Getting ***** Done
I have a new favorite thing. Problem is, I don’t know exactly what to call it – virtual co-working, body-doubling, lots of terms for it. In a nutshell, I’ve gotten very attached to a new productivity habit. In its simplest form it involves signing on to an on-line platform with one or more other people. They might be strangers, they might be people you know, they might be people you come to know.
Productivity hacks may not seem like something that squares with “the rest of my time” vibe. But, I find myself with lots and lots of projects – art projects, podcasts I want to listen to, on-line classes I’ve enrolled in . . . . everything sounds interesting, but I like to finish things, or at least get far enough into it to make a decision to abandon it.
So, when I saw one of these advertised that focused on getting through on-line courses you’ve signed up for, it really spoke to me. The organizer claims that only about 5% of on-line courses are ever finished. I have all kinds of art and writing and general self-exploration classes to work through. I have a bunch of books that are piled up.
In fact, my word of the year is Resolution. Just because it’s the fun stuff instead of the have-to stuff doesn’t mean there’s no urge to finish it.
The setup of these sessions vary, but essentially they are a means to foster focus. Some are more explicit in having you share your goal for the time and report back, and some are looser. Some are general in scope and some are focused on particular types of tasks.
The group I am most active on now is focused on getting writing done. The “room” opens to mics and cameras off, then part-way through the session there is a quick optional discussion of what you are working on, or what you would like feedback on, then we go back in to silent co-working. I don’t know what the psychology of it is exactly, but I think it somehow satisfies our need to feel we are multi-tasking by being “on” the call while doing other things. Or maybe it’s that the appointment of being “on” the call is just a little more of a discipline than setting aside time on our calendar. Or maybe it’s that you can tell everyone else that you are “on a call” during the time, so they will leave you alone and you will behave like you should be left alone.
Here are a few takeaways for me:
- When I go in with a specific talk in mind, IT GETS DONE! Things that have been hanging on my to do list because they felt like they would take too much time, get done
- Many of these groups seem to have developed for writers, and others for freelancers looking for some structural support to their workdays, but they have expanded as have all of our virtual offerings in the past few years to a wide variety of specialty sessions as well
- Yes, there are in-person versions (see some of the descriptions below)
- This is is a different experience than something like Slack – it’s not about collaboration, it’s about concentration
- Once you start looking, they are everywhere, but they also come and go.
- Every one has a slightly different vibe, so although commitment is important, it’s equally important to give yourself the grace to try a few and move on if you aren’t inspired.
So where can you look?
I know of two platforms with both free and paid versions, though I am sure there are many others. One is called Focusmate and the other is called Caveday.
There are platforms like Shut Up & Write, which is focused on writers or at least the task of writing, and has both in-person and virtual meetings, as well as optional challenges and prompts. You will also find a number of options on MeetUp, where you can browse offerings from the home page, then create an account or log in to see the details and join a particular group.
Or, find a friend or group of friends, just like you might recruit an accountability buddy to help you maintain an exercise program, and set yourself up – zoom accounts, or teams accounts, or whatever aren’t that hard to come by these days. Personally, I like more than one person, and I like a way to help others find you so there is a possible pipeline, because that decreases the pressure on any one person and reduces the chances that you’ll show up to an empty space.
There, that’s one thing done!