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Barry
Barry

Posted on

Get unstuck and start

I see this happen to everyone and I want to share one technique I picked up while being a developer that I use.

I don't use this all the time. I can't work like that. But when I am #@$ stuck, feeling overwhelmed, and having something to do it is my go-to.

I picked this up at a conference in my software engineering career but it is not specific to that. That session was on productivity hacks and in it, they introduced me to the Pomodoro technique. This is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. What I love about it is that you don't need anything special you can get started using what you have. The simple process is documented on the Wikipedia page.

Yesterday I set aside some focused time to write and brainstorm. The idea of writing for thirty days started to invoke all kinds of fears and anxieties. What would I write about? Can I actually do this? etc. I almost quit. Well to be completely honest I almost said fine I will 'do this later' it is 'not important now' (avoidance for the win!). But, then I recalled this idea and it let me complete what I set out to do.

There is no magic to this and it cannot do your work for you. Yet, it will help you get started and focused. Sometimes that is the hardest thing and it is easier to quit, give up, do something else.

Perhaps though that is the magic - getting started. For me, once I start and momentum builds I notice my internal resistance start to fade. And from that place, you can do anything.

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