I've been giving a lot of thought over the past few days about how to improve my abysmal productivity. It is clear that what I am currently doing is not working. No matter how much I berate and attack myself for being unproductive no difference is made. Then, a thought occurred to me. Perhaps it's not so much of a problem with discipline or drive as it is an engineering problem.

"Working harder" does not appear to be the solution. "Working smarter" does. I need to make observations on what conditions allow me to work best, and what conditions keep me from getting work done. Trying to force myself to work under circumstances which I do not work well under is counterproductive. What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? How can I minimize how those weaknesses dilute my strengths? That is the task at hand.

This is the first post of a plan for changing my productivity. Originally, it was all going to be one big post; but this post has gotten so large and taken so long that I figured I needed to at least get the observations section posted, even if I don't have the plan all written out yet.

And so, I begin the task by making my auto-observations.

Observations

Hyperfocus

Hyperfocus is where the 'H' in ADHD comes from, and it is quite likely the single most relevant influence on my productivity. My mind is like a freight train. When it gets moving, it is an unstoppable force. Hyperfocusing is "the zone". This is where I get real work done.

When I hyperfocus, I am at my most efficient. Everything else just fades into the background, and the only thing that matters is the task at hand. This can be very powerful, but it has many drawbacks.

• Once I commit to a task and start to hyperfocus, I am no longer in control. It is very difficult (even painful) to pry myself away from what I am working on, even to do simple tasks like eat.
• Attempting to multitask (ie: load dishwasher, do laundry, etc) while I am in a state of hyperfocus is difficult, but I do not believe it is something I could not train myself to do.
• I do not have complete control over when I will hyperfocus, or what I will hyperfocus on. It may be a highly productive task, or one which is not productive at all.

It would appear that right before I start to hyperfocus, I set out on a clearly defined task. This task is, by it's nature, something which I perceive is achievable within one sitting. It is also something which I want and which I am interested in. After thinking about a desire to accomplish something interesting, I suddenly feel compelled to execute--especially if I perceive what I am currently occupied with to be mundane.

However, not just any task will qualify:

• It must be a goal which I perceive as achievable within one sitting. If it is a larger task, I will subconsciously break it up into smaller goals--I will hyperfocus on them instead. ie: I do not hyperfocus on making animation software. I hyperfocus on implementing a specific feature of it. Larger/longer tasks which I cannot easily break down are more difficult to hyperfocus on.
• I start out with a very clearly defined task, and have at least one "natural" stopping point.
• It must be something which I find interesting and/or enjoyable. Unfortunately, I cannot hyperfocus on something mundane
• It must be something which for the most part I can accomplish entirely by myself or with little contact/interaction with others

The amount of time it takes for me to accomplish this task is of little relevance. If a problem is "fighting" me, it is very difficult for me to disengage. I always feel like the solution is just around the corner. Luckily, this doesn't happen too often these days--code rarely fights me anymore. But that just makes it all the more frustrating when it does happen.

On the opposite spectrum, If a solution presents itself far earlier than I had anticipated, then I will suddenly be unable to continue. (Sometimes this can suddenly end a workday early)

Clearly, hyperfocus is a double edged sword. While hyperfocusing on something constructive like working on the software is generally considered a good thing, it can also lead to the neglect of other matters. For example, while I was working on the software, I wasn't doing other things that needed to be done--like making business contacts and directing my employees.

Up until I shut down full-time operations of Voria Studios in mid-December of 2004, I was able to hyperfocus nearly every day working on the software. However, since that time I have been able to hyperfocus on the software perhaps three or four times. As a result, very little work has been done on the software. (Argh!)

So what changed? The most obvious factor is the lack of an office--as I am now working out of my apartment. However, I have worked on the software out of my apartment for over a year before I ever had an office, and I had little trouble being able to hyperfocus on the software then. Why the trouble now?

I believe it is because I am subconsciously sabotaging my ability to hyperfocus on the software. Allow me to explain.

For the most part I have little ability to choose what I hyperfocus on. It is more a matter of just what feels like it is willing to flow well on a given day. However, I have found that I seem to be able to generally direct what direction my hyperfocus will take by putting myself in a certain frame of reference. For example, on a day that I am wanting to work on software, I just think about the software. Then, as if by some act of magic, I will hit a surge of motivation and work begins on an aspect of the software.

The trouble is that this technique only works for things which I enjoy working on. It does not work for cleaning the apartment. It does not work for paying the bills. It does not work for making business relationships. It does not work for balancing the check book. Yet, I attempt to use the same technique on these tasks--just thinking about it and waiting for the compulsion to do something about it. And it just never happens, because these tasks are not something which is likely for me to spontaneously hyperfocus on.

One big thing that has changed since the last time I worked alone out of my apartment is that I have other obligations which I perceive (rightly or wrongly) to be more-important/of a higher priority than working on my software. Tasks like building websites, or liquidating assets, or doing taxes, or balancing the books. The trouble is that none of these tasks are of the kind which I might be able to hyperfocus on. Occasionally I can hyperfocus on cleaning, but that is rather rare.

The reason that I so unequitably consider my software to be so far less important than these other tasks is because software engineering comes naturally to me. I can hyperfocus on it with relatively little effort. Because of that, I believe that I unconsciously demote it's worth and value, even treating it as a reward: "I'll work on that when I get this stuff done".

