Focus - Leo Babauta [33]
Close email/IM/social networks and other distractions.
Do your initial search, and open up your initial batch of articles/ pages.
Skim these articles/pages, looking for links to other articles you might need to read. Open those links.
Repeat with the new articles, skimming and opening links as necessary. Do this until you have all the articles open you need to read.
Read one article at a time, using the method in the previous section -- opening that article in its own window and hiding everything else. Read through the article, and take any notes necessary. Bookmark the article if necessary for later reference.
Repeat, taking notes and bookmarking one article at a time. When your research is done, you can do the actual work, using the focus techniques for work in the other chapters of this book.
5: walking, disconnection & focus
"An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."
– Henry David Thoreau
The simple act of walking can be a tremendous boost to your focus, productivity, clarity of mind, not to mention your health and waistline.
Recently a fellow blogger wrote to me talking about how many pounds she lost on vacation because she walked all day long -- something many of us have experienced. She ended by saying, "If only I could find the time to walk 6 hours a day."
That got me to ask -- why not? Why can't we work out a routine where we walk all day long?
What follows are a couple of radical but incredibly fulfilling and productive changes from most people's daily routine. I think they're worthy of consideration if you:
have any control over your schedule;
can work from different locations;
want to get more active and trim your waistline; and
need to find new ways to focus and get important things done.
I recently tried both these routines and loved them, and am working them into my life in different ways.
1. the walking vacation working routine
I love going on vacation, not only for the food and sights and history and culture and people, but for the walking. You get in amazing shape by walking around all day, exploring, taking frequent breaks but staying on your feet for at least half the day.
Why should we reserve this fantastic routine to vacations? Just because we need to get work done?
Consider a routine that consists of alternating short walks with work:
Walk for 20-30 minutes to a location: coffee shop, library, park, beach, cafe or bistro, peaceful rest spot, etc. Don't use mobile devices as you walk – remain disconnected.
Work or read for 30-40 minutes: write, take notes, read, respond to emails, design, meet with a colleague or client, make calls, whatever. You can also have coffee, some water, fruits, a small meal, and so on.
Repeat as many times as you can.
This is a bit of a nomadic work schedule, roaming from one place to another, but it has numerous benefits:
When you walk, you can think, which is something that's hard to do when you're sitting and distracted all day. When you get to your destination, write down all the notes from your walking contemplation.
When you walk, you can also clear your head, meditate, or just enjoy your surroundings and relieve stress.
You get into tremendous shape by walking so much.
Your work will also be more focused, because you have less time to work. Use the 30-40 minute bursts of work for important tasks that you think about as you walk.
Some stops can be in spots without a wireless connection, which means you'll get more work done without the distraction of the Internet.
2. the disconnect and connect working routine
A number of people have announced vacations from the Internet, when they go a few days or a week or even a month without any connection -- on purpose. This serves as a way for them to reconnect with life, to find focus and get important things done, and to enjoy the peace of disconnection.
But why make it an occasional "cleanse"? Why not build it into your routine?
Consider a routine such as the following:
Disconnect for a