to completion -- which entails walking.
Eating better (especially veggies and omega 3s) and getting adequate vitamin D can help improve general concentration as well. A list of key health links I put together:
http://www.changemakers.com/discussions/discussion-493#comment-38823
Having a real window to look out from can probably help, too, since it is distracting, but it is good for the eyes and brain to look far away at naturally lit surroundings.
Humans were not adapted through evolutionary forces for apparently hundreds of thousands of years to sit all day in one place in isolation, day after day after day for years at a time, just making some small finger motions and staring straight ahead. Such humans probably tended to starve, atrophy, not reproduce, and/or get eaten. So, it's actually "natural" that it is hard for anyone to do that (let alone be healthy doing that), even with an occasional bathroom break or pizza run thrown in there now and then. See for example:
http://www.howtogeek.com/93822/sitting-is-killing-you-infographic/
And while this link is about escaping the "Pleasure Trap" of eating poorly, perhaps it applies to escaping the multi-tasking trap of thinking that makes you feel more productive long-term?
http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article16.aspx
I agree that limiting distracting notifications can make a big difference too. Every interruption costs something to recover.
Of course, these recommendations I make or agree with are from a more introverted perspective of a programmer, where introverts tend to have a lot of internally-generated stimulation. Extroverted people doing different sorts of task may thrive on lots more chaos and may benefit from a higher level of external stimulation. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraversion_and_introversion#Biological_factors
"Eysenck proposed that extraversion was caused by variability in cortical arousal. He hypothesized that introverts are characterized by higher levels of activity than extraverts and so are chronically more cortically aroused than extraverts."
So, another possibility is just that the original poster might be extroverted and better suited for some other type of work involving a lot of people-oriented interactions? Whereas the fact that you or I might seek to minimize distractions (and can do that) might reflect being more introverted overall?
A 21st century issue: the irony of technologies of abundance in the hands of those still thinking in terms of scarcity.
There actually is an App for That... at least for those of you using a Mac.
it is called Self Control. :)
http://selfcontrolapp.com
It actually works really well and is free! I use it all the time to help stay focused when I need to get work done. Build a black list of your favorite sites, set a timer, access denied.
Could you still get around it if you want to dig into the preference files, yeah. For me though it isn't worth the time and effort to do that and it has really made a difference is keeping focused.
Here is a solution:
1. Turn off the computer.
2. Go to the local library or bookstore.
3. Ask the librarian or bookstore clerk for a book on personal time management. The clerk will probably recommend something by David Allan, Julie Morgenstern, Stephen Covey, etc.
4. Take the book home and read it.
5. Read the book again. Study it.
6. Decide on ONE bad habit that you want to replace with a GOOD habit.
7. Practice your new good habit for at least two weeks until it becomes a permanent habit.
8. Lather(5), rinse(6), and repeat(7).
As an example, here is an idea to deal with "... Alt-Tab to browser with 10 tabs open for later ..." that uses the technical tool of NotePad+, EMACS, vi, or whatever is your favorite text editor.
1. Open a text file.
2. Copy the URL from an open tab to the text file.
3. Tag the URL with the time/date and a brief description.
4. Go back to the browser and close the tab.
5. Lather(2), rinse(3), and repeat(4).
6. When you are done, CLOSE the fricken browser.
OH NO!!! You will take a tremendous productivity hit of five seconds or so when you have to open the browser for your next Google search. I know, I know. You NEVER get distracted by the open tabs when you Alt-Tab to the open browser.......
Remember, YOU are the one getting distracted, not the computer.
Sublime Text , a (pricey) text editor, has a "Distraction Free Mode" in which it takes up your entire screen. You won't be able to see blinking icons or notifications of incoming emails, etc. You can still tab off easily enough, but there is less of a temptation to do so.
this is not a technical problem, so attempting to solve it with technology is futile - in fact, will probably make it worse because now you have extra technology to fiddle with and configure and become distracted by.
it is a self-discipline problem. solve it by developing your self-discipline.
have worked pretty well for me in the past. you can build a list of fuckoff sites and limit the amount of time you can spend on them per day. they don't actually stop you from wasting time on internet sites if you really want to, what they actually do is slow you down and give yourself a chance to ask yourself "wait, wtf am i doing? i already spent xx minutes doing this crap." it's not perfect, but it works pretty well.
