Not sure about digital tools, but I’ve leaned more into analog methods, specifically the Pomodoro technique.
I started with short intervals and gradually built up to 90-minute and sometimes longer focus sessions (which I wouldn’t recommend for everyone). For most people, 20 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break is a great entry point. It’s simple, low-tech, and surprisingly effective at training your brain to lock in.
do you ever have trouble locking in for those focused work sessions? I've tried pomodoro a few times and maybe it's just my adhd but too much willpower always goes into the context switching back from "play" to "work" and also all the information oversaturation that occurs while my do my work
I also have ADHD, and notifications and disruptions can easily distract me from my focus. When I work from home, I use an old-fashioned kitchen timer. I set it for a specific period and concentrate solely on the task I want to accomplish. Initially, you may only be able to focus for 5 minutes or so, but over time, you may be able to gradually extend the duration. For me, it’s crucial to turn off notifications on my work computer during my focus time. When I take a break, I check if I missed anything, look outside for a while, or go for a quick walk before returning to work.
Totally agree, and you’re right. I’ve been doing focus sessions for so long that I sometimes forget how hard it was at the beginning. At first, even 5 minutes felt like a challenge. Then 10. Reaching 20 took time and patience.
Starting with just 5 minutes is good advice. For anyone just beginning (like the OP), don’t worry if it feels tough, that’s normal. Just like building physical endurance, mental focus takes repetition and consistency. Stick with it, and it gets easier.
Completely agree. I've found in my workflow and my friends' that when you go an sit down to accomplish this and get in flow state, it's very easy to be distracted especially when the task is digital. Every tab switch, every prolonged digging for some some data or sentence in my emails, old tabs, a document, the context switches keep chipping away at my focused state. Do you have experience/thoughts on this?
Close unused apps
Focus on the current work, and open the useful apps for it only
- Change the environment completely
Go outside for a walk
Ride a bike
Go to a quiet place, e.g. Library
- Improve your workflow
Thinking (at least the rough outline and flow) is the first before any work.
If you have a clear overview of your work, you know how to do it and what work to do,
and your mind will focus on them.
Thinking while walking, riding, etc.
Write the results of your thinking
can't go wrong with writing stuff down, it's my ideal go to notetaking. but other than the physical mind-muscle connection it provides, is there any other advantage?
I hope individuals on this thread have better suggestions.
As a software engineer, I excessively complicated the use of productivity tools. It got to a point where the tools were more of a burden than a help. Consequently, I’ve transitioned to using paper more frequently, as it remains accessible and less complicated. This practice has become my preferred method for tracking tasks and notes. Daily, I reevaluate my goals and tasks, and I rewrite those that are worth retaining on a new list.
We always think there's some magic new thing that's gonna fix our problems. But when we get that thing we discover that we're still kinda just the same disorganized mess we always have been.
It's a physical object that you don't have to remember to click on. But it's also not an app that's sending you annoying alerts at random times. It's just there, reminding you it exists and have things to do.
that makes a lot of sense, all reminder or notes app are cluttered on apps and screens fighting for attention with all the other apps. apart from like a to-do usage, do you think working more with physical paper and writing things down helps accelerate or sustain deep work because of this?
Not sure about digital tools, but I’ve leaned more into analog methods, specifically the Pomodoro technique.
I started with short intervals and gradually built up to 90-minute and sometimes longer focus sessions (which I wouldn’t recommend for everyone). For most people, 20 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break is a great entry point. It’s simple, low-tech, and surprisingly effective at training your brain to lock in.
do you ever have trouble locking in for those focused work sessions? I've tried pomodoro a few times and maybe it's just my adhd but too much willpower always goes into the context switching back from "play" to "work" and also all the information oversaturation that occurs while my do my work
I also have ADHD, and notifications and disruptions can easily distract me from my focus. When I work from home, I use an old-fashioned kitchen timer. I set it for a specific period and concentrate solely on the task I want to accomplish. Initially, you may only be able to focus for 5 minutes or so, but over time, you may be able to gradually extend the duration. For me, it’s crucial to turn off notifications on my work computer during my focus time. When I take a break, I check if I missed anything, look outside for a while, or go for a quick walk before returning to work.
Totally agree, and you’re right. I’ve been doing focus sessions for so long that I sometimes forget how hard it was at the beginning. At first, even 5 minutes felt like a challenge. Then 10. Reaching 20 took time and patience.
Starting with just 5 minutes is good advice. For anyone just beginning (like the OP), don’t worry if it feels tough, that’s normal. Just like building physical endurance, mental focus takes repetition and consistency. Stick with it, and it gets easier.
Deep work, like the processes below:
Focus on a topic or multiple topics
Break down it or them into more specific topics
Think about every specific topics
Break down a specific topic into more little specific topics if necessary
Sometime you need to move and combine them
So you just need the better ways of thinking and some tools to help you in the process.
Completely agree. I've found in my workflow and my friends' that when you go an sit down to accomplish this and get in flow state, it's very easy to be distracted especially when the task is digital. Every tab switch, every prolonged digging for some some data or sentence in my emails, old tabs, a document, the context switches keep chipping away at my focused state. Do you have experience/thoughts on this?
- Change work environment
- Change the environment completely - Improve your workflowFocus on the current work content, other than the tools, context, or other things outside of work
A pad of paper.
can't go wrong with writing stuff down, it's my ideal go to notetaking. but other than the physical mind-muscle connection it provides, is there any other advantage?
I hope individuals on this thread have better suggestions.
As a software engineer, I excessively complicated the use of productivity tools. It got to a point where the tools were more of a burden than a help. Consequently, I’ve transitioned to using paper more frequently, as it remains accessible and less complicated. This practice has become my preferred method for tracking tasks and notes. Daily, I reevaluate my goals and tasks, and I rewrite those that are worth retaining on a new list.
We always think there's some magic new thing that's gonna fix our problems. But when we get that thing we discover that we're still kinda just the same disorganized mess we always have been.
It's a physical object that you don't have to remember to click on. But it's also not an app that's sending you annoying alerts at random times. It's just there, reminding you it exists and have things to do.
that makes a lot of sense, all reminder or notes app are cluttered on apps and screens fighting for attention with all the other apps. apart from like a to-do usage, do you think working more with physical paper and writing things down helps accelerate or sustain deep work because of this?
It's harder to accidentally click the web browser and waste time on HN from a pad of paper.