Comments on: Flipping the Mental Switch for Success

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:03:35 +0000

How many times does the doorbell actually ring?

By: jj

jj — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:38:40 +0000

Trent,
I know that you didn’t mean to demean your wife’s pregnancy leave by calling it a vacation! Anyone who reads your blog regularly knows the kind of person you are and the respect you have for your wife. I think some folks here are making too much of your word usage!
But….here’s my question: how do I get in the zone (flow) when I’m in a place that I don’t love my job these days? I know what the zone is — been there in the past and it’s great! But being in a place where I can’t leave my job (and it’s a fine job — I’m just in a slump), I can’t seem to find enough discipline or focus or whatever to get in the zone. Maybe it’s just laziness on my part. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated! You are an inspiration and your blog it terrific. It’s the only one I read daily, no matter what! Thanks for your hard work!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 07:28:19 +0000

I want to read the post about sarahs work choice

By: Gal @ Equally Happy

Gal @ Equally Happy — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 06:11:00 +0000

For me, getting in the zone works for an entire day. When I’m in the zone, I can work on multiple projects for a whole day and be amazingly productive. When I’m not, the whole day seems to slow down as I stare at the clock waiting for time to go by. Things I’ve found that help put me in the zone:

1. Have a list of projects you need to do. Check them off as you do them to show yourself that you’re making progress.
2. Don’t eat too much. Eating, especially big meals, really slows me down.
3. Take an occasional break in which you do something physical, even if it’s a short walk.

By: Trent

Trent — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:43:19 +0000

My wife is a teacher. She took her normal summer vacation (12 weeks), then elected to take the fall semester off without pay to be a stay-at-home mom, somewhat extending her summer vacation.

Typically, if I’m working in the office, my wife answers the door, the house telephone, and so on. I’m able to ignore these things. When she returns to work, I will no longer be able to ignore them because she won’t be answering them – she’ll be at work. Those are household responsibilities that will become solely mine soon.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:22:46 +0000

Not your best work Trent, for reasons that have been pointed out above.

By: Troy

Troy — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:20:03 +0000

The post is about being in the zone, yet you refer to your wifes time away from work as a vacation, then as a stay at home mom, then infer she was on extended maternity leave?

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:17:19 +0000

Please explain “When she returns to work later this month (by her own choice – but that’s another entire post, isn’t it?)” and “again be aware of some types of household responsibilities during the day.”

I find total silence very distracting.

By: Fawn

Fawn — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:11:48 +0000

Des- When I sew or clean, I like to listen to industrial/hard rock! It might seem weird to others, but it works! :) I can work for hours and not even realize it.

By: Lex

Lex — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:07:04 +0000

I agree Des, I do the same thing. It helps that part of my brain that wanders off to stay busy.

By: Des

Des — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:50:02 +0000

I know this is atypical, but sometimes I find it easier to really focus when there is something else going on. Specifically, I code for a living and I can get more done when I’m listening to music (preferably something harder and louder) than in perfect silence. I think there is a part of my brain that is always going to be wandering off, and when there is music playing, that part of my brain is happily occupied, allowing the rest to focus. I know, its weird. :)

By: Candie

Candie — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:43:19 +0000

Actually Trent, there is a scientific word for the phenomenon you describe, called “flow”, in psychological research. I’ve spent a lot of my graduate career researching it and teaching it to undergraduates in career planning classes. Anyways, if you have time, read M. Csikszentmihalyi’s (long name, I know!) book “Finding Flow”, which talks about the same idea of this post – ‘getting in the zone’ and keeping at it.

By: Dana@CommonCentsCoach

Dana@CommonCentsCoach — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:30:15 +0000

This post comes at a perfect time for me. I have been on vacation from my “real job” for the last three weeks. I started worrying in the last week about being able to juggle all my priorities–job, side business, family, workouts, piano lessons, and voice lessons. Oh, and what about a little time to myself? I realize that I really needed a system to help me find the “flow” and to keep on task so I can stay sane. I was thinking about getting up an hour earlier before my son gets up to get a little meditation in and then to make a daily list of what I need to accomplish. So, thank you. Does anyone else have tips on this topic?

By: Amy B.

Amy B. — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:24:55 +0000

@Matt – I would, too. LOL. I am a SAHM, and it is far from vacation – but maybe he meant her teacher summer vacation.

Environmental change is a biggie. Also, trying to explain why you haven’t accomplished anything due to a prolonged period of change is tough on a resume and in a job interview.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:50:45 +0000

There’s a lot of literature about being in the zone. It’s commonly referred to as Flow.

http://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Mihaly-Csikszentmihalyi/dp/0060920432

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:39:07 +0000

I’m pretty sure my wife would kill me if I referred to being a stay-at-home mom as “on vacation.”

By: senol

senol — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:26:58 +0000

quote:
First, if it’s just a stray thought, I jot it down. I put that jotting in a place that I know I’ll look at later, then I return to the task at hand as quickly as possible. Usually, I don’t break my concentration.

That is the hardest part.. Jotting it down… then remembering to look at it later :-)
still working on that

good post Trent