Focus
Flow state is brilliant when you hit it, but it never lasts long. I’ve been trying to make it something I can reach more often, and to get there a bit quicker. These are the things that have been working for me:
- Single monitor rules. It feels counter-intuitive, but having only one thing in front of you changes how you work. You stop glancing at chats or emails as they appear. Use workspaces to separate things out. Terminals, code and browser windows can all live in their own space.
- Block focus time in calendar. Give yourself protected time with fewer interruptions. Close anything you do not need. Fewer apps, fewer tabs, fewer pings. The calmer the environment, the deeper you can get.
- Headphones. I work in an open-plan office. Even with music on, your brain will grab onto any conversation around you. Music helps shift your head into a different mode, so decent over-ear headphones matter. I have had great success with the Severance “Music to Refine To” video playing quietly in the background, but I have also been hooked on the Login.jp_ channel. The chill mix with the Japanese grandpa in a stationery shop is still my favourite of theirs'. Over-ears beat AirPods every time: my Bose 700s are fantastic at blocking the noise but sound amazing.
- Pre-prep a to-do list, or get help. Big projects are hard when you do not know what the next step is. Having a clear plan makes it easier to jump in. I have been getting Claude to outline the next few tasks so I know what is worth doing next, since it often has more context than I do in the moment. I am shocking for dumping fifty tasks into a list and doing none of them. It clears the head, but it is far better to focus on the three that matter today.
- Breaks and hydration. One drink for hydration, one for energy, and one for fun. It keeps me going. It also means more trips to the loo, but at least you get up and move. Weirdly, I drink more water when in a flow state.
Still experimenting, but these habits have been helping me get back into flow and stay there a bit longer.