 "Graham Alcott")
In any knowledge work job, you're really playing two different 'roles' at once: you're simultaneously the 'boss' and the 'worker'. You're responsible for: Deciding what your work is ('boss-mode'). Doing the work ('worker-mode'). Dealing with new information inputs (worker-mode) and reacting to them to decide whether to change your priorities as a result (boss-mode).
This creates an immediate conflict and serious potential for indecision about which role should have your attention at different times of the day: do you spend more time in boss-mode (thinking and analysing your work, ensuring its success, planning your next steps) or in worker-mode (putting cherries on cakes, in whatever form that takes in your current job)? Naturally, the grass is always greener: the time you spend in boss-mode may remind you of all the things that you need to be doing in the trenches.
Yet, while you're trying to crank through your to-do list, you'll be making mental notes about all the new projects that need some precious thinking time. Since most people do not have specific definitions or boundaries around what is boss-mode and what is worker-mode for them, they get stressed about whether they've made good decisions and often procrastinate as a result - not having good boundaries or habits here means never finishing boss-mode thinking and never being quite sure when in 'doing' (worker) mode that you're actually doing the right stuff.
What does attention really mean
Your attention is a more limited resource than your time. Have you ever got to the end of a day when you've still got loads to do, you're still motivated to do it and you have all the tools or information that you need, yet find that you're just staring into space? Under those circumstances, you'll often tell yourself you ran out of time, but actually you just ran out of attention to give.
On other days, you might feel as if you've been in back-to-back meetings all day, and it's 4pm before you even have a chance to get any desk time in, to finally look at emails, catch up on your reading and planning, and seize control. On these days, you might really feel that you're short on time, not on attention. Wrong again. Your attention is a currency to be spent, and if you choose to give away as much as 80 per cent of your attention to meetings, don't be surprised if that final 20 per cent of your attention amounts to little more than dealing with a few emails, followed by time spent staring into space and feeling overwhelmed. But don't fool yourself that it was anyone else's fault - if you start to think about the time spent in meetings not just in terms of the time you lose, but also in terms of the attention and energy expended, you soon realise that complex and difficult meetings are a massive drain on your personal resources.
Attention is your currency. Time might be spent, but attention still needs to be paid. Look after this currency, as it's the most valuable currency in the world.
In an average day, you will have different levels of attention. For ease, a crude analysis might highlight three different types of attention:
Proactive attention:
This is where you are fully focused, alert, in the zone and ready to make your most important decisions or tackle your most complex tasks. This level of attention is extremely important and through this book my hope is that you realise just how valuable it really is.
Active attention:
This is where you're plugged in, ticking along, but perhaps flagging slightly. You're easily distracted, occasionally brilliant, but often sloppy too. This level of attention is useful.
Inactive attention:
The lights are on but no one appears to be home. There's not too much brainpower left and you're likely to really struggle with complex or difficult tasks. Your attention here isn't worthless, but its value is limited.
Of course, these are crude and artificial demarcations, but useful ones to think about when trying to maximise your productivity through good attention management. I have spent the last two years watching my attention management trends and flows and talking to others about their own patterns, too.
Reprinted by permission of Penguin India. Excerpted from 'How to be a Productivity Ninja: Worry Less, Achieve More and Love What You Do.' Copyright 2012, 2014 Graham Allcott. All rights reserved
HOW TO BE A PRODUCTIVITY NINJA
Authors: Graham Allcott
Publisher: Penguin India
Price: Rs 599
ISBN: 9781848316836
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When working on multiple projects, it's better to do one thing at a time until that thing reaches a conclusion, Alcott tells Ankita Rai Multitasking is a default mindset in the corporate culture we work in. A lot of people believe that multitasking makes them even more efficient at what they're doing. Why do you think monotasking is a better idea? When most people talk about multitasking, what they really mean is continually refocusing from one unfinished thing to the next unfinished thing. As a result, your brain is constantly having to remember where and what each task is up to. You are building your habits around regular interruption rather than focus. I favour 'multi-projecting' but 'mono-tasking'. On the bigger picture level, we are working on different on-going projects all the time. It is much better to do one thing at a time, until that thing reaches a conclusion, then move on to the next thing. In the book you write that knowledge work means that you are not just the worker but the boss too. How does one manage attention when working in the boss mode? We are all our own boss (because in knowledge work we have a level of autonomy to decide how each task gets done). So even though you may have a manager as well, your manager expects you to do 'boss mode' work, which means clarifying or planning projects and actions. And even though you may have people who work for you, you're also expected to actually do some work yourself, not delegate it all. So that's what I mean by being both the boss and the worker. Once we acknowledge this, it is up to us to decide how much time we spend in 'boss mode' (thinking and planning) and worker mode (doing the work itself). Mostly, it is the 'boss' decisions that require a higher level of our attention. Almost universally, the most difficult boss-mode decisions should be taken at the start of the week. What usually happens when I'm coaching people on their productivity is that they're not being clear whether they're in boss mode or worker mode, Hence it's easy to lose focus or start worrying about things that can wait. Flitting between both of these modes too often leads to inefficiency and stress.
Graham Alcott Productivity Trainer & founder, Think Productive |
