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I have recently noticed that my work process lacks flow. Interruptions are constant, and because of that, it takes me a long time to get anything done. I have felt it necessary to read emails as soon as they come in, or teams messages when they pop up at the moment or answer phone calls.  And like most people, I get distracted by my phone. Did you know that people unlock their phones 80-150 times a day? Thankfully, I am not that bad. But I do it enough for it to be a distraction.

Here are some of the things I have learned:

Define your work

1. Pick the task that needs your focus.  We do not multitask during this time.  One task only.  If something comes up during that time, write it down on a piece of paper, you will get back to it when you have reached your goal.
2. Determine what finished looks like.  Is it the completion of the project?  Is it two paragraphs written, or one email answered?  The goal doesn’t mean total fulfillment.  It is a realistic end to today’s session of flow state.
3. Make sure you are working in a space that is conducive to getting work done.  Just because we are working from home doesn’t mean we can work from our beds.  I have tried it (more than once), and it just doesn’t work.  Same for the sofa.  Being too comfortable doesn’t help flow state. Find a desk and a chair that allows you to sit straight.  Makeshift desks are acceptable; a kitchen table and chair will work just as well as a desk, provided that you can sit up and your feet reach the floor.
4. Let people know when you need to focus and that they shouldn’t disturb you.

Choose your time

I used to think that I should write in the afternoons because my day was winding down.  The truth is someone suggested I write in the afternoons because they thought my day was slower at that time.  But I am most alert and creative in the mornings.  Specifically between 8 and 10 am.  I can work the rest of my day around my writing.  If I focus for 40 minutes, I can get the blog post written and then get on with my other duties.

So when I am ready to start writing, I will clear my desk, close my email, and then take a minute to center my energy.  You can do this in several ways, but yesterday I discovered the thunderclap method – and that is to rub your hands together to generate some heat, count down from 3, and then clap your hands together like a thunderclap.  OK, we are ready to go!

Since my optimal focus time is in the morning, I create a ritual before I start work.  I get up, get ready for work – I get dressed, including wearing shoes (shoes are essential for working).  I drink some coffee, I write in my journal for 30 minutes and then get another cup of coffee and a glass of water, and then I sit down to work.

Starting today this regime will change slightly.  When I am ready for deep concentration, I will block off a 45-minute chunk of time without distractions.  Email is closed, notifications are (temporarily) ignored, and I will put aside my phone and remove all distractions.

Background noise

I think we have all figured out by now that having Netflix play in the background while we work doesn’t work.  Neither does the news, or whatever else you think is non-intrusive.  It’s all a distraction.  Even the music I play to energize me when I feel a bit low – is a distraction.  But silence isn’t always the best remedy for concentration.  But you can find white noise – or whatever colour of noise you like.  Google pink noise; you might find that to be more your style.

This morning I found the Lego White Noise playlist on Spotify – and it’s been the soundtrack to this morning’s blog post.  Listening to bricks clicking together or spilling onto the floor is the perfect soundtrack to my focus needs.

When you are ready to go back to your day

Don’t be a slave to the inbox.  Train yourself to look at your email for the first 5 minutes of every hour.  Create a to-do list based on your email.  But work off the list.  You may find that you will be happier this way.  I love crossing things off of a list.  It’s so satisfying.  Much better than dragging an email into a folder.

One last thing

When you schedule your focus time, be realistic.  You aren’t going to be able to do this for hours and hours at a time.  Start with 20 minutes.  See how you do.  Increase or decrease the time based on need.  And make sure you schedule breaks.  You are going to need them.

Now rub your hands.  3… 2… 1… CLAP

Practice what you have learned.

February is Black History Month, a month that honours Black Canadians and their communities’ legacy.  The theme for this year’s Black History Month is “The Future is Now.”

We are learning a lot about what people are doing to improve our future; there have been great strides in community and political movements. We live in a time of significant change. Everyone has a voice, and we are hearing from people that have been historically silenced.

But life as we know it to be now, with all the upheaval and comforts that we endure and enjoy, may have been very different without the inventor, Lewis Latimer.

Mr. Latimer, while working with Thomas Edison, made significant improvements to the incandescent lightbulb. How significant? He invented the carbon filament. While it may not have been efficient, the carbon filament led the incandescent lamp to popularity in the 20th century because it obsoleted gas lamps’ and the fire hazards associated with them. The carbon filament was the precursor to the tungsten filament incandescent light.

We have Lewis Latimer to thank for affordable and efficient lighting.

