---
layout: post
status: publish
published: true
title: My (almost) perfect setup to stay focused
author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
author_login: jlengrand
author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
wordpress_id: 802
wordpress_url: http://www.lengrand.fr/?p=802
date: 2012-10-26 12:44:16.000000000 +02:00
categories:
- tips
tags:
- git
- pomodoro
- gtd
- productivity
- stayfocused
- focus
- work
- versioning
- getting things done
- rescuetime
- freemind
- duckduckgo
- stack overlfow
- branching
- focused
- rescue time
comments:
- id: 2395
  author: mhm
  author_email: brukaliui@gmail.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: perfect setup to end up in madhouse one day
- id: 2396
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Most likely than by spending half my day on Youtube? Not sure about
    that :). \r\n\r\nProductivity is not about doing more, it's about doing the same,
    with the same quality but in less time. \r\nThe main issue I have is in fact that
    I commute 3 hours a day; which reduces the time I can spend at home relaxing without
    eating up on my sleep time."
- id: 2397
  author: Kerridge0
  author_email: kleernrgyrand.fr@altfa.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: You could try freeplane too, a worthy fork of freemind
- id: 2400
  author: Ted
  author_email: tedx@live.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: Something which turned out very effective for me was to simply block timesinks
    in the hosts file.
- id: 2401
  author: Andrei Oprisan
  author_email: andrei@taskup.com
  author_url: http://taskup.com
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: Check out TaskUp, a cloud task list with notifications, reporting, tags,
    filters and many more!
- id: 2402
  author: razi
  author_email: razi@razi.si
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Nice post! \r\nI have been thinking about Pomodoro as well, but i always
    refrain myself from ordering it, as i want to learn to control myself without
    a device. (It works great in theory!) \r\nAnd another problem is, the repetitive
    music makes me wanna play games, as i have spent years farming with trance and
    dnb, still getting used to it with programming :D\r\nWill try the RescueTime,
    just so i can see in numbers, how much i am really slacking off."
- id: 2403
  author: Tom
  author_email: kinnth@gmail.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "I really liked your comments.  Im going to check out rescuetime it seems
    really interesting, but rather than use it to actually tell me my efficiency I
    am just going to view my usage.  I like to think I can get more work done than
    the average person given the time, so time is not the critical factor it's results.\r\n\r\nWhat's
    interesting to me is actually my work paterns and if I can enhance my enjoyment
    by restricting or encouraging certain actions."
- id: 2405
  author: JC
  author_email: Nothx@no.spam
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! 'Hi - re: getting enough sleep, i have struggled with this for years.
    The only thing which consistetly works for me is to have ~25min nap around mid-day.
    I find that any less than 25min doesn''t help, and any more makes me sleep for
    a few hours (which then disrupts the night time "proper" sleep). it might seem
    like you''re losing those 25min out of your busy day but i find it really does
    make you more productive. Hope that helps!'
- id: 2406
  author: jon
  author_email: jon@dayrep.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: Thanks for posting the getworkdonemusic.com - great site
- id: 2408
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  content: ! "No problem, I use it like crazy :). \r\nI really think this was a great
    idea for a week-end project!"
- id: 2410
  author: Gareth Elms
  author_email: garethmarkelms@gmail.com
  author_url: http://www.garethelms.org
  date: !binary |-
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  content: Agreed got it on now, thinking about programming (it *is* friday night
    so thinking about programming is still a good effort)
- id: 2421
  author: Anthon Berg
  author_email: kristleifur@gmail.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: I think exercise needs to be on that list.
- id: 2422
  author: Anthon Berg
  author_email: kristleifur@gmail.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: Great stuff by the way! Thanks!
- id: 2429
  author: carolyn
  author_email: carolj@microsoft.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: I would like to know more about how you use git on top of SVN!
- id: 2445
  author: Antiacid
  author_email: Info@bordev.nl
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: 25 minutes of zen meditation could yield even better results
- id: 2446
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  content: Yep, several comments of HN said that Freeplan was actually even more updated.
    Thanks for the info !
- id: 2447
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  content: ! "That's pretty much what stayfocusd is doing, while still giving you
    a 10 minutes time frame a day. \r\nI used to change ly hosts file in the past
    also :)."
- id: 2448
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Just try to use those numbers as a positive evaluation more than some
    kind of punition.\r\nI think it is always more beneficial to use joy more than
    frustration as a motivator :)"
- id: 2450
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Time is nothing more than a unit. It doesn't even really exist if you
    thik about it :). \r\n\r\nI understand what you mean, and definitely think this
    is the right way to go ;)"
- id: 2451
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0xMC0yNyAxMjoyNjozNyArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "I think you're definitely right.\r\n\r\nI used to live in south america,
    where the 1pm nap was the norm, mainly as a way to fight against heat. \r\nIt
    is a bit more difficult to do in a work environment without looking like a weirdo
    :s. Especially in Europe.\r\n\r\nBut I'll think about it, simply because going
    to bed earlier is not really an option for me."
- id: 2452
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0xMC0yNyAxMjoyODoxMCArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "I couldn't agree more :). \r\n\r\nI already dropped a few lines about
    that in the past ;)\r\nhttp://www.lengrand.fr/2012/02/run-for-your-life-fellow-programmers/"
- id: 2453
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0xMC0yNyAxMjozMzoyMSArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Quite simple in fact.\r\nGit uses only one folder on top of your repository,
    called .git. \r\nIt makes it really non-intrusive.\r\n\r\nWork using git, and
    add the .git folder to the ignore list of subversion so that it won't be versioned.
    \r\n\r\nBasically, I use git for commiting small tasks, like several times an
    hour. I use svn as checkpoints. \r\n\r\nThe cool thing is that using git, you
    don't have to be connected on the network to commit for example. \r\n\r\nBut there
    are much more powerful tools out there :)\r\nhttp://viget.com/extend/effectively-using-git-with-subversion\r\n\r\nHope
    this helped ;)"
- id: 2469
  author: My (Almost) Perfect Setup To Stay Focused &laquo; Polarbear
  author_email: ''
  author_url: http://polarbearapp.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/my-almost-perfect-setup-to-stay-focused/
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! '[...] (almost) perfect setup to stay focused: — http://www.lengrand.fr/2012/10/my-almost-perfect-setup-to-stay-focused/
    Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this.   Categories
    [...]'
---
Here is a pattern I recognized for some time now, and that I'd like to share.

