This document discusses strategies for avoiding interruptions and regaining focus as a maker or knowledge worker. It notes that context switching is expensive and most developers only have 1-2 hours of focused work per day due to interruptions. It then provides numerous suggestions for avoiding interruptions from other people, tools, and oneself through practices like dedicating focus time and spaces, asynchronous communication, limiting work in progress, and pairing with others. Finally, it discusses techniques for minimizing the impact of interruptions like preserving context and notes.

1. The Maker’s Guide To
Focusing
and Getting Shit Done!
@azolyak

2. GOT DISTRACTIONS?

3. I want to make an impact.
My time is valuable to me.
I want to use it well.
@azolyak

4. Adam Zolyak
Developer Advocate
adam@waffle.io
Maker
adam@tinkurlab.com
@azolyak
adamzolyak

5. Most of Us Work on
Teams
@azolyak

6. Many of The People On
Teams Are Makers
@azolyak

7. Who Are Makers?
Makers (for this talk) are people
who require significant time and
context to do their work.
@azolyak

8. Who Are Makers?
Writers
Developers Designers
Testers ???
@azolyak

9. This talk is for Makers...
@azolyak

10. This talk is for people who work with Makers...
@azolyak

11. This IS NOT a talk
about doing the right thing...
@azolyak

12. This IS NOT a talk
about doing the thing well...
@azolyak

13. This IS a talk
about having time to do the thing…
with minimal waste...
@azolyak

14. ● Why do makers need time and focus for making?
● What is the state of focus in 2018?
● How can I avoid being interrupted?
● How can I get better at being interrupted?
● How can I take back my time?
@azolyak

15. Makers Need
Uninterrupted Time
For Making
@azolyak

16. A Software Developer...
@azolyak

17. Time

18. Makers Need Time
To Do The Work
@azolyak

19. Speed Matters
In today’s market, speed to market is
often a determining factor of success.
@azolyak

20. Effort vs. Cycle Time
Effort = Amount of Time (ex. 4 hours)
Cycle Time = Elapsed Time (ex. 2 weeks)
@azolyak

21. Context

22. @azolyak

23. Context is information in our
consciousness that we need to
complete the work at hand.
@azolyak

24. Prospective Memory
What is is?
Reminders to perform future actions
Example
Remembering to come back to this code and add error handling
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

25. @azolyak

26. Attentive Memory
What is it?
Reminders about the current task to the current task
Example
Remembering to change a variable in location B and C after changing it in
location A
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

27. @azolyak

28. Conceptual Memory
What is it?
Recollection of concepts
Example
Remembering how JavaScript functions work
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

29. @azolyak

30. Associative Memory
What is it?
Links between information
Example
Remembering how function Foo and Bar relate to each other
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

31. @azolyak

32. Episodic Memory
What is it?
Recollection of past events
Example
Remembering a lesson learned from a previous code review and applying it to
the current work
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

33. @azolyak

34. Gaining Context
is Expensive
@azolyak

35. Context Switching
is Expensive
@azolyak

36. @azolyak

37. @azolyak

38. @azolyak

39. @azolyak

40. The State of Focus
in 2018

41. “Our time is being stolen!”
@azolyak

42. “Our time is being stolen!”
By other people.
@azolyak

43. “Our time is being stolen!”
By other people. By our tools.
@azolyak

44. “Our time is being stolen!”
By other people. By our tools. By ourselves.
@azolyak

45. Where does our time go?
@azolyak

46. Developer, interrupted...
15% personal (lunch, breaks)
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

47. Developer, interrupted...
10% metawork
15% personal (lunch, breaks)
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

48. Developer, interrupted...
10% metawork
15% personal (lunch, breaks)
15% meetings
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-much-time-do-we-spe
nd-in-meetings-hint-its-scary
@azolyak

49. Developer, interrupted...
10% metawork
15% personal (lunch, breaks)
15% meetings
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-much-time-do-we-spe
nd-in-meetings-hint-its-scary
@azolyak