Here are some of his other inventions and improvements:

• The railroad car toilet
• The telephone – alongside Alexander Graham Bell
• He supervised the installation of lighting in major cities such as London, New York, and Philidelphia.
• A precursor to window air conditioning units

While our future is now, we wouldn’t be able to live as comfortably as we do in this country without Lewis Latimer’s ingenuity. And so during this month, and every time we turn on a light, I will be celebrating the man who helped give us light.

*Edited to say, Lewis Latimer was an American (born in New York) but is highlighted here because he was a lighting community member.

Photo Source – Pinterest

You are most likely finding that your social media is requesting you to check in with your friends and yourself today.  But here is my suggestion to employers – have you checked in with your staff lately?  Even the ones that you don’t typically hear from or are your pals.  Are they ok?  COVID has been in our lives for a year now.  And most of us have been affected in some way.   Most likely in a way that you haven’t thought. We are all different, after all.

In case you haven’t been asked (employers and staff), I am asking.  How are you doing?  Do you need some help?  What can we do as people and as a community to help.

Leave a comment.  And let’s see if we can try to make some sense of what is happening.  And if we can’t do that, then maybe we can sit together for a few minutes, so we don’t feel alone.

Wishing you all good health <3

Every time I come across a bollard, I think I have encountered a Dalek. If you aren’t familiar with Doctor Who’s iconic show, you can learn more about these monsters here. Anyway, whenever I come across one in the wild, I hear a somewhat robotic voice yell, “Ex-term-i-nate.”  It turns out; I am not entirely misguided in my thinking.

People who aren’t obsessed with Doctor Who may think of the bollard as a  light post or traffic guide.  But I have unearthed a much more exciting history (thanks to Roman Mars and the 99% invisible podcast/book). Here are some facts that have more to do with weaponized sci-fi monsters than the current rendition of this design.

1. The urban myth of canons taken from french ships during the Napoleonic Wars was brought back to England as trophies and stuck in the ground to use as mooring posts around London’s dockyards is based in fact.  And while the capture of those canons may not have happened. Cast-iron canons from foreign ships were converted into posts and bollards and placed around the city’s dockyards.
2. Converted cast iron canons are still in use as bollards today.  Some of which hold up structures, i.e. buildings.
3. The canon bollards inspired the design of these structures – with a “gunner” style manufactured during the 1940s and are still in use.

And while these structures aren’t able to levitate, chase you down, or harass (and try to kill) the Doctor and his chosen companions, these bollards were at one time responsible for destroying humankind.

*Photo of Daleks via Pinterest

The greatest thing that 2020 taught me was that journaling is the most powerful thing I could do for myself.  It helped me release a lot of insecurities and a whole lot of anger.  And a daily practice of stream of consciousness writing allowed me to get clear on what I want out of life and that I shouldn’t waste my energy on things that don’t serve me.

Since we are halfway through January and 2020 is now firmly in the past, I thought I would take the opportunity to reflect on just what last year has given me (the answer is a great many gifts). And to set up some solid intentions for this year.

I understand that not many of us will say that 2020 was a great year, personally. And that’s ok.  It was a year of a great deal of tragedy.  But I think that many people may not be reviewing the past 12 months with an accurate eye.

Because I am addicted to journaling and its benefits for mental/spiritual health, I wanted to share something I found.

It’s quite a lengthy exercise.  In fact, at the moment of writing this post, I am only halfway through it.  Already it’s proven to be so helpful and inspiring that I would like to ask you to do a bit of homework and join me in completing a workbook from SYPartners It will help guide your reflections of 2020 and look ahead to a new year.

So far, my favourite prompt has been – A book was made of your past year, write down its title.
My answer is, How I Calmed the Chaos.  Perhaps this should be a book that I write in the future.

How I Calmed the Chaos (a side note).

1.  Journaling became the most important thing I did for myself every day.
2. I worked with a coach who helped me get clear on what I want out of life.
3. Forgiveness became a focus not only for myself but for others.
4. I learned to ask for what I want.
5. If people couldn’t read my mind, I stopped being angry at them.

I know that it’s easy to think that we get a clean slate or a do-over because the calendar turned a page. But the fact is we are still facing some genuine problems. They aren’t going to disappear tomorrow.  Our attitudes can. If we start the year with some strong ideas of what we want to accomplish and work hard at creating them, chances are greater that this year will resemble our vision.

Of course, you don’t have to do the homework.  It’s hard to find the time. We work hard all day, and we have families and other things to attend to.  But our mental and emotional health is important. And wouldn’t it be great to revisit the good stuff that came out of 2020 – and make magic happen in 2021. I think we deserve to do this for ourselves.

But if you do decide to wander around the workbook, won’t you share some of your successes of 2o2o and intentions for 2021 with us;
I would love to hear all about what you discovered about yourself.