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In my experience the times where I find I've done something that "feels" productive but isn't (e.g. browsing projects on the internet, working on other things) are times where I feel stuck on my main task. This could be due to lack of clarity, or because there is a step that is boring/uninteresting/tedious. The best advice I can give is that when you find yourself unwilling to do the work, break the work down into concrete, bite-sized steps. Then do the first one, then do the next one, and you'll get it done. If you can't do one of the steps because you're blocked, figure out the steps to get unblocked, write those down, and do the first one. The other thing I've found that helps is to set a clear schedule. The rhythm of the office helps get things done. I still wake up to an alarm at 8, I have a coffee at 10 and 2, and lunch is at noon. My wife comes home around 6, and I try to make sure I'm done at 6:30. I occasionally break all of these rules if I'm in the zone and really getting a lot done. If that happens, I give myself more time off later/the next day to ensure I'm always on a sustainable pace. If you're already stuck in a distraction quagmire, try to recognize it, and set an alarm for 30 minutes. When the alarm goes off, go back to work. If you still can't work, go take a walk and try again. |