About a year ago, I started working independently from home. Being totally in control of my own time & environment really removed all excuses! If I'm not having a good day, it's no one's fault but mine. I found that a steady routine really helped.
Some things that worked for me:
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* same pre-work routine every day (wake, exercise, shower, meditate, walk dog, make coffee)
* start the day with my hardest creative work (2h+ writing): notes.andymatuschak.org/My_morning_wri
* big-chunk working blocks: 7:30-10, 10-noon, 1-4
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* during working blocks, I alternate between 35m focused unitasking and 5m breaks
* no internet until after first block, intentionally-scheduled internet time afterwards
* I usually only take meetings after 4; if I don't have any, I'll do email and little tasks 4-6
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* afternoon is usually execution-oriented for me; morning is usually creative (my focus weakens later in the day)
* I take an intense midday walk (the pup insists!)
More: notes.andymatuschak.org/My_daily_routi
What are some unusual components of your WFH routine?
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We're super curious how you settled on 35m on + 5m off. Traditional pomodoros are 25m on + 5m off. We've always done 45m on + 15m off.
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I found 25/5 too short. I do 45/5 sometimes when I’m doing execution-oriented or operational work, but for most of my creative work, my attention starts to get diffuse around 30m.
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