TBD 55: Toolbox for Focus

Find more ways to get it done.

Aug 31, 2022

Focus. But how?
A few weeks ago, I wrote a newsletter about focusing your attention.
I suggested you could use your attention like a spotlight.

Truth be told, many days
I'm more of a Disco Ball than a spotlight.

So, I did a little research on a few tools that might help. I'd also love to hear about tools you use to stay focused. What's useful?

Body Doubling

Some of us work better when there are other humans showing up and working as well. This technique of being able to study with a buddy, or work when others do is called body doubling. Recently, I found two apps that set up work periods so you can establish a goal and work with the company of others. I tried Flow Club because they didn't require a credit card before the free trial. I logged into a room with two other women and a man. Each focused on their work. It was slightly awkward at first, but there was some great music playing and I felt I could keep my commitment more easily than sitting at my desk alone. If you have co-workers you can probably organize your own study hall times.

Setting a Time for a Task

Llama life and Pomodoro both ask that you type in your task, set time you'll work and then get down to business. Llama life allowed you to set multiple tasks, and times. It stays in a tidy sidebar and had some useful setting to adjust for silence, white noise, and the timer style. Pomodoro is simply a classic timer that also allows you to set task goals and schedule in breaks.

Listening instead of Reading / Talking instead of Typing

I've also been taking advantage of Voice to Text (and Text to Voice) more often. With the amount of information we have to consume each day, sometimes switching it up is a great way to be more effective, retain more information or be able to communicate easily in different scenarios. Google's voice typing tool has gotten much (MUCH) better. It's pretty amazing (works on Chrome) and saves me tons of time in getting down drafts, emails, or other notes. Also Speechify is pretty cool. Speechify reads all kinds of text to you. Last weekend in a dimly lit museum, I used it to read the placards on displays to our kids.

Tracking All the To-do's

I know there are a million apps and preferences here, but my two favorites are Teux Deux and the classic bullet journals. Teux Deux is a favorite because my brain needs a place to keep all the lists of things I need to remember for "Sometime Later". Bullet Journals can be complex, but I follow the most simple instructions. I find keeping one notebook for all the things is helpful and using colored pens helps me remember my notes more clearly. Writing down my plan for each week helps me reconnect and recommit.

TBD: To Be Determined

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