Notions

Arline’s Work Philosophy

Ever wonder how other people approach their work?

Personal productivity is one of the topics that I love reading about. While I do think there is remarkable cultural consistency in the way we currently experience our mobile devices, e-mail addiction and workplace culture right now, I believe there is an element of uniqueness to my approach and that people might find it interesting. This is a glimpse into what a typical day is like for me (Arline), and how I get the work done.

Starting Point: Gratitude

I take joy in the work we do at DataQuest. We are fortunate to get to work with our clients. There are days when we untangle knots, and there are days when we build sophisticated systems architecture. Each day is different- and for a lively mind that’s a blessing. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in a way that helps our clients do business more efficiently. This mindset is the place to start on a good day.

Morning Light is Brain Food

On an ideal morning, the most difficult work is handled before 9 or 10:00am. I’m not alone in using early mornings to get the hard stuff done.  If there’s a major project, the best time to work on it is in the morning, before looking at e-mail.

Use The Pomodoro Technique And It Will Get Done

The Pomodoro technique is essentially using a timer to break your work into blocks.  It is one of those things that seems too basic to work, but it’s incredible the mental freedom you get when you set the timer and decide to work only on a single task for the next 25 minutes. I learned about this method when my friend Dr. Bernard wrote her dissertation this way. She broke the time into increments and just did one increment at a time, then took a short break. Then, if you are coasting and want to do more, do another 25-minute Pomodoro. The best part is that you get to stop when the increment is over. So take the thing you’ve been avoiding, CLOSE EMAIL, pour tea, and start.

Find out the Urgency Level

It’s ok to ask if a request can keep for a few days. It might not always work but posing the question gives both parties the opportunity to define the real expectation. If it can wait, schedule it and deliver on time.

Have A List Strategy

Ok, yeah, I know you have a list already. It’s your e-mail inbox, right? Where nothing has ever withered on the vine? Right. Here is what works for me. I keep 3 lists on 3 separate loose leaf pages, clipped to a clear clipboard.

List 1: The Big List.

This list includes big-picture things that I need to do that aren’t highly time sensitive. These are not scheduled yet, but can be broken into smaller pieces & completed when I have free time. Examples of things on this list would be “Research alternatives to Software X”; “Retreat with Mark”; “Evaluate map component for Sage CRM”; “Migrate all alerts away from outdated technology to Knowledge Sync”

List 2: The Wait List.

If you are on this list, you will hear from me. Here I have a list of names of people who I need to hear back from. This is a helpful list to refer to when I do reach someone and I have multiple items I want to remember to discuss with them. This list releases my mind from the ‘open loop’ of waiting for a response, forgetting exactly what was asked, and occasionally remembering I asked and wondering how long to wait before following up. Doesn’t that bug you? The Wait List creates more mental space.

List 3: To Do This Week

This page has the days of the week written in a felt tip pen, and under each day, 4-5 things that I want to accomplish. I try to rank these. Sometimes, things have to move from one day to the next, but knowing that today, you will be getting certain things done, and that tomorrow is the day to handle the next several issues really helps with organization. I have to credit the landscape architect Falon Mihalic of FalonLand Studios  for introducing me to this personal productivity method.

Shut Down The Machine

At the end of the day I find it helpful to shut down the machine. It’s an external signal that work is done. And anyone who is a fan of “Have you tried turning it off and back on again” will understand that rebooting isn’t just good for humans. Computers need it too.

After all, Shonda Rhimes gets 2500 emails a day and she does not check her phone after 7pm. Here’s her e-mail signature:

I don’t read work e-mails after 7 pm or on weekends, and if you work for me, may I suggest you put down your phone?

Wow.

Lighting Round of Rules

  • Try not to be ruled by email and definitely do not do it first thing. If it’s urgent, the phone rings.
  • Never eat at the desk.
  • Procrasta-cleaning is ok. Wipe down your electronics, clean the keyboard, tidy your desk. It is ok if you do this, as long as you realize you are taking a break.
  • Go on one walk each day even if it’s short.
  • Appreciate that you are hugely fortunate to have interesting work and that challenges are the reward for competence.