Some of you may have noticed my posting frequency has dropped a little. There’s a good reason for this. Early last week my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl – our first born.
We named her Amy.
Being a new dad is simply amazing. Sure I have to change dirty nappies and wake up at odd hours in the night, but the joys and rewards far out weigh these petty annoyances. There’s something magical about connecting with your child that I am at a lost to describe. A simple smile in an instant can wipe away all the worries of the day.
For the parents out there you already know what I’m talking about. For those of you who aren’t parents yet, once you become one, you find your whole perspective on life shifts – for the better. What used to be important, become less so. Suddenly, you find yourself looking forward to seeing your child, spending time with her and making sure she’s fed, warm and content. I find I’m less stressed out about things in general and I take the time to recount how lucky I am in so many ways.
Being a parent is a huge responsibility. You are responsible for ensuring your child is safe. You are responsible for the development of your child. How they grow up and what kind of person they become are your responsibility. I have been fortunate enough to be in a mentoring position with people I work with. I have experienced the satisfaction when I see someone I manage achieve their goals at work. Being a parent takes this to the next level. It is about nurturing your child’s budding personality, cultivating her curiosity to learn and grow as well as supporting her in the things she is passionate about.
Although Amy is only 1 week old, I already see how my focus in life will change. My dad always say in life you keep adding on instead of exchanging. What he means is life is about accumulating experiences. You don’t exchange a set of values for something else. As we grow, we add new beliefs to our belief systems. Sure I’ll still strive to improve myself and become an Entrepreneur in the truest sense, but I’ll also be dedicated to ensuring all the essential elements are in place in order for Amy to get all the opportunities she deserves.
The thing about personal development is it improves who we are, what we do and how we interact with people. No more so than now, I find all the years I have invested in developing myself, will become increasingly more useful, as I transition into my role as a dad.
The things I’ve written about are all equally applicable:
- How to encourage others
- Time boxing
- Accomplishing goals
- Overcoming self imposed limitations
- Being happy
- Step by step improvements
- Developing positive patterns
- Solving problems
- Waking up early
Not only will these lessons help me be a better dad but they will also be essential tools for Amy to obtain in her own journey through life. For all the parents out there, good luck. I wish you all the best. May your children grow up to be the best they dream to be.
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I have been a software engineer for about 10 years now. Even after all these years, I still feel somewhat apprehensive whenever I start on a new project. I can’t exactly put my finger on it, and it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve done it before, there’s always some unknown element associated with every project.
Whenever I’m in a situation that seem daunting like starting a new project, I always apply a set of problem solving techniques. Some of you may think these are obvious, but personally, I’ve found them immensely useful especially when faced with complex problems and I’m stressed out.
I hope you can benefit from my listing them here. If nothing else, bookmark this article for future reference. Here are 13 problem solving nuggets I apply constantly:
1. Start with a positive outlook. The first thing you should do when faced with a difficult problem is to start with a positive outlook. Sometimes our first reaction is to fear the unknown. That’s pretty natural. However, I’ve realised over the years that it is the unknown that has given us, as individuals and as the human race, the curiosity to try new things and aim for the stars. Don’t fear the problem itself. Look at it as an opportunity.
2. Understand the problem well by asking questions. I distinctly remember my days in University where an entire classroom of would-be engineers have sat there having not understood an important point the lecturer had made two months ago. Yet nobody had asked a single question. Why is that? A lot of it has to do with the fear of looking stupid. Most of the time, I find people do have the same questions as I do, but for some reason are too afraid to ask them. Regardless, before you can solve a problem, you must first understand it. If there’s something you don’t understand, ask as many questions as you need to. There are no stupid questions, only those you do not yet have an answer for.
3. Approach the problem with an open mind. An old saying goes, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything becomes a nail”. What this means: The way you have done things in the past may not always work for all situations. In life, I find there are often many solutions to a given problem. Some are more effective than others. Some are more appropriate than others. When faced with a difficult problem, do not assume you know the answer at the start. Stop for a second and take the time to understand what the problem is truly about before applying a solution. Be open to all possibilities. Do not presume everything is a nail.
4. Look at the problem from the helicopter view. Sometimes the problem we are trying to solve isn’t the real problem at all. In order to solve a problem, we may need to take a helicopter view of the situation. From a different vantage point, we may discover that the problem we have focused on is in fact part of a bigger problem – one which would require a completely different solution. So, before attempting to put a solution in place, first seek out the “real” problem. Once you have understood the problem in its entirety and context, only then can you determine the best course of action.
5. Define the problem thoroughly. Take a minute or two to actually define the problem. In doing so, identify what the problem is about and what it isn’t about. When you understand the problem thoroughly, you may already know what tools you need to apply or what solutions to avoid because they are not appropriate. Sometimes, when given a problem, we can naturally assume it is something it is not and so can implement the wrong solution. It is often more effective to ensure you understand the problem, its symptoms and causes before proceeding. Ask what, where, why, how and whom. Write the problem down, draw diagrams, create plans etc.