I keep trying to be <a title="be awesome" href="http://lifehacker.com/5658800/dont-be-efficient--just-be-awesome" target="_blank">as efficient as possible</a> in my daily working environment. <strong>Productivity</strong> is really important for me, as it is the root which allows you to acquire you <strong>tiny slice of knowledge of the day</strong>.

I use several tools to help be stay productive, among which :
<div></div>
<h2><strong><a title="pomodoro" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique" target="_blank">Pomodoro</a></strong></h2>
A technique that consists in using a timer to switch between work and breaks. As it is really difficult (yeah, impossible) to stay focused for hours; Pomodoro trains you to work in bursts of 25 minutes.
<div></div>
<h2><strong><a title="GTD" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done" target="_blank">GTD</a> (aka Getting Things Done)</strong></h2>
I use a light, personal version of it but the idea stays the same. The first thing I do at work is to set up a list of<strong> 3 things to do for the day</strong>. On Mondays  I set 3 bigger objectives for the week. I never spend much time doing that, as I had loads of time to thing about it since the last time.

When working, I also usually always spend some time setting up a set of simple objectives in order <strong>to avoid diverging from my final aim</strong>.

The drawback of this method is that you have to set objectives that are<strong> precise enough to be doable in a week/day, </strong>but<strong> complex enough so that you don't have only a few hours of work. </strong>Coupled with <strong>Pomodoro</strong>, this technique is highly powerful as you can make you tasks fit into 25 minutes time frames.
<div></div>
<h2><strong><a title="stayfocused" href="http://www.stayfocusd.com/" target="_blank">StayFocused</a></strong></h2>
A chrome extension that blocks a list of defined websites once you spent more than 10 minutes on them during the day.
<h2><strong><a title="rescue time" href="http://www.rescuetime.com/" target="_blank">RescueTime</a></strong></h2>
A piece of software that you install on your computer and keeps track of the application you have in foreground. Applications are divided into categories, depending on how effective they are for your productivity. As an example, I am (assumed to be) really efficient where I use Eclipse, but really distracted when I am on youtube.

At the end of the day (month, year,  . . .) you get statistics; and a percentage of global productivity.

