I’ve pretty bad ADHD (diagnosed) my entire adult life, so focus has been a huge struggle for me forever. Here’s my strategy:
- Noise-canceling headphones blasting chiptunes (Spotify has some, but YouTube has the best selection of old-school video game music) I’m usually way less distracted if I listen to music without lyrics.
- A chair cushion (I actually use one of those ridiculous donut ones, but I put a normal sized pillowcase on it. SO comfortable, even after many hours.)
- THE POMODORO METHOD. 25 minutes hardcore coding/debugging, followed by 5 minute intervals for breaks, like checking fb, etc. (Breaks are totally optional if you’re in the zone tho 💪) It’s a great way to reward your brain for focusing.
- And if all else fails, the looming threat of unemployment is always there to keep you motivated 🙃 (Sad but true— always crosses my mind when I’m starting to fall behind on a task)

Pomodoro technique, and if nothing works take a break from sitting in front of the computer, and focus on something else, it will get solved easily the next time you touch your pc

Pomodoro technique 2016
- 25 min Code
- 5 min DevRant

1. Keep your rythm: 7/8 hours of sleep each day and DON'T take your work home. Unless you have your own business ofcourse. Still: don't wear yourself out!

2. Put on music. Me personally like fast punk when i'm struggling with a deadline. Makes you want to go faster.

3. Close ALL communication like chats, mail etc. Hell i even thought of a sign "do not disturb"

4. Coffee. Lot's of coffee

5. Use a time tracking method like pomodoro

Pomodoro timers work only when the task at hand is boring. Yesterday, I worked non-stop on some task I greatly enjoyed(Rust embedded) and I would get distracted if there was some disruption because some overrated technique.

Anyone else feel really unproductive and as if you're working slowly? I cut distractions but I still seem to zone out sometimes. Thinking about pomodoro method.

I swear to god, if I read another medium post on how you managed to be focused and productive I will fucking... well... roll my eyes, make a facepalm and rant about it on devRant!

Who gives a shit if I'm unproductive and unfocused?!

Well, look at me now, I'm fucking productive while I write about you, you fucking peace off shit! And guess what? I'm not even using any of your 40 todo apps or time trackers. There is no pomodoro timer next to me or framed quotes from Steve Jobs hanging on the wall. Oh, I must be a fucking genius!

But what if YOU became unproductive?
What will happen when YOU start to procrastinate?

Do you really think the world would care?

Oh, but you are not really a writer are you? you're a developer building your app!?
Well fuck, I guess you're going to change the world than?
It's your big project. Your life's work, your legacy.

Let me remind you...

All apps will be abandoned!
All blog post will be forgotten!
Productive people will die!
Focused people will die!
Enthusiastic bloggers writing about productivity will die!
All CEOs and CTOs will die!
All developers will die!
Steve Jobs is dead!
In x years, you and I will also be dead!

Whatever you do, it's not really that important!
It's really not.

You're not going to change the world.
The world doesn't need another app.
The world doesn't need your advice on how to be productive.
You are not special.

Deal with it!

When I used to code I'd use the Pomodoro Technique.

It helps me get tasks done more quickly and efficiently when I know I only have to focus for 45 minutes and then I get a 15 minute break.

It also helps if you're stuck on something, because when you come back to it you have fresh eyes.

Also, music without any lyrics helps me focus better than music where someone is singing. Be it Mozart or dubstep, as long as there are no words I can work with it. 😂 (I highly recommend Instrumental Core)

Finally, my phone would be in a completely different room or in my desk drawer in DND mode. I set it up so that it only rings for certain people (parents, brother and boyfriend), so no-one can bug me while I work. It's fantastic.