In a digital word, the analog solution is best. 1) LISTS LISTS LISTS. Keep a legal pad in front of you, write your current task. If you drift off, look down to remind you of what you were doing. 2) REMINDERS. Post little notes like "shouldn't you be working" all over. Change your desktop background to a photo of your boss shaking his head in disapproval at the time your wasting on the corporate dime. Rig up a series of electrodes that zap you when you have been away from your work for too long etc. 3) REWARDS. Log your "f@c% off" time using some of the above software. On days when the counter is 0, buy yourself a beer, new TV, or that cute hooker you have always wanted. Conversely on days when the timer is over 50%, ask your cube mate to dump battery acid down the front of your pants....works like a charm. Hope these solutions can help. I too am dismayed at some of the folk on here, criticizing this totally understandable and legitimate problem. If a guy with one arm posted here and asked for a tech solution to help him type, you wouldn't say "use both hands dumbass!" cuz that would make you a prick. The original poster could have a real mental/chemical/biological problem that our wonderful community could help solve, and some of you devolve into harassment and name-calling, SHAME. Just because you all can resist the temptation of watching the latest harlem shake video, doesnt mean we all were raised to be such tight wads! Sorry for the rant, got to get back to work!!!!
Consider adopting "Getting Things Done" (GTD), with the following elements:
1) If it's not relevant to the task you're working on *right now,* close the program. It'll cost you half a second to open it up. Outlook? Gone. Web browser? Gone. IM program? Gone. (Or set to "DND" and minimized, at the very least.)
2) Turn off all the annoying notifications, popups and other distractions that come with Outlook.
3) Always have a notepad next to you. If an idea pops into your head that's not relevant to the task you're working on right now, jot it down, and continue working on your current task. This way, you won't feel compelled to "look it up now, have to research, have to go go gogo go go go..." - you'll have your trusted recording location where the thought is recorded, and you can continue on with your immediate priority, and circle back to the "hmm... research this" task later on.
4) Consider full-screen mode for as many of your programs as you can - this'll help eliminate the "something's flashing in this window, i better look..." behavior that starts you down the road to distraction. Alt-Tab will get you to the other window when you need it.
Go buy the GTD book, and read through it. It does wonders for helping you keep on-task, and also not forget/lose things because it popped into your head and you didn't immediately interrupt yourself to go research it - it'll be written down, and you can come back to it later.
it was NOT meant to be funny! Just ask anyone who is out of work.
I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
The secret to working well is knowing when to take breaks. You're going to need time for Slashdot, time for entertainment, time for research or whatever else it is that you do online. You have to factor that in and when you take breaks from work you do that other stuff. You work for as long as you can, you take a break when you can depending on how much progress you make. You set goals, start with short simple goals that you know you can meet and don't worry about deadlines at first, and then when you get good at what you do then add deadlines internally. Such as complete task X by the end of the day. Complete task Y by the end of the week.
Keep a to-do list. Learn to multitask. I have ADHD so I know what it's like, but I don't let ADHD become my excuse for not getting the job done and completing my goals.
Not how much time you spend working but how many goals or tasks you get done.
I know I'm a bit late to this party, but I've recently encountered the same thing.
This weekend, we set my partner up a special account on the computer that actually has parental controls on it so extraneous programs can't be run. It also means that the tabs that she opens for non-work-related things on her main account aren't available on the work account. It has none of her bookmarks or anything. This is a good solution if you've got full control over the computer. It enforces the work/recreation split in a more distinct way.
