Changing the Paradigm to Flat Out Sprinting

[ArcCaster]

As a newcomer to GTD, I went through a period of being overwhelmed by the long lists of next action items. I resorted to what I perceive to be the THE performance paradigm -- the marathon. Just keep on going -- breathe deeply -- endure, continue, press on. The marathon paradigm made me feel worse.

Now, I am a couple of days into one of the books recommended here -- The Power of Full Engagement. The basic premise is transforming -- it puts forth a simple paradigm that contradicts the marathon paradigm I've bought into. It's basic premise is that life is a series of sprints with recovery time in between. This simple premise alone has already turned my week on its head.

I love the thought of throwing everything I have into an effort, going until I am tired, then stopping to recover. It is so much more energizing than simply continuing to keep your feet plodding in the direction of your goal despite gradually becoming less and less alert and involved.

My rave for the morning,
Arc

[kewms]

Top marathoners take breaks, too. Not during the race, but definitely during training.

As you've discovered, unrelieved plodding is unsustainable.

Katherine

[sdann]

That sounds like a book worth reading. Does it say anything about how long these sprints should be? A minimum, a maximum? Or just until you feel tired? Right now, I'm working in 1:45 hour focus sessions followed by breaks. (Sometimes I go a bit longer, sometimes I can't wait until its over.) Is that on par? Or do people have more stamina and focusing capabilities than I do?

[kewms]

Two hours would be a long time for me. I take breaks every hour or so, especially when the work demands focus.

Katherine

[Mardo]

This book is terrific. It's about management of energy on many levels and is about a whole lot more than when to take a break. Its a very readable book with concrete examples and a how to implement it in your own life. I highly reccomend it.

[Cpu_Modern]

My focus sessions vary between 1 - 3 hours. It depends mostly on the type of work. More demanding writing not so long. Easier tasks like eg sorting research data goes longer.

[Brent]

Agreed with advice here. I've also found a powerful habit recently: pausing every half hour or so to look at what I'm doing and readjust. I won't necessarily stop what I'm doing, but I often tweak my method.