Day 780: Transitioning more easily to deep focus
I had another late start to the day because of my IBS. Because of that, I decided to skip the marketing for today, although I did spend a few minutes deciding what I’ll be writing for my next newsletter, so I don’t have to decide it later.
Today I was reading Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World during lunch, and it reminded me that I need to make the transition from regular work to Deep Work as seamless and low-energy as possible. It shouldn’t be difficult or require any effort of willpower. It should be completely easy for me to do.
He suggests: (1) set up a specific place where you can concentrate without any distractions, (2) if possible, also set up a specific time to start work, (3) have a schedule of what to do during the Deep Work session so that you have a goal of what work you’ll accomplish, and finally (4) have everything you need in order to work, whether it’s snacks or your research materials.
I have numbers 1 and 4, but not necessarily number 2, and I realized that I don’t always have number 3. I will usually just “get to” work after lunch but not at a specific time. And while I’m working, sometimes I’ll aim for a specific word count, but most of the time I don’t, and I just work until a certain time, although sometimes that’s fluid too.
First of all, I should aim for a certain word count goal. The word count goal may not be helpful later when I’m working on blocking my next book, although if I adjust the goal to account for the different task, it might still work out. The majority of words that I write while blocking are usually free-writing and brainstorming, but still, the more words written, even if I don’t use them, means more words that I will eventually keep for my blocking notes.
Secondly, I should also aim to get to work by a certain time each day, and plan to end by a certain time each day. The only problem is on days when my IBS acts up, because I won’t always be able to start at a certain time. However, I know my IBS tends to feel better after 2 pm most days, so maybe I can aim for that as a start time and see how that goes.
The IBS is the main hiccup since it kind of drives my daily schedule. However, my daily house chores also can take up more time than expected depending on what needs to be done each day. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do the scheduled start and end times, but I’ll give it a shot.
Today is Thursday, which is when I have more house chores than usual, so I devoted my writing time today to my Hawaii book. When I was reading Deep Work (and made the realization that I should start at the same time every day), it was already a bit late in the afternoon, so by the time I got started on work, it was after 3 pm.
Because I’d started late, I decided to work a little longer in order to get more done. I got over 700 words, which is my minimum goal for my Hawaii book for each week, although I’d been hoping to get more written than I did. However, I also spent some time adjusting the plot a bit to make the storyline more consistent, so even though I didn’t write as many words, I think I still got a lot done on the book.
I can’t say I was able to focus really intently, though, because I was cooking this afternoon and had to check on the food every so often. I try not to have that kind of stuff going on while I’m supposed to be working, but I couldn’t help it today, it’s just the way things worked out.
Tomorrow I’ll try to start and end on time and see if it helps me focus better. I’ll also be more careful about planning so that I don’t have house chores to do while I’m supposed to be working.
Writing streak: 259 days
Hawaii series:
Editing: Time spent: 39 minutes
Outlining: Time spent: 24 minutes
Writing: time spent: 53 minutes
Writing: Total number of words: 855 words
Writing-related business:
Email: time spent: 15 minutes
Marketing: time spent: 0
My takeaway for today: Transition into Deep Work as seamlessly and easily as possible by starting and ending at certain times, and aiming for a specific word count goal. See if I can do that despite the IBS.
Today I was reading Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World during lunch, and it reminded me that I need to make the transition from regular work to Deep Work as seamless and low-energy as possible. It shouldn’t be difficult or require any effort of willpower. It should be completely easy for me to do.
He suggests: (1) set up a specific place where you can concentrate without any distractions, (2) if possible, also set up a specific time to start work, (3) have a schedule of what to do during the Deep Work session so that you have a goal of what work you’ll accomplish, and finally (4) have everything you need in order to work, whether it’s snacks or your research materials.
I have numbers 1 and 4, but not necessarily number 2, and I realized that I don’t always have number 3. I will usually just “get to” work after lunch but not at a specific time. And while I’m working, sometimes I’ll aim for a specific word count, but most of the time I don’t, and I just work until a certain time, although sometimes that’s fluid too.
First of all, I should aim for a certain word count goal. The word count goal may not be helpful later when I’m working on blocking my next book, although if I adjust the goal to account for the different task, it might still work out. The majority of words that I write while blocking are usually free-writing and brainstorming, but still, the more words written, even if I don’t use them, means more words that I will eventually keep for my blocking notes.
Secondly, I should also aim to get to work by a certain time each day, and plan to end by a certain time each day. The only problem is on days when my IBS acts up, because I won’t always be able to start at a certain time. However, I know my IBS tends to feel better after 2 pm most days, so maybe I can aim for that as a start time and see how that goes.
The IBS is the main hiccup since it kind of drives my daily schedule. However, my daily house chores also can take up more time than expected depending on what needs to be done each day. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do the scheduled start and end times, but I’ll give it a shot.
Today is Thursday, which is when I have more house chores than usual, so I devoted my writing time today to my Hawaii book. When I was reading Deep Work (and made the realization that I should start at the same time every day), it was already a bit late in the afternoon, so by the time I got started on work, it was after 3 pm.
Because I’d started late, I decided to work a little longer in order to get more done. I got over 700 words, which is my minimum goal for my Hawaii book for each week, although I’d been hoping to get more written than I did. However, I also spent some time adjusting the plot a bit to make the storyline more consistent, so even though I didn’t write as many words, I think I still got a lot done on the book.
I can’t say I was able to focus really intently, though, because I was cooking this afternoon and had to check on the food every so often. I try not to have that kind of stuff going on while I’m supposed to be working, but I couldn’t help it today, it’s just the way things worked out.
Tomorrow I’ll try to start and end on time and see if it helps me focus better. I’ll also be more careful about planning so that I don’t have house chores to do while I’m supposed to be working.
Writing streak: 259 days
Hawaii series:
Editing: Time spent: 39 minutes
Outlining: Time spent: 24 minutes
Writing: time spent: 53 minutes
Writing: Total number of words: 855 words
Writing-related business:
Email: time spent: 15 minutes
Marketing: time spent: 0
My takeaway for today: Transition into Deep Work as seamlessly and easily as possible by starting and ending at certain times, and aiming for a specific word count goal. See if I can do that despite the IBS.
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