50. Developer, interrupted...
https://www.ics.uci.edu/~gmark/CHI2005.pdf
60% experience an opportunity for interruption
(context switch) every 12 minutes
25minutes to return to original work after an interruption
@azolyak

51. Development in 2018

52. Being interrupted by tools...
notifications and email chat and meetings
@azolyak

53. … and being interrupted by people ...
@azolyak
… and by ourselves

54. The Focus Interrupt Cycle
Context 1
Context 2
Context 3
Realign Context 1
@azolyak

55. The Focus Interrupt Cycle
@azolyak

56. Regaining Context
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
10-15 minutes before editing code after returning to work
Mostdevelopers navigated to several locations and tools before
resuming editing code
@azolyak

57. Multitasking
Multitasking as a “mythical activity in
which people believe they can perform
two or more tasks simultaneously as
effectively as one.”
@azolyak

58. 10% metawork
15% personal (lunch, breaks)
??% context switching
Developer, interrupted...
15% meetings
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
@azolyak

59. Developer, interrupted...
http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/
1-2 hours of focused work time
in an 8 hour work day...
15-25% focused work
@azolyak

60. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-06-24_11_42_46_View_south_along_Elko_County_Route_748_(Charleston-Jarbidge_Road)_at_the_junction_wi
th_Elko_County_Route_746_(North_Fork-Charleston_Road)_in_Charleston,_Nevada.jpg
So what can we do
about it?
@azolyak

61. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-06-24_11_42_46_View_south_along_Elko_County_Route_748_(Charleston-Jarbidge_Road)_at_the_junction_wi
th_Elko_County_Route_746_(North_Fork-Charleston_Road)_in_Charleston,_Nevada.jpg
Avoid Being
Interrupted
@azolyak

62. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-06-24_11_42_46_View_south_along_Elko_County_Route_748_(Charleston-Jarbidge_Road)_at_the_junction_wi
th_Elko_County_Route_746_(North_Fork-Charleston_Road)_in_Charleston,_Nevada.jpg
Avoid Being
Interrupted
Get Good At
Being Interrupted
@azolyak

63. Avoiding Interruptions

64. This is a buffet. Because I don’t know what will work for
you, I’m offering lots of options.
Pick a few things. Learn by doing.
Don’t try everything. You’ll get sick. It will be bad.
@azolyak

65. Part 1
Avoiding Interruptions
From Others

66. AKA
Are you are part the problem
or part of the solution?

67. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_office.jpg

68. Open Spaces
Varied Spaces
@azolyak

69. https://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/26699657835
Spaces for Small Groups@azolyak

70. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Modern_Architectural_Details-_brightcove_Glass_Dry_Marker_Panel_System_by_Phil_Manker_(7349701020).jpg
Spaces That
Block Out
Distractions
@azolyak

71. https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinvars/7176368842
Spaces for Focus
@azolyak

72. https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinvars/7176368842
Spaces for Sharing
@azolyak

73. https://www.flickr.com/photos/losangelesdistrict/7699561744
Spaces for Getting To Know
Each Other
@azolyak

74. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Home_Sweet_Studio.jpg
WORK FROM HOME
@azolyak

75. https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-brick-wall-close-up-373918/
@azolyak

76. https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-brick-wall-close-up-373918/
THE HEADPHONE RULE
Have a team rule - if you’re
wearing headphones, you
don’t want to be interrupted
unless it’s critical.
@azolyak

77. FOCUS MUSIC
@azolyak

78. https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-brick-wall-close-up-373918/
REMOTE HEADPHONES
@azolyak

79. https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-brick-wall-close-up-373918/
REMOTE HEADPHONES
@azolyak