The trouble is that I am so slow at accomplishing these other tasks that they build up such that I will never get a chance to be able to sit down, work on the software, and actually feel good about it.

Hyperfocusing is not inherently a good or bad thing. It is a fact of my life. If I can teach myself to manage it effectively, I will be that much closer to the fabled stress free productivity.

Loneliness

My social life is something that I have largely neglected over the past few years. While I had an office, it wasn't too bad because I worked with my friends who I saw every day--and that turned out to be enough to keep me sane.

However, since the closure of the office, I am not seeing friends on a daily basis. The only person that I see with any regularly (if you could call it that) is my ex-girlfriend Maria.

I am now thinking that my social life should not be neglected, but included--if for no other reason than mental health considerations. If managed appropriately, it can provide other benefits; such as new business contacts.

Regular social interaction can also provide positive re-enforcement of my plans and goals. In fact, this is turning out to be more than just a bullet point for the positive aspects of social interaction--it may be the pivotal aspect of what determines wether I am successful or not. I cannot to it alone

Mornings

Mornings are when I am the most weak when it comes to motivation. Unless there is a direct engagement that I have made with someone other than myself, it is very difficult for me to convince myself to get out of bed. Also, if I happen to know that I can get away with being a tad late for an engagement, I will certainly be late.

However, in a strange contradiction of terms, my best work is usually done in the mornings--that is assuming I actually get motivated to lock in on a productive task.

Mornings also have a tendency to set the mood for the rest of the day. If I set out in the morning knowing exactly what needs do be done and get right to doing it, then the day will generally be quite productive--leading to happy darco. On the other hand, even a good start to a morning can be thrown off if an unexpected event occurs--such as a an unexpected visitor, or an intense phone call. Once my day is thrown out of wack in this way, it is very difficult to salvage.

Evenings

Unless I am continuing to hyperfocus on a given task, evenings are generally very unproductive. I do not know if there is anything that can be done about this or if I would even want to.

Work Environment

There was just something about going into an office every day that made me want to just sit down and get to work.

One thing that I think sabotages my ability to get things done is that there are so many distractions at home. I think that these had less of an impact the last time I was working out of my apartment because I had a much more clear task at hand, and few other responsibilities for me to worry about.

I am really debating my ability to consider my apartment both a living space and a work space at the same time. If this situation really is unworkable, what are my options?

One is to just work elsewhere. I have a laptop. I just bought a new battery for it. I got a cell phone too. All I need to do is find a coffee shop with a free internet access and a good cappuchino. What's interesting is that there is presicent for this actually working: a company called Delicious Monster (based out of seattle of course), actually does all of their software development at a coffee shop(No, not a Starbucks). They actually consider it their office, and so far they have been wildly successful.

There are a few reasons why I haven't jumped on this idea, even though I have had it for quite some time. One is that my laptop would be the only computer there--I wouldn't have my large, more powerful PowreMac G5. However, this appears to be more of an emotional decision than a logical decision.

Obviously, what I'm currently doing isn't working. At all. If working 100% out of my apartment had any chance of working, then that chance is gone now because I have gotten use to not getting work done in this environment. So I need to change my environment if I am to expect to get anything done. Perhaps after I have some momentum it will be different story.

Observation Summary

• Hyperfocusing is the most efficient and satisfying way for me to complete a task.
• I do not have complete control over what I will hyperfocus on. It is largely a spontaneous occurrence.
• I cannot hyperfocus on just any task. It must be something that interests or stimulates me.
• I can direct the general direction of my hyperfocus by putting myself in a particular mental frame of reference. However, this is not 100% effective.
• After hyperfocusing and completing a given task, it is extremely difficult to focus enough to re-do this task if it was not anticipated that it would have to be repeated. (ie: hard drive crash)
• When hyperfocusing, It is difficult to multitask even simple things, like laundry or dishes.
• When hyperfocusing, the only thing that matters is completing the given task and reaching a "natural stopping point".
• When I want to work on something, I have a tendency to just think about it and wait for the compulsion to hyperfocus. If the task is doing something I enjoy, then this actually works quite often. If that compulsion never happens, the task doesn't get done. Often I end up hyperfocusing on something completely unrelated.
• Sabotaging my ability to hyperfocus on software does not mean that I will have more time to get other tasks done. It just means that I end up hyperfocusing on less productive things.
• Once I have reached my "target stopping point", quite often my brain will shut down and be unable to continue on that day.
• I require a certain degree of social interaction to remain sane.
• I work better when I am around other people--as long as they are busy and not distracting me.
• Mornings have a tendency to be when I am producing my best work.
• Mornings are when I am exceptionally weak in terms of motivation.
• Mornings have a tendency to set the mood for the rest of the day. (ie: A productive morning tends to lead to a productive/satisfying day)
• Evenings are historically not a good time for getting work done.
• Working in an office had the effect of encouraging me to be more productive.
• Working at my apartment has the effect of encouraging me to be less productive.

In the next post, I elaborate on what actions I am taking to try to change things. Please feel free to comment on what you see--especially if you see parallels with yourself!