Comments on: Thoughts on Singletasking

By: Bruce H. Johnson

Bruce H. Johnson — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:23:51 +0000

Using a timer also puts on the pressure to produce. Remember our younger school days? We used to put off that report until the last minute, then pump it out.

We often do our best work under pressure. It’s faster (fewer edits/rewrites, actually) and more efficient.

This should work no matter where you are in the Snowflake cycle.

By: Lori Benton

Lori Benton — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:12:39 +0000

The timer sounds like a good idea for those prone to too much multitasking. I try to keep my prime writing hours (9am to noon) as distraction free as possible. I wear earplugs so I don’t hear my dog dreaming, or the school buses dropping off neighborhood kids (and run to the window thinking UPS has a parcel for me). And I don’t answer the phone unless it’s an emergency, which it has been maybe once in the last five years. After noon I still may work (usually do), but I’m allowed to be interrupted by life. The only kind of multitasking I’m any good at is riding the stationary bike while listening to an audio book. Even then I’m likely to crash.

By: Sonja Hutchinson

Sonja Hutchinson — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:19:25 +0000

I’ve discovered that, with two small children in the house, a kitchen timer won’t stay on my desktop long enough to get into the habit of using it. But when it’s around, it really works! It also helps to lock the office door and send the children to a neighbor’s house during that time period. The other alternative is to get up at 4:00 am and make a pot of coffee, then work really fast before the kids wake up, but I find I’m not disciplined enough to do this every day. Thanks for the wisdom, Randy!

By: Camille

Camille — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:47:51 +0000

I confess. It’s true, doing multiple things (which aren’t mentally taxing) at once is not really multitasking. So I will never again say I’m a multitasker.

I’m easily distracted, and anal, which means I get singly focused on one project and take WAY too long at it. To prevent this, when I’m at work and have many small, routine tasks to do, I keep a number of piles and files open to remind me of what I need to do in my day. I do get dizzy if I’m not careful to finish one at a time, but seeing them all shows me how much I have left visually so I can weigh the work against the clock. It sounds goofy, but I’m getting old and have decided not to fight my freakish mental disabilities but work with them.

Being easily distracted is a HUGE problem for me when writing, however. Writing is not routine, but creating, crafting, exploring. As an anal weirdo, I get stuck often when I don’t like how it’s going, and then let the sound of crashing waves pull me away to surf. The challenge of writing on a computer that’s online has made a lot of others switch to an unplugged machine.

Love the timer thing, I would love to try it. I think having a visible timer up in one corner of my screen would help. And then maybe a big hairy EYE in the other corner, watching me to make sure I don’t pop over to check email or facebook or blogs like this while I’m supposed to be creating staggering works of heartbreaking genius. Maybe a blend of eye and timer. I bet someone could write a program for that.

By: Davalynn

Davalynn — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:45:47 +0000

My “office” is in the former dining room which leads directly into the living room where the television (and other people) reside. When I want to write in the evenings after teaching school all day, I plug in the ipod or don the studio-caliber headphones connected to my computer and crank up relaxing, soothing, or motivating instrumental music. No words, thank you - I’m already wrangling with all I can handle. I’ve used this technique so often, that I must choose specific music for specific writing tasks or moods. For example, the intense refrains from “Last of the Mohicans” are great for romantic suspense, chase scenes or Randallesque exploding helicopters, but not for Bible studies - unless I’m writing about David and Goliath.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:34:11 +0000

As a mom of young children, I can’t commit hours on end in a day to writing. But what I found helpful is I give myself one hour in the morning to write (and push myself to get 500 words out in that hour). During this time, I have activities for my children to do, so they are busy while I am busy.

I have found that I am actually getting more writing done with just that hour a day (and I only write 4 days a week), than I used to when I would try and grab a couple hours in an afternoon sporadically. I also do not feel my writing is taking me away from duties as a mother or my church ministry.

By: james

james — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:39:27 +0000

I use e.ggtimer.com to set a reminder for just 15 minutes. i give myself smaller targets, but it allows me to focus for those 15. When the timer expires, I simply restart it. Do it a few times and you realize you have just chalked up an hour of focused work.

It’s awesome when you just can’t get started on something, tell yourself to manage a single sentence for each section on what it’s about, in 5 minutes.

When I really can’t concentrate, I tell myself I’ll manage to write that paragraph in 3 minutes - usually I far excel my targets just as I’d want.

By: Lara

Lara — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:59:48 +0000

Or if I set the timer before a phone call, then I put limits on how long I’ll be gabbing to Weird Aunt Muriel. (”Sorry, Auntie! The doorbell just rang. Gotta go!”)

Do they make a timer with a chime that sounds like a doorbell? I’d buy one!

I need to try this. I’m used to sitting with a timer counting up for my regular job (I often work at home, on an hourly rate). I could just as easily switch to countdown mode while writing. Hmmm…

By: Sheila Deeth

Sheila Deeth — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:19:27 +0000

I seem to remember I was once organized and single-minded and decisive. Then I had kids. And then I crossed the Atlantic. Now I know the phone ALWAYS needs answering, the shopping ALWAYS needs doing straight away (’cause they wouldn’t have told me unless it was an emergency), any emails from spouse MUST be responded to immediately, and, well… the housework gets to wait till I’ve finished writing.

By: Dave Blacker

Dave Blacker — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:53:50 +0000

This is a great idea. I already have one that I never thought to use this way.

I use alarm clock software I found on the net at:

http://bluefive.pair.com/alarm.htm

I have had it for several years now, and it works well. It is even customizable and will play-back sounds or music from files on your computer.

By: Ric Gerace

Ric Gerace — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:15:54 +0000

For an organized approach and an overly detailed method for using a timer, take a look at Pomodoro Technique

By: Sprints in Writing, Not in Running « Resplendence

Sprints in Writing, Not in Running « Resplendence — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:10:02 +0000

[…] Randy Ingermanson’s post “Thoughts on Singletasking,” he talks about Eben Pagan, who recommends working for 50 minutes and breaking for 10. […]