For my part, at work, I don't do anything until I really have to buckle down and get things done. At that point, I shut down everything except what I need. I have to use IE for work related web tasks, so I leave that open. It has no interesting bookmarks, and when I'm working in this mode, I can convince myself to not type in anything interesting to look at. I actually just stare at the compiler because that 'wasted' time is more efficient than a context switch. I also do three other, very specific things:
1) I mark myself as 'do not disturb' on the work IM. I won't accept code review requests.
2) I put my computer glasses on. I don't always wear them (even if I should), but putting them on puts me in a specific state of mind that I've associated with work and nothing but work.
3) I turn on loud music that takes no effort to listen to. No podcasts or anything. Just stuff that I like (so I don't have the burden of skipping songs that I think are mediocre) that doesn't make me zone out.
I still look at email notifications, but I make a specific effort to ignore anything that doesn't immediately require my attention. If I respond, I respond quickly to that one item. Later, if I didn't respond to something, I know it wasn't desperately worth my attention. Most of those messages can be marked as read and put out of my mind.
Oh, one other thing: eat first. Willpower is lowest when you're hungry. If you're satisfied, you can deny yourself recreational reading a lot easier.
I only do this a few times a month, for half a day at a time or so. Otherwise, the distractions aren't so bad, and they keep me sane. But if you need to really get things done, I find things like the glasses are an interesting psychological trick. When I take those glasses off, I know I can relax, but as long as they're on, I feel like I'm in work-mode.
In our modern society I don't think such a technology really exists yet. I've often lamented the inability to focus on certain tasks, but if you are as busy as I am, it's just about impossible.
Contrary to many poster's opinions, i feel like there is a technical solution to this problem (combined with non-technical solutions), and it doesn't necessarily mean stopping you from what accessing certain other technologies.
When I think about it, it goes something like this:
"Hey look, i have 200 unread emails, better start getting caught up or it will be 400 before lunch time... D'oh! Phone just rang... D'oh! i'm going to be late for my first meeting of the day (out of 15)... D'oh! there are 7 week's worth of tasks that need my attention.... Oh great! Another escalation..." This kind of thing continues day after day and everything overlaps everything else. My brain, and I suspect yours too, is trained to burst in different directions throughout the work day, depending on the highest priority issue at the time. Its no wonder that when I get online I get distracted by email, craigslist, and others. My brain NEEDS the break, and I bet yours does too.
The solution (my opinion) is long-term, evolutionary, and encompasses the recognition that we aren't designed to be laser-focused on a computer screen for 8-16 hours per day.
I personally don't think that email, phone calls, conference calls, Office apps, groupware, browser apps, project management tools, etc., are a mentally healthy combination of business solution technologies. It may be the best we have for now, but we need technical convergence tools that bring together the various ways we communicate and collaborate into a single view (not necessarily implying a single application). The goals would be:
- removing repetititive information sharing
- simplifying interaction with the tool
- speeding up delivery of work products
- removing the distractions of moving from one tool to another
Next, from this unified work tool, there would be pre-programmed mental breaks. The sooner we recognize that the brain needs downtime the better.
Caveat: I know just enough about programming to understand that what I'm proposing is likely monumental and won't happen soon, if ever, but i can confirm that you are not alone with your frustrations and would like to see a similar technical solution at some point in the near future.
@ clarkkent09 and others who made similar comments: The advice you gave is fundamentally flawed. Telling people to just not go to those sites is advice that naturally successful people give others. It's like be yourself, or oh you're having trouble interviewing.. just record yourself in the mirror or just don't go to youtube or don't eat that cookie. Willpower, self-control, and presentation skills aren't innate skills for most people.. we have to learn them. We learn them by going to the internet and asking for help.
Water, Vitamin B, Vitamin D, Magnesium.
Get the vitamin B and D drops, they're cheap. Get ConcenTrace liquid minerals. Split up the daily dose into small doses every couple of hours during the day.
I also use Rhodiola Rosea (only in the morning!) and very small doses of caffeine througout the day.
Dehydration is a huge deal, really, and I'm convinced it's often overlooked.
Hire a dominatrix.