thinkythink

Time is a vacuum

We finally hired a babysitter to play with my son while I get some work done. I used to work while my husband was home, but we used to both get something done for those hours, and now one of us has to pay full attention to my son. Okay, so I've already talked about how children really push our flexibility; here I wanted to talk about how this new time felt.

Like a big gaping space. With nothing in it. Fresh new time that I haven't scheduled anything in yet feels like a vacuum. I'd take that to level of saying that it feels a little bit like I can't breathe; there's no air in there; because there is no structure yet. You know, for some of us it's hard to get anything done when we don't have a lot we have to do. Some people need their time jam-packed with commitments; I'm a bit more mid-level on this. I need some structure but not too much, so I can hear my own thoughts about what I need and want to do and take on, and listen to them. Without a little bit of scaffolding, the thoughts just turn into a big dust storm and I sit there rubbing my eyes, lost in it all.

I used to panic when I had this kind of open horizon. I'm more relaxed now. Here's how I turn the emptiness into usefulness:

1. Get the big huge rock rolling. It's hard to get into action from a standstill, so sometimes whatever tasks get me moving (physically or mentally) are where to start.
2. Start with little stuff. Stuff that feels like highly engaging busy-work can help me out. Yesterday that was working on tiny pieces of my website updates, like figuring out how to set up a "favicon."
   This gives me a sense of accomplishment, which is great for the happy/focused brain chemicals. It also gets me working, rather than thinking. It was something that felt fun and interesting but not too big yesterday. Other days it might be dumb paperwork like logging business receipts or filing papers; other days that's overwhelming at first. By the end of yesterday I felt all warmed up and ready to tackle that kind of thing.
3. Clean your desk. This isn't what I did yesterday, but it can work a charm. While doing it, it can help to keep reminding yourself that clean up is a real part of productivity. Clean up is part of work, and part of play, just like we teach our kids! It can be another great warm-up for other work, especially as it may involve getting your hands on items that remind you of projects or tasks you want to work on.
4. Listen to how you're feeling at the moment, and pick the right task. Trying to log receipts can be a spirit-killer one day, and an easy to-do-check-off the next. On the former day, don't do it unless you really have to; it isn't going to help get more done. (If you never have a good day for some task like that, get help doing it.)
5. Start to identify projects, tasks, and break them down- on paper if that helps.

I'm tempted to keep going, but then I'd be straying into other things. The point here is that when time is too open, it's time to get things moving, not time to dwell on the big picture and get stuck.

Sweet Music, Warm Laps.

Here's my new favorite album: Sing-a-longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George, by Jack Johnson.
It's super sweet. It's sweet like the sweetie napping in my lap while it's still playing. This morning was one big fuss-a-thon, including top-of-lungs screaming on attempts to seat in high chair; wailing on attempts to put down so mommy could eat anything at all; attempts to steal oatmeal with nuts in it; crying when put down to crawl while I got dressed even though what you seemed to want was crawling... and now he's napping so sweetly in my lap. Talk about time boxing; this is the very best time to use my computer. I'm not sure if resting one arm on a baby and bending the other one around his head is exactly what the hand therapist meant by "neutral position" but, um, at least I've got a blanky over my cold feet?
As for music that some of you may find sickly sweet, first of all, it's great for dancing with a baby to, and way less sickly sweet than actual made-for-baby music. Second of all, hasn't the world filled its quota of "challenging" and painful experiences? Curl up and enjoy whatever you can enjoy. It's contagious and that's what the world really needs.

Writing and Working Spots

The other day I was talking to my sister about how I get work done, and how I used to get work done...  I suggest to clients that they think about how they got work done in college, because sometimes that really gives some clues about what the optimal spot is for them to work.

I used to go study spot-hopping. It was hard to focus on reading or intense studying for long periods, but I had a lot to do. So I'd find a spot with the right level of stuff going on and the right level of background noise, and work there for anywhere from thirty minutes to a couple of hours. When either my focus burned off or the noise level changed too much, I'd get up and go to the next spot. I was lucky at UMASS that there were tons of options; study rooms at the library, places to get lunch, coffee shops on campus, in Amherst, and in Northampton. Moving from place to place gave me a little break and a little movement. Then I could buckle down again for a bit. The University of Amsterdam was a little harder, while I was doing my Master's, but I could alternate between the train, the dining hall, and the awesome little Philosophy Department library, which wasn't so quiet because everyone was working in small groups trying to understand Kant, which can't be done no matter how many translations you have, and because there was a lovely dog named Flor who hung out there.

The right level of background activity and noise: even toned conversations. Enough for it to sound like a lull in the background, but not like people competing for airspace. Occasionally something to eavesdrop on half-heartedly or half-ear-edly.

Goal: enough to occupy the whitespace in my brain, the inattention. The part that gets too busy thinking and speeds away from the task - and thought- at hand. Not so much that I can't absorb what's in front of me.

It often would change and become too much in one place at lunch time, and then another study lounge or what not would get quiet enough. Silent areas of the library were often too quiet The funny thing is that my sister did exactly the same thing. We both still do a version of that, using coffee shops, libraries, benches, in our "spare" child-free moments to work. How about you? What's your working sweet spot? Does a dog make the difference?

Groovera - more music to work by

Just found a new source of music to work by... internet radio station Groovera. They have three channels in the chilled-out realm, and I found it when I inexplicably couldn't connect to my old standby, Afternoon Nap. Right now I'm listening to Groovera's Jet City Lounge stream.  

Downtempo music isn't always right for me, but it has been for a few years. As I'm sure I've said before: it's about whatever magically optimal level and type of stimulation/background works for you. The key for me is to find the right mood, the right groove, while quieting the mind enough to focus in on what I'm doing.

What music works for you when you're working? Please share in the comments because I want more ideas!