How to focus in 20-minute bursts (Article from July 22, 2013, Globe and Mail)

[Bibliophile]

Advice on working in bursts. The originator came up with it while trying to assist a coworker with ADHD.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/how-to-focus-in-20-minute-bursts/article13327566/

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[seabassd]

The short burst idea works well for me, especially when I combine it with chunking. Another thing that works for me is pulling away from my computer instead of pushing through a project. I regroup and then come back and check in with myself to see if I’m ready to move forward. I’ll exercise or take a cold shower or do some CBT or watch something funny i.e.  http://www.comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com or turn up the radio loud if I can.

Sometimes I just blow it off and come back to it in the morning after a good sleep. Correction…Just sleep. Not sure what good sleep is yet. 🙂

 

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[blackdog]

The problem is finding an employer who will let you do it. At least when you are not an information/knowledge worker. At my last job I was expected to work at least 4 hours before I took a break. I couldn’t even stop for two seconds to have a sip of coffee without getting glowered at or reminded of something that needed to be done.  It didn’t help that I worked with two insane women who never stopped for more than 10 minutes and sometimes not at all and called a few spoonfuls of yogurt lunch.

This is why I am considering trying to work from home. I think I could do a lot better making my own schedule and taking breaks when I need them. And doing whatever I want with them instead of just gulping down some food and going straight back at it while I’m still fried mentally.

Of course the downside is I have to be disciplined. And I have to do all the work myself without anyone else to blame if it doesn’t get done. 😉

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[Rick Green – Founder of TotallyADD]

One of the Doctors we interviewed, Stan Kutcher, says he focuses in 7 minute bursts and it has made him very productive. Though he spoke with us for almost a half hour.

Here at TotallyADD we have been arranging some days where we work in 15 minute bursts. Even though I’m the only one with the ADHD, it really is energizing, and everyone gets to report in one what they’ve accomplished. You also get to hear what others have done and that gives everyone a bit of juice.

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[blackdog]

@Rick Can I come work for you? 😀

I think a lot of workplaces could benefit from strategies like this. Or at least treating their employees like human beings and letting them be themselves a little more. So many studies have been done that show how it improves productivity.

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[ceit]

One of my best employers was a new age retreat centre on a remote island off the coast of BC. The job didn’t really suit me that much (I was their front office supervisor and at that time I still thought I was good at admin work. Haha), but everything else was awesome. My boss actually reminded to take breaks often, go for quick meditative walks in the garden, he encouraged me to quit coffee, we were discouraged from working more than 4 days per week because we needed balance in our lives, I had lavender growing under my window which looked out at the ocean, etc… Oh and everyone hugged each other. (I know my life was tough.) Also living a very simple life in a remote place was so good for me. Until I needed a car once I had my son, I walked, biked or hitchhiked everywhere. I was surrounded by nature. My lack of social skills was helped by belonging to a small community (1000 people) where you run into people you know everywhere you go.

It makes me think about about what Jennifer Koretsky was saying in her webinar about reducing stress. Extreme simplification of my life did wonders for me in many ways. (In other ways, it was not the best so I cannot live there anymore.) Maybe this is one of the keys to helping our ADD. Reduce the opportunity for decisions everyday. Reduce the stimulation. Be in nature.

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[blackdog]

@ceit, I couldn’t agree more. Just reading that made me want to pack my bags and head for that island. 🙂

Unfortunately, I am stuck where I  am. And though my life is pretty simple, out of necessity, I still feel very stressed.

I find it interesting that you thought you were good at admin. work. I have the same delusion. I always think for some reason that I would do really well working in an office despite the fact my own filing cabinet is an absolute mess, most of what should be in it isn’t, and most of what is in it shouldn’t be.

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