Distracting things

[tolik]

This week I was really out-of indie spirit. I have no idea why, but I wasn't even bringing my notebook home for 4 days and dully watching TV. Well, I have idea - 5 hard drives, server and other stuff crashed. Nothing serious, no info lost (except couple of sleepless nights) but I didn't want to restore anything. I didn't care.


I've already started to plan my "home office" weeks ago after having a great impression from "photo" thread with everybody's stuff. I feel very comfortable at work, but sofa or padded stool doesn't feel very productive at home.

Anyway, I would like to have your thoughts on distraction. And counter-distraction (besides music and Steve Pavlina) too :)

[Andy]

That's just warm breath of the spring... :)

[Abscissa]

I've learned that there are times when you need to allow yourself to get distracted, not give a shit, and do something else (or nothing) for awhile. If you push yourself too much, too consistently, you hit a wall (or at least I do), and in my case it'll take weeks to get back into the swing of things once that happens.

[Sirrus]

Whenever this happens, I like to find related things that pulled me back in...

As I've said in another thread, I was stagnat for a bit and watching the documentary Startup Dotcom, it got me back into the business spirit.

That's another reason why I think these forums are valuable - they keep your encouraged in some respects and in the development mindset.

[tolik]

Well, my guess is that I'm too young to become stressed after pushing myself too hard ;) I remember I've developed one of the games couple of years ago working something like 320 hours in one month.

I like to spend half night doing some long research and then get up late at something like 10AM.

Now, this thread has already pushed me back to the norm ;) Haha, online psychiatrist clinic for developers. Has everybody already played http://www.parapluesch.de/ ?

[PoV]

I remember I've developed one of the games couple of years ago working something like 320 hours in one month.Try that in 1 week.

'cmon... try it. I dare ya.

[Daire Quinlan]

Try that in 1 week.

'cmon... try it. I dare ya.

its unpossible !


Now, this thread has already pushed me back to the norm Haha, online psychiatrist clinic for developers. Has everybody already played http://www.parapluesch.de/ ?

and way to go putting an incredibly distracting thing in a thread about distracting things :) Actually I like the above, even if it is a thinly veiled effort to sell the plush toys.

Heres another Distracting Thing, for those of you who haven't tried it already. Its infuriarating ! its illogical ! it's Hapland (http://www.deviantart.com/view/14864502/)

D.

[PoV]

Heres another Distracting Thing, for those of you who haven't tried it already. Its infuriarating ! its illogical ! it's Hapland (http://www.deviantart.com/view/14864502/)
Wow, that was great. Hey what a sec, what have you done to me... Doh. That last 30 minutes is your fault. :D

[Alex]

Forums will be my undoing! I've already spent an hour tonight on forums, maybe because I type too slow but I just get a kick out of communicating with thinking people... not like the transparent judgemental seething masses that appear to infest the very streets of this fair town (with the exception of a couple of people who aren't that bad). 10 points to the person who can spot the hypocrysy of that last sentence.

[Sega Ages]

My answer to distraction is to completely block out the outside world. I have a pair of noise cancellation headphones, iPod full of game soundtracks, and right next to my computer a thermos large enough for several cups of tea/coffee at once. I also have a concept poster of my project posted on the wall in front of me. If I have to walk away from my terminal for something (e.g. refill thermos) I try to keep the interruption short and often don't even take the headphones off. This way I can get into and stay in "the zone" when working on my project. It also seems to help to have a developer forum open in a web browser window somewhere on my desktop, to see that other like-minded people are working on their projects motivates me to do the same.

[Daire Quinlan]

If I have to walk away from my terminal for something (e.g. refill thermos) I try to keep the interruption short and often don't even take the headphones off.

I used to do this a lot. Unfortunately I almost always forgot MY headphones weren't of the wireless variety :eek: At one point I used to have those stupid novelty keys stuck to my keyboard (PANIC, PANIC OVER). I took them off the day I leaped up to head for a cigarette and got jerked back down onto my keyboard by my headphone cables. For a while afterward, if you looked REALLY closely, you could barely see the word 'panic' embossed in reverse on my forehead.

D.

[bentlegen]

I'd like to know how people deal with what I consider to be my biggest distrction - the web. Forums, news, games, whatever, I find myself browsing for hours sometimes. I'll even re-visit the same pages several times during the day, including the local newspaper, just to see if something's happened.

I seriously need help! Is this a kind of addiction?

[Surrealix]

I'd like to know how people deal with what I consider to be my biggest distrction - the web.

Unsubscribe from your broadband. Then buy a 56kb modem (or even better, 28kb), and sign up for the most expensive $/hour rate you can find....

;)

[Chaster]

Web Addiction/Distraction - I had a thread on this a while back...

Anyway, my proposed solution (which I still haven't implemented... hmm, I wonder why?...;)

Disconnect the web from your dev station. Then set up another computer (cheap one) across the room (or even in another room) exclusively set up to surf the web. That way, you still have access *WHEN YOU NEED IT*, but less temptation to abuse it...

Well, that's the idea at least... Haven't actually tried it. (but I really should since web surfing is currently sucking up a measurable amount of dev time for me..)

Chaster