Distracted

Looks like a day of constant drizzle ahead so I’m stuck indoors. Louise is away out to do some shopping and catchup with a friend over lunch and freshly brewed coffee is currently gurgling away in the kitchen.

Tasks for the weekend are to finish the flooring in the kitchen. We failed last weekend as the starting point, cutting back the flooring in the hall, took much longer than we thought (lifting a few boards of laminate, against the lay pattern, is bloody hard!).

I’m also toying with installing Ubuntu on my old PC, and if I still have time I WILL make a start on organising my books.

But, of course, that doesn’t account for any distractions. The internet being an obvious one with the ubiquitous “I’ll only be 5 minutes, I’m just checking my email” swiftly becoming an hour spent surfing completely random websites (all of which are fascinating, of course). My current problem is, as I mentioned the other day, that as I’m trying to figure out how to best to get an online community up and running, I’m spending a fair amount of time researching ideas, trying technologies and so on.

It’s worse when I’m at work. Just when I’m getting my head around something another distraction appears. Of course, most workplaces are full of distractions, especially with the way we do things at my current place which relies heavily on conversation as a way to share information.

Although I do have to confess that I quite like being distracted. Naturally some distractions are more welcome than others and, if I’m very honest, I do occasionally seek out distractions. Sometimes it’s to avoid that task that I don’t want to do, but sometimes it’s a a means to an end, a way to refocus.

As an avid “lifehacker'” (Lifehacker.com, 43 folders etc), there are some techniques which I follow, but none to which I avidly subscribe. I have an almost zero inbox, I do break large tasks down into smaller ones and so on and so forth. Removing distractions is a common method to be more productive, allowing you to get into the ‘zone’ (allegedly), but I find those self same distractions can kick start the creative juices and… well you get the idea.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I welcome and seek out distractions knowing full well that I’ll reap the benefits later.

Now, where’s the remote?

Comments

  1. Greetings from Lanzarote -sweltering in the heat and no floors to lay, how good can life get – sorry G.!!

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