The problem with running multiple projects, having multiple moving goals that do not tie well together, is that you end up spending most of your time thinking what should you be doing, instead of doing what you should be doing.
What should you be doing, and what you should be doing. Wildly different things.
That causes some serious cognitive dissonance, anxiety, stress, self-doubt, and it keeps you down. I think. But don’t listen to me. I cannot focus.
Well I can.
I would almost go as far as calling myself an expert on this very subject.
How would I debug it though, how would I fix it?
Debugging software starts with understanding what the hell is happening. First you want as much data on how the issue manifests, when it manifests, etc as you possibly can get.
Then you start looking. Can you repeat the same behavior? Play around and see what happens, when happens.
Then you look deeper inside. Why does this happen?
No idea? You slice it down, where does this happen? This half or that half?
And you slice it down all the way till you find the prime suspect for what’s happening.
You run simulations in your head.
You add logging, or you attach a debugger and follow what happens.
Now. Can we apply this to running multiple projects and how that messes you up mentally?
So you call a support desk and start complaining.
I want to get work done but I end up doing nothing.
Definitely a repeatable problem.
So what is happening?
The internal dialogue goes something like this
Hmm. Time to work. What should I work on? Do I have any goals? Well project a I should do this and that, project b I should this and that and promised this and that. But project a I also promised this and that. But b compared to a has more potential. But a too has potential and is important. How do I choose between a and b and … soon you notice that your task at hand is no longer about improving anything or working towards anything but just tossing back and forth between things and wondering why it feels so taxing. Then you decide that you need a break.
It’s horrible.
This is why I propose a solution (to myself):
But that’s just stupid. Why would you choose what to work on by tossing a dice?
Yep.
Another solution could be thinking in Modes. More on that later.
The problem with context switching is that it takes time to load into memory. It really does. You start thinking of project A and you do not immediately have all you need in your mental space. You do not have the mindset, the thinking patterns required, etc immediately loaded up. And if context switch takes around 15 minutes to 1 hour (this is the time people generally say it takes to achive flow state) then how can you possibly even imagine getting anything real done if you’re flipping between contexts every five seconds to evaluate what to work on ?! You won’t even get started.
Thus. The dice, as stupid as it may be, probably 10X’s your productivity immediately.
You are welcome.
Disclosure though - I’ve not tried this yet. But will try. And will update how it goes.