6. Dissect the problem into bite sized chunks. Would you eat a whole apple in one mouthful? Probably not. In a similar fashion, some problems are simply too big to chew all at once. A useful technique for solving complex problems is drilling-down into the detail and continuing until each puzzle piece becomes manageable. Once you have a set of manageable pieces, solve each individually. When a given problem is broken into bite sized chunks, sometimes it is easier to see the patterns, tools to apply and the actions that need to take place.
7. Think through the issues logically. Simple problems don’t often require a plan of attack. However, given a complex problem or one which involves an extended time frame, having an actionable plan identifying what needs to be done is crucial. The plan is a good reminder for yourself of what and when things need happen as well as a communication tool for all the people involved. Creating a plan requires that you think through all the issues logically and identify all the relevant issues and constrains.
8. Look for similarities with other problems. Whenever you are faced with a problem, ask yourself whether this problem shares the same characteristics as something else you may have solved. Often, problems mask themselves within their context but the root issue is the same. If you find you have a problem which shares the same characteristics as something else, you may be able to leverage the solution you have applied to that other problem. I find this is most useful in conjunction with the previous tip. When a problem is broken down into its constituent parts, you’ll find some of these parts occur frequently in other places.
9. Don’t be discouraged by mistakes. Problem solving and making mistakes often go hand-in-hand. Sometimes in order to find the best solution to a given problem, we have to go through a hundred bad solutions first. The most important thing here is to remember that mistakes are ok. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t get frustrated. Use the mistakes as stepping stones to get to the desired solution. If you have gone through a hundred options to no avail, you have found a hundred ways not to do something rather than one hundred failures.
10. Don’t let your emotions get in the way. Emotions or stress can sometimes affect our thinking and judgement. Do not let these cloud your mind. In most cases, problems are best dealt with logically. Try adopting a rational mindset and let your mind govern your actions. Go through in your mind what the problem is, then identify the steps which are required to resolve the situation before taking action. If you find you are too emotionally charged, pause for a moment and let yourself calm down first.
11. Focus on the end state. Problem solving is about getting from one state to another state. This is known as traversing the solution path. Sometimes getting from the start state to the end state is not as immediately obvious as seeing how the end state can come from the start state. In many ways, this is like navigating using a map – we can either trace a path from where we are to where we want to go or we can start from the destination and work backwards. In many cases, I find it is useful to focus on the end state and then plan backwards until I get to familiar territory.
12. Take notes and record your progress. When a problem is open ended and you’re working in uncharted space, be vigilant with your note taking and record your progress. You may find months later an off handed note you made can be the breakthrough you are looking for. It may not be immediately obvious at the time, so record your progress and ensure you can trace back to the things you have tried and what the results were.
13. Check your answers and challenge your assumptions. As you progress, be mindful of the answers you have obtained and assumptions you have made. Ensure they are logically consistent and “makes sense”. Mistakes do happen, so check, recheck and then check again. You do not want to build your solution upon incorrect answers and assumptions. When you are satisfied with your solution, don’t forget to test it under various conditions, not just the most likely scenario, but also the edge cases. Only with rigorous testing can you be sure your solution meets the initial requirements.
Good luck! Remember these nuggets and apply any and all to the problems you are struggling with.
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Over the years I have worked at many client sites and a variety of office layouts. On one project in particular, we had as many as 80 people in a project team, seated via an open plan arrangement. It was pretty difficult trying to stay focused in an environment like this. These days, the projects I’m on are typically smaller, but there are still a number of distractions which frequently interrupt my working groove. So what are some of the things we can do to minimise such interruptions and distractions?
Here’s my list of 18 ways to stay focused at work:
- Write out a daily task list and plan your day. There’s nothing like a task list sitting next to you to keep you focused. When you have a list of the things you need to accomplish in a day, having that close to you constantly reminding you of what needs to be done is a great way of keeping on track.
- Allocate time slots colleagues can interrupt you. In a busy work place, people are moving and talking all the time. If you play a role in a team where others need to interact with you, try allocating a time slot they can interrupt you. Instead of having people stop by your desk every 10 mins and asking you questions, let them know of a time in the day, say between 2-4pm you can be interrupted. At all other times, you can really get some work done.
- Apply time boxing. In a previous article, I wrote about the benefits of time boxing. Instead of working at something till it is done, try working on it for a limited period, say 30 mins. By that time, the task is either completed or you allocate another time slot, perhaps in another day, to pick it up again. This way, you keep your work fresh and engaging throughout the entire working day.
- Setup filters in your email. If you spend a lot of your time communicating and planning in front of your computer, chances are you deal with emails on a frequent basis. Setting up filters in your email client can be a great way of sorting out what’s important and urgent from personal stuff which can wait. Instead of dealing with a single Inbox with hundreds of unread email, you only need to deal with smaller folders categorised by project, priority and context.
