Internal Distractions

for RuBoard

Sometimes distractions aren't external in nature. Sometimes, they can be found within the office itself. One of mine was the one-eyed monsterthe television. By choice, I do not have a television in my office. I removed it some years ago. It's too tempting to flip it on when I'm waiting on a compile to finish or a file to transfer. Perhaps you have more willpower than I do, but my recommendation is that you remove everything that might distract youincluding the televisionfrom your work environment.

The Internet is also a good source of distraction. It's a wonderful information library and has certainly revolutionized the way people interact with computers and with one another. However, it is also the biggest time sink ever invented. If you find yourself cruising the Web when you should be working, you'll have to find a way to deal with that. Ditto for e-mail interruptions. It might be a good idea to disable the chime your e-mail program plays when a new message arrives. My recommendation is to reward yourself for completing a task by permitting a fixed amount of time afterward to cruise the Web, read e-mail, play computer games , scan newsgroups, chat, and so forth. Don't be your own distraction. A little self-control goes a long way.

Some years ago, Chevy Chase starred in the movie Funny Farm, a comedy in which he played a writer who'd moved to a rural town to write his first novel . He and his wife bought a scenic house, on scenic grounds, next to a scenic lake, complete with ducks , squirrels, and a dog that looked like he was straight out of a Disney flick. He purchased a huge desk and an expensive writing chair , positioned them both near a window, and set about to write his novel.

There was just one problem: He couldn't concentrate on his work for watching all the goings-on outside. Frankly, the ducks were more interesting than his typewriter, and he knew it. So, day after day, he squandered away precious hours, never really getting anything done.

I've seen programmers do the same thing. You don't need a huge desk, the latest hardware, or the corner office with a view in order to build software. You need a quiet place where you can work.

for RuBoard