Management of tasks & distractions

Managing Tasks

Breaking into multiple attempts/sessions

One of the problems faced by persons involved in research is that they are usually involved in mental tasks which require multiple sittings. It is usually not possible to sit down and keep on thinking till you find a solution. Normally, you will get stuck mentally (mental block) or bored/tired. One need to break the monotony and switch to something else and then come back. Alternatively, take a small break (short walk may be), then come back and attempt again.

Maintaining a list

We can maintain a list of tasks to avoid remembering them. One can do it using Google Keep (http://keep.google.com) or Google Tasks or any other method (like maintaining a list on the paper). One need to find a way to manage all the tasks mentioned in your list. The tasks can be thinking about something, physical activity, reading etc..

The objective should be to finish a task as soon as possible once it is taken up. Instead of leaving a task halfway, it is better not to take it up in first place. Further, it is important to utilise your time efficiently so that maximum amount of work gets done.

Each task can be done till one feels bored or tired. Each such duration can be called slot. Most of the tasks will be done in multiple slots spread over multiple days. Slot end will depend on the cues as mentioned. Whenever a slot ends, next tasks from the list can be attempted. Everyday, we can begin with the topmost task and continue spending time on each task in order of reducing priority. This way, when a task is picked up, we tend to choose important task first. A task gets removed only when it gets finished.

In case something more important comes up, it should be taken up immediately preempting the current one only if it is really needed. Else, it should be taken up once the current slot is over. Also every evening, we can pick one task from top of the list to bottom in order and move them upward in the list based on importance.

Sometimes, we are not doing an important task and doing something less important like checking emails, whatsapp. It is important to postpone such task and add it to distraction list if it is important, to be done later. A distraction list is a separate list where anything which comes to your mind is written, so that it can be taken up later and you will not forget about it. Only exception should be when the task cropping up is more important than the currently taken up task.

Managing Distractions

Once we are able to start a task, it is important we keep our focus on it till either we get tired or work gets finished. During a work, we need to avoid distraction. If you recall something to be done it should be postponed for later unless it is more important than what you are doing at that moment. One can simply note down that (obviously it must be less important than what you are doing) on a sheet of paper, and continue with what you are doing. Once you decide to move over to next task, the task noted on sheet can be seen and done if it is important. Normally, the task which you remember while working on something, may not be that important but for fear of forgetting them, one tends to preempt the current task and move to it. Recording it on a sheet of paper, takes care of this fear, and thus one can do it later.

For focused work, bringing focus back to work, and avoiding the movement of focus on something else, both need to be suggested to self [1]. One should suggest himself to do what should be done whenever one realizes that his attention is somewhere else. The movement of focus on something else, is avoided by putting the distractions to paper for later handling. Also, never think of not doing the distracting work, but always think of it being postponed for later.

So, we should not discard the unproductive tasks but we should set the priorities right.

Another problem, one may find in bringing focus back to work, is the fear of getting too involved in the work and loosing on the other tasks. This fear does not allow one to start the work itself. I can call it the starting trouble. This is baseless fear, as normally we will get bored or tired after a certain time and then switch to something else. But if some task is addictive, then one can put the alarm for a certain duration say one hour, when you can switch to other task from the list.

The above method works quite fine and does not require any mobile, clock etc. except to take care of the starting trouble and uses one's own mental and body signals for better work performance.