Problem:
- You are working from home.
- You are easily #distracted.
- You are not as #productive as you need to be.
- You are somewhat stuck.
- You are feeling kinda #lonely.
Solution:
Get online with someone – today!
The idea of working alongside others doing the same thing to keep motivated is not a new idea. And there is research behind the concept showing that people doing similar tasks at the same time creates a kind of synergy propelling everyone toward their own goals.
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Take advantage of what I call: #Accountability Partnering, or Pacing Partners.
It is simple to achieve. Call up a co-worker, or a friend who may or may not have a similar job to you, and see if they are interested in ‘working together.’ Set a block of time – 3 hours is a good starting point – and put the appointment into your calendar. Agree to connect via #Skype, #Zoom, or #FaceTime. You must be Video-Enabled for best results.
Steps:
1. At the start of the session – each gives a one-sentence commitment of what you will do for the next 90-minutes. That’s it – don’t waste time going into elaborate detail. Announcing out loud your #intentions is the key point here.
2. Each of you set a timer for 90-minutes. Then, each of you mutes the audio so your background noises don’t distract the other person.
3. Work straight through and at the 90-minute mark – unmute and check in with one another on personal progress.
4. Take a short 10-15 minute break.
5. Resume for another 90 minutes by stating intentions. Rinse and repeat.
This process helps hold you accountable to your intentions of what tasks you want to complete for several reasons. First, you have stated your intentions out loud – so you have made a verbal commitment to yourself. Second, since the other person can see when you walk away, this visual experience tends to keep you in your seat working on the task longer and better. So don’t get up and wander off – your Accountability Partner can see you! Avoid abandoning one another – stick with the project or task through the time allotment.
This may help the self-isolation-work-from-home situation to be less lonely. I have been doing this with colleagues for years and have been using it during the virus isolation period too. This can add some ‘normalcy’ to your day and something to look forward to as well. I also found that using the upcoming appointment as an incentive for myself helps. For example, I would work diligently up to the appointment time on a task so I was freed up to do the task I was planning during the Accountability Partnering time. Improve your focusing ability by eliminating distractions to the best of your ability too. Have a Productive Day!
Be well and stay safe!
Reference:
Perera, D., Kay, J., Koprinska, I., Yacef, K., & Zaiane, O. R. (2009). Clustering and
Sequential Pattern Mining of Online Collaborative Learning Data. IEEE
Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, Knowledge and Data
Engineering, IEEE Transactions on, IEEE Trans. Knowl. Data Eng, 21(6),
759–772. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1109/TKDE.2008.138