In a similar effort to my previous trial, using BeeMinder for accountability, I’m hoping by reevaluating how I use my physical space – particularly my bedroom – I’ll see improvements in a few areas. Inspired by CGP Grey’s video, Spaceship You, I plan to better define and adhere to my “stations,” the designated spaces for certain activities.
Boundary Decay
When the video first came out in April of this year, I applied the lessons in it, created my stations, and did my best to avoid cross contamination of activities. As time went on, those boundaries crumbled.
Lately, I’ve had a bad habit of mixing my work and play areas. While working, I’ll throw on a YouTube video as “background noise,” which of course becomes my focus, as interesting ideas and jokes steal my attention from the task I’m supposed to be working on.. Then, there are times I try to work while in relaxation or entertainment mode. I’ll hop in a game with friends and tell myself that I’ll write a few sentences while I’m waiting to respawn. This goes as well as you might expect; I close my laptop shortly after the game starts.
For me, work has a lot of different forms. It can be my day job, writing, researching, editing, programming, and more. My definition of work is consistent effort on a given project. The intention with the space is to focus on a given task until I find the right time to stop.
Distractions while working were the core inspiration for this trial, but rewatching the video made me think about the other areas I am neglecting as well. Lately, my exercise routine has been lacking, even with a number of options for home workouts. Also, I’ve gotten in the habit of watching a quick video or two while laying in bed to catch up on a few channels. These are simply the result of the loss of intentionality with these spaces.
Separating Stations
While my stations are defined, what I need to now is recreate the boundaries between them. To do this, I’ve come up with a number of rules:
- No entertainment content while at my working desk.
With my current track record, I need to strictly avoid any entertainment while in my space to work. The only exception to this will be lyric free music and the Study With Me playlist by Thomas Frank. This doesn’t apply to just during “work hours” either. Respecting the space for what I need to do there is key.
- Any breaks taken during work will be done away from my work desk.
This ties into the above rule. When I’m in my work station, I plan to be doing work. If I need a moment out of the trenches, I need to step away from the desk. Moving to the entertainment station or even out of the room entirely may be needed. The ultimate point is to continue associating that space with working.
- If a distracting idea comes up, I’ll write it on a whiteboard and get back to the task at hand
There are times that an idea comes to mind and I start to explore it, ending in a rabbithole of twelve tabs open in Google Chrome. While doing so has led me to some interesting places, in order to maintain focus, I will write down the idea and get back on task.
- Eating will only be done in the entertainment station.
Eating may not seem to be a distraction, but in the end, the goal is to allow each space to only be used for its purpose.
- My bed is for sleeping only.
There’s a saying that goes “the bed is a place for two things: sleep and sex.” However, my lack of a partner makes the latter a bit unproductive, leaving me with sleep. In the end, I want to develop my ability to fall asleep by creating an association with laying in bed with sleep, not laying in bed reading, watching YouTube, or visiting more adult-oriented content.
- Prep the fitness station (roll out my yoga mat) for use in the morning.
There is a ton of research supporting exercise and its improvement to mental health and performance. While I am in okay shape, I know my routine has fallen apart recently. As part of a nightly routine, I want to set myself up with a reminder to exercise in the morning.
Any and all these rules are likely to be broken every so often, during and after this trial. Making them, however, should help to develop an expected behavior, not an impossible standard.
The Flight Path of Spaceship Me
In applying these rules for myself, I hope to see the following improvements:
- Reduce distractions while working to less than 15 minutes per day.
- Fall asleep in less than 15 minutes when it’s time for bed.
- Develop a morning fitness routine.
As the trial continues, I’ll share more details on each station and how it is used, as well as how the rules above are impacting these goals.
Trying Out Before Buying In 