80. Synchronous
vs.
Asynchronous?
@azolyak

81. DECIDE IF YOU NEED TO INTERRUPT SOMEONE
@azolyak

82. DECIDE WHICH INTERRUPTIONS YOU WANT
@azolyak

83. IT’S YOUR CHOICE
@azolyak

84. CAN YOU FIND THE ANSWER YOURSELF?
@azolyak

85. SHARING NOTES PREVENTS FUTURE INTERRUPTIONS
@azolyak

86. CAN IT WAIT?
... until the person sees your message?
… until your daily team standup?
… until your week planning meeting?
@azolyak

87. MAKE TIME FOR INTERRUPTIONS
● DAILY standup
● WEEKLY planning
● WEEKLY retrospective
● Email at the end of each day
If you have a predictable cadence, people will be willing
to wait and less likely to interrupt you.
@azolyak

88. BUT HAVE A WAY TO REMEMBER THINGS TO DISCUSS
@azolyak

89. BUT HAVE A WAY TO REMEMBER THINGS TO DISCUSS
@azolyak

90. BUT EVERYTHING'S
ALWAYS ON FIRE!
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2010_0515_rama_4_and_sathorn_22a.JPG
@azolyak

91. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_080730-N-5277R-003_A_Commander,_Naval_Forces_Japan_firefighter_douses_a_fire_on_a_dummy_airc
raft_during_the_annual_off-station_mishap_drill_at_Naval_Support_Facility_Kamiseya.jpg
FIREFIGHTER PERSON
OF THE WEEK
@azolyak

92. LIMIT YOUR WORK IN PROGRESS
@azolyak

93. Part 2
Avoiding Interruptions
From Yourself

94. Make Commitments
With Yourself
@azolyak

95. https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/38658578081
Pomodoro Timer
@azolyak

96. What are your goals for
tomorrow?
Are these aligned to
outcomes?
https://pixabay.com/en/checklist-goals-box-notebook-pen-2589418/
@azolyak

97. Pick 1 or 2 or 3.
https://pixabay.com/en/checklist-goals-box-notebook-pen-2589418/
@azolyak

98. Pick 1 or 2 or 3.
Ignore The Rest.
(until your next scheduled time for
being interrupted)
https://pixabay.com/en/checklist-goals-box-notebook-pen-2589418/
@azolyak

99. No, really...
Ignore The Rest
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ru%C3%ADdo_Noise_041113GFDL.JPG
@azolyak

100. Time Blocking - For Focus and For Interruptions
@azolyak

101. Fidgeting FTW!
@azolyak

102. https://www.flickr.com/photos/psd/7643834346
Inspect and Adapt
@azolyak

103. Part 3
Avoiding Interruptions
Is A Team Sport!

104. MAKE TIME FOR INTERRUPTIONS
● DAILY standup
● WEEKLY planning
● WEEKLY retrospective
● Email at the end of each day
If you have a predictable cadence, people will be willing
to wait and less likely to interrupt you.
@azolyak

105. If you do this as a team
... align the top things
… align on a cadence
… inspect and adapt
@azolyak

106. If you do this as a team
... align the top things
… align on a cadence
… inspect and adapt
you will have way more time to focus!
@azolyak

107. Your Team
Can Help You Focus
@azolyak

108. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pair_Programming_3.jpg
Pairing With Another Person
@azolyak

109. https://www.flickr.com/photos/vsmithuk/5598453914
Getting Feedback From Your
Team Early and Often
@azolyak

110. Getting Good
at Being Interrupted

111. Preserve Your
Context!
@azolyak

112. CREATE TASKS & TRACK ON A BOARD
@azolyak

113. Recovery Notes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielfoster/14813000931
@azolyak

114. LEAVE BREADCRUMBS
@azolyak

115. TEST DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT
& AUTOMATED TESTS
@azolyak

116. PRESERVE YOUR WORKSPACE
https://pxhere.com/en/photo/563656
@azolyak

117. IT’S TIME TO TAKE
BACK OUR TIME!
@azolyak

118. waffle.io
Project Management
Reimagined for Development
Teams
Waffle.io helps developers to stay
focused and quickly regain context
after interruptions.
Adam Zolyak
Developer Advocate
adam@waffle.io
@azolyak