- Do not check personal email in the morning. Checking personal emails can be very distracting even with filters setup. This is especially true when your friends send you links to interesting articles, jokes or videos on YouTube. If you’re not careful, you can get side tracked for hours. Instead of checking your personal email as soon as you get in, try starting work straight away. This will build up some momentum as you ease into your work day. You should check your personal email only after you have a few tasks completed or underway. Also, if you don’t want to perpetuate a particular distracting email thread, just don’t reply to it until after work.
- Set your IM status. If you use Instant Messenger, when you don’t want to be disturbed, make use of the status and set yourself as being away or busy. Your friends and colleagues will honour that. They can either send you an email or look you up later when you aren’t as busy.
- Listen to the right types of music. Music is a great way of settling into the working routine. In addition, having music can drown out office noises like printers and background chattering. Be careful though, depending on personal preference, some types of music are not particularly conducive to productive work. For me, I can’t work when listening to songs with lots of lyrics because the words interrupt my thinking process.
- Use the headphones but leave the music off. Some people prefer to have absolute silence when working. I think that also depends on what kind of work you are doing. If you’re doing some serious planning or something computational, having music blasting in your ears may not be the best thing for keeping focused. Try using headphones or ear plugs to block out the background noise but leave the music off.
- Fill up a water bottle. Keeping yourself hydrated is pretty important for all sorts of health reasons. Instead of going to the water cooler with your glass every hour, try filling up a water bottle at the start of the day. This does a couple of things – firstly, it limits the starts/stops associated every time you get up for water and secondly, it avoids being sucked into lengthy discussions around the water cooler.
- Find the best time to do repetitive and boring tasks. No matter how much you try to avoid it, you’re going to have to face doing things which are either repetitive or boring. For these tasks, I find it is best to choose a time in the day to work on them. For example, I’m more alert at the start of the day, so it’s better to work on things which require brain power early. Working on boring tasks that can be done via auto-pilot are better left towards the end of the day when I’m usually tired.
- Bring your lunch and have it at your desk. I’m not suggesting you do this every day, but if you really have to focus and are trying to meet a deadline, having your lunch at your desk really helps. The normal one hour lunch break can really interrupt any momentum you might have built up during the morning. I find when I’m eating lunch at my desk, my lunch breaks are shorter and I can get through a few emails while I’m eating. After I’m done, I’m straight back working on the next task.
- Don’t make long personal calls. Most of us have a good separation between our working and personal lives (or a least try to). I think we can all agree we should avoid having work intrude on our personal time as much as possible. The reverse of this also applies. Try limiting the time you spend doing personal things during work as they can be distracting and draining on your motivation. For example, you do not really want to be thinking about your weekend away with your spouse when you really need to get things done.
- Clean up your desk. Some of you may have desks which can only be described as ordered chaos. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as long as you can find what you need without too much digging around. However, if you can’t, I suggest cleaning up your desk. That doesn’t mean having an empty desk, it just means having neat stacks of paper, all filed in the correct location. It also helps tremendously having all the things you need easily within arms reach. For example, if you need a place to write, having your pen and notepad close by and easily accessible is incredibly useful.
- Get a good chair. If you sit for long hours at your desk and I’m sure some of you do, you might find it helpful to get a good chair. I find it’s pretty hard to stay focused when my neck and back are sore because I have a bad setup at my desk. A good chair can eliminate this, allowing you to work for long stretches without breaks and physical distractions.
- Use shortcuts on your computer. If you find you do the same thing with your computer more than once throughout the day, you might find it helpful to look for ways in which you can do them without too much manual repetition. For example, if there’s a project folder you access all the time, try adding a shortcut to your Explorer or Finder so you can get access to it with a single click, instead of expanding folder after folder in the tree panel.
- Close programs you’re not using. As a software engineer, I use a lot of programs important to my work. However, in most cases, I only need a few applications open at the same time. Instead of Alt-Tabbing constantly and fighting the computer to locate the program you need, try only having the applications you need open. Close everything else. For example, if you have already located a file and no longer need a particular Explorer or Finder instance open, close it. There’s no reason to leave it around at all.
- Limit time on Digg, Delicious, news sites and blogs. I don’t think I need to say too much about this. There are so many sites on the Internet worth looking at, including this site
. Digg, Delicious, news and blogs are great from an interest perspective, but they can really take you away from the work you should be working on. Try to limit going to these sites during the working day. If you really have to, try doing it during your lunch time. No, you don’t need to have your finger on the pulse every single minute of the day… - Change your mindset and make work fun. For me, I find it difficult to stay focused on doing things I’m not by nature interested in doing. In most cases, there’s probably nothing I can do about it. However, be mindful of the fact that your perception of work is something you can control. For my last tip here, I suggest you try changing your mindset or turning work into a game. An unfocused mind, is an unchallenged mind. So make things fun!
I hope these tips will take you closer to more focused and productive work days. If you are still in need for more tips about staying focused, you can take a look at a previous blockbuster smash hit article I wrote entitled 11 ways of staying focused. In that article, I approached the issue from a top down, rather than bottom up perspective.
Ok, good luck! If you like this article, tell your friends, Digg it or add it to your Delicious bookmarks.
Hey, what are you still doing here? Get back to work!
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