Rabbit Holes

Warning: rabbit hole ahead.

Now, that would be a helpful notice.

I do find it incredibly satisfying to fall, or dive, into an exploration of the unknown. A quick google search turns into a click-click-click taking me deeper and deeper, or wider and wider. Perusing the book shelf for a single reference results in reading page after page of a long-forgotten book. A quick conversation with a colleague has me solving everything from the pressing people challenge to world peace.

Yes, it can be fun to find yourself down a rabbit hole and not quite sure where you’ll end up.

Rabbit holes, though, aren’t conducive to productivity.

So, I’ve built myself an early warning system for the days I really need to focus.

Pen. Paper. Write.

I get all of the clutter, to-do’s and ideas out of my head. Once down on paper, these can go into the parking lot for later attention.

Set the timer.

I time-box any potential external distractions, giving myself a minimal amount of time to divert from the task at hand.

Celebrate the tick.

Once I’ve ticked that box and achieved what I needed to, I give myself some time to celebrate. A walk in the fresh air. A longer than normal coffee break.

Or, a meander around the digital landscape.

You never know, I might find myself down another rabbit hole. That’s worth focusing for.

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