You can set objectives, <strong>compare yourself with </strong><a title="hanselman rescuetime" href="http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ProductivityAndContinuousImprovementMeasurementAndRescueTimeMakesItHappenBothPersonallyAndAtWork.aspx" target="_blank"><strong>the best</strong> or the average of people</a> using RescueTime, . . .  I love this tool because<strong> it shows you how much time you can lose</strong> if you are not careful about what you do. And when you end up you day with a global productivity of ~30% you know you screwed up somewhere !
<h2><strong><a title="GetWorkDoneMusic" href="http://www.getworkdonemusic.com/#" target="_blank">Headsets and music</a></strong></h2>
Whenever I want to be 100% into a task, I put my headset on. This has become some sort of habit, and cuts me from the outside world. This effect is some <strong>kind of a <a title="pavlov" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning" target="_blank">pavlovian </a><a title="pavlov" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning" target="_blank">conditioning</a>.</strong> Listening to repetitive music <a title="GWD music" href="http://www.getworkdonemusic.com/#" target="_blank">(trance, drums and bass, . . .)</a> helps me stay into the flow.
<h2><strong>Versioning</strong> : daily branches</h2>
<div></div>
I usually use as much branches as I can in my daily developments. Those branches are fully temporary, and it happens that a branch stays alive for only one commit. :)

The thing I like is that I can make my branches and commits match the objectives I set in my Pomodoro bursts. And this synchronization is just awesome; as any commit is just like a crossed line in my TODO list.

In order to keep this as light as possible, I use git on top of SVN (the version control we use in Spacemetric.).
<div></div>
<h2><strong>Avoid Stack Overflow</strong> and use <a title="DDG" href="http://duckduckgo.com/" target="_blank">DuckDuckGo</a>.</h2>
In my last post, I explained why <a title="Stack Overflow: a hate/love story" href="http://www.lengrand.fr/2012/10/stack-overflow-a-hate-love-story/" target="_blank">I hate Stack Overflow</a>, so I won't explain it again. Let's just say that I try to avoid searching for answers in there.

The best way I found to avoid Stack Overflow posts is to use DuckDuckGo. The reason is that SO posts are usually less present than in Google.

In addition, DuckDuckGo is literally a command line for the web, and I can usually access the documentation  search for using shortcuts and without even having to touch my mouse :). How efficient is that !
<h2><strong>Avoid the web</strong>, use <strong><a title="FreeMind" href="http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page" target="_blank">FreeMind</a></strong></h2>
<div></div>
Lastly, the best way I found to stay focused is usually to stay away from my browser. Any web search can turn into a 5 minutes break in my mailbox, or worst. . .

A way I found to reduce the number of searches I perform is to log them. Let's say I want to find a way to serialize an Object in Java. The first time I perform this search, I put a new entry in my FreeMind map. Next time I have to do it, I'll look at my map first before opening my browser.

The nice thing is that <strong>FreeMind is designed to help you save time.</strong>

<a title="freemind screenshot" href="http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/File:FreeMind-computer-knowledge-080.png" target="_blank">Just look at this screenshot, and I'm sure you'll be convinced :).</a>
<div><a title="freemind screenshot" href="http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/File:FreeMind-computer-knowledge-080.png" target="_blank"> </a></div>
In summary, this set of tools highly help my mind stay focused. By <strong>setting a list of objectives</strong> in advance, and <strong>having a timer</strong> to refer to I relieve my brain from having to think about anything else but the task I intend to do.And each of those tools tackles of different issue from fine to low granularity :
<div>
<ul>
	<li>Pomodoro, versioning and GTD help me to <strong>always know what I am doing</strong>.</li>
	<li>stayfocusd prevents me from switching to youtube of blogs during breaks (especially after lunch).</li>
	<li>The music offers an environment to my brain that. <strong>Now whenever I hear this kind of songs, I feel like putting my hands on the keyboard !</strong></li>
	<li>Finally, <strong>RescueTime is sort of an evaluation</strong>. A good way to know how well I performed the last week (and optionally to feel bad about it). Each week becomes a new challenge where I want to do better than the week before.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div></div>
I usually finish the week with an average<strong> 70% productivity</strong>, which I am moderately happy about. The major issue I have is that trying to stay as focused as possible is really exhausting. When coming back home, I feel psychologically tired of the day and I want to breathe out; usually by watching a movie or gaming an hour or two. I feel like I need those hours ; but as a consequence I end up not sleeping enough and it is harder and harder to stay focused the day after.<strong>So, problem not fully solved yet!</strong>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>I'd love to hear about the tools you use to stay focused. Especially how you force yourself into having enough sleep. I must say this is the part is still struggle with :). </strong></div>