Music, but if it has words they need to be foreign. J-rock, deadmau5, gogo penguin, carrion... All are good.
Dark themes everywhere unless it's java, because it helps me compartmentalise my languages.
Second screen hooked up with the stuff I want to be viewable all the time, as it doesn't change when I switch workspaces. (bug or a feauture?)
Door shut to muffle sounds from the rest of the house, window slightly open so I don't suffocate.
Pomodoro timer on, but put phone into silent mode so no notifications disrupt my focus.
Drinks and bathroom breaks happen in the 5 minutes between pomodoro sprints. Food happens in the 15 minute breaks.
Extra RAM stick is in the mail so I lose less time waiting for android studio to exhale or whatever it's doing as it holds up the whole computer.
I might just do the java parts of my project in bluej if this ram stick doesn't alleviate my problems. I could go outside and drink mud through a metre long straw with a filter on the end sooner than android studio gets unstuck.
If anyone can add more sensible ideas I'd be happy :)

I was looking into time management techniques and came across Pomodoro. And guess what. that's exactly what I've been doing all this time. I binge anime or tv and code when the intro/outro is playing

What are the best practices, which helps you follow "Pomodoro technique" and avoid wasting your time in general?

Pomodoro technique

Best hack as you choose the "session" length to suit your style and promotes focused effort.

Interesting project, get there early, make a to-do for the day, pomodoro the hell out of it

Productivity Hack: I'm a java developer who decided to write a productivity app that integrates to-do, pomodoro and eisenhower matrix altogether with reports generation. this will also help me logging at work. I'm also using electron + angular2 + typescript, just because, well, I'm trying to learn new stuff.

Long story short, many many many many days later, i'm still waiting for that productivity boost. What is dis webpack? Wat u mean loaders? Wat promises? electron-prebuilt is now electron? Wat u mean npm and node should be updated? .....

Please send help

Use the pomodoro technique.

(im just reposting this since it didnt happen yet)

Serious part:
Asking for help when you get stuck with a problem helps a lot. But also dont ask every small thing because that gets annoying

That moment when you can't even do 5 minutes into your pomodoro without having 3 people ask you questions...

Pomodoro app + load headphones + phone flight mode

I would recomend pomodoro technique

Practicing Pomodoro.
Keeping a Journal.
Using Git Flow.
Learning Modular Structure.

Cursee trying to live a simple life with disciplines.

I have lived enough year without any discipline. So I wanna check the other side. Maybe this is what I need. Who knows.

As much as I may look down on Python for how simple it may look, I'm happy of it for having done a pomodoro with music playing in that language.
I'm sure that will help in dealing with my 4 projects and exams due before a month.

Headphones and the Pomodoro technique. Works great for getting shit done

Use pomello with trello to code with pomodoro technique and keep track of your productivity

Use the Pomodoro technique. 25 min focuc followed by a 5 minute break. After 4 Pomodoros you take 20 min break.
There are several articles about that technique.

Guys, how frequent do you face distraction while working? Like while coding, I'm always distracted with my phone. I know i can just throw it far away, but I do this habit on browser as well by suddenly opening a new tab to browse fb, for example.

One way to get around this is by using Pomodoro technique. But that only works if I'm not reluctant to do so. Another one is by limiting tabs opened in firefox by using an addon.

ITT: How do you deal with distraction?

Using the pomodoro technique.

The Pomodoro method

Pomodoro technique but with 52min stretches and 15 min breaks.

For avoiding procrastination: create 2 Todo lists every day before leaving work, one for small tasks to be done first thing in the morning and others throughout the day.

Manage interruptions with ruthless efficiency: "I'll get back to you in 10 minutes." If I need to switch contexts, I'll make a note (physical or digital) so I can quickly get back into my task.

Anybody using the 52/17 Pomodoro technique? If so what results did it give you till now? I am using it for 2 days and finally I feel like I can focus on something.

pomodoro technic + it helps giving estimates down the line

Pomodoro with 15 to 5 works for me the best.

The pomodoro technique and some nice music usually helps me get through dev days. Since I'm pacing myself working on small tasks at a time it doesn't feel like I've spent the entire day coding

Do you use a pomodoro timer? Does it really work for you? I've been trying to improve my concentration but I'm struggling a lot :((

Pomodoro

I started the pomodoro technique recently. Unfortunately when I went to the shop they only had an egg timer.

It's been a frustrating few weeks.