How Do You Stay Focused and Avoid Distractions As A Software Developer?

How do not get distracted? How do you stay focused? How do you stay on topic at work? These are the questions we will tackle in this episode of Dev Questions.
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[@webdevguy_]

I was programming and got distracted by this video. But it was worth it. LOL. Thanks Tim.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

So maybe you should set aside specific time in your week to watch Tim's videos 😁

[@santhoshn3766]

When I started watching this video,I was distracted by video comments..😄😄

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Live stream videos are the worst for that. I have to turn them off or hide then off screen.

[@wixse.quisee]

😂😂😂 same

[@jasonmiller1076]

The hardest part of all of this is indeed the discipline. Usually I can do the right thing for a couple days, or if I'm really ambitious a week. But doing the right thing when you could totally quit and nobody would notice nor care is hard. I think your the best programmer on KZbin as far as teaching goes. Your realistic and no matter how large your audience is you try to listen to us as if we are in a small class room setting. Thank you for all that you do.

[@kitsurubami]

any advice for a like-minded person? i'm ambitious for 3 maybe 4 days, and it always dies off.

[@jasonmiller1076]

@@kitsurubami i am still trying to figure it out myself. For me, I honestly think I have inattentive type adhd. I constantly get excited about some new idea, and then buy a course for it or whatever, I only to get bored after a few days. I also suffer from depression which I think is linked to my inability to complete things. But before you go seeing a psychiatrist about adhd, I would first recommend you try these things: healthy diet, intermittent fasting, reduce stimulation (dopamine fast), daily meditation, exercise, Journal and write down realistic things that can happen along the way of reaching your goal and a plan to overcome them, tell other people about your plans, schedule time to work on your goal when there is the least amount of distractions. Etc. Stuff like that. Its all about troubleshooting starting with the most simple solutions

[@kitsurubami]

@@jasonmiller1076 gratitude journals are really good too. i'm not keeping one but i always count my blessings. it helps.

[@LukeAvedon]

@@kitsurubami 'Study with Me' livestreams definitely helped me.

[@Kupferhans]

@@kitsurubami Hi kitsurubami and Jason. I know that from myself to. When something needs to be done now, I'm motivated, concentrated, have fun and get it done. But there are also times, when everything important is done, it's thursday afternoon or friday and the motivation is gone. I think it is important, to just accept that. You can't be razor-sharp all the time. Often I use this time to educate myself on whatever interests me. This is never wasted time.

[@kgnet8831]

Really good video👍👍👍 Addtional Tips (things which work for me): 1) Use white noise instead of music (air dryer for example) -> it does not distract and it blends out everything 2) Notepad is good, but my sister gave me an Alexa (even so I never wanted one) -> Now i just tell my Alexa all notes and reminders and do not even have a notepad open (a full notepad can be a distraction all by itself) 3) Use multiple virtual Desktops -> I work with 2 Desktops, but use 5 pairs of virtual desktops: youtube / netflix, mail /calendar, programming (visual studio), testing (visual studio code and remote desktop), notes and Documentation (windows docs etc) with different backgrounds, so that the background already tells me in what mode I am 4) Use Windows Focus mode 5) use the early / late hours for programming => during the day are meetings or customer calls or colleagues to distract oneself, but I try to get work done really early (6AM-8AM) or late (after 6PM) and do bigger breakes during the day, because in that hours nobody disturbes you

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for sharing those great tips! I love the Alexa one. I guess Cortana can do that?

[@kumarvivek02]

I love Tim's videos on all topics, technical and otherwise. Granted since a lot of them are 45 mins+, I watch them at 1.25X speed :). I rarely write comments, but I hope if Time reads this, he realizes how many blokes like me he's helping.

[@IAmTimCorey]

I'm glad to have been of help.

[@SelfLearner22]

Well, I was doing my office work. Suddenly your notification pops up and I can say that this kind of distraction is needed sometimes. Thank Tim.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

(Hint) If you had a set time every week to watch Tim's videos, he would not be a distraction! 😉

[@wayahedia9989]

Yup.. This is why I opted to work at home around 1993. I can't handle the constant interruptions in n office atmosphere.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Glad you found an option that worked for you.

[@lilcaesarman]

Great tips Tim! I keep a daily notepad as well but I track what I do so when a project takes longer than expected, I can look back to see why lol... I work from home which doesn't help me much because I get distracted by wanting to do things at home. My old work office was an open office layout so I felt the pressure of people watching me so I was more productive.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Here is my suggestion: try the Pomodoro technique. Get yourself a simple timer (like amzn.to/3eKLCsI - some people find the ticking to be an aid to focusing or you can go with amzn.to/3kSDg5Y if you want quick options). Then pick a task you are going to work on and set the timer for 25 minutes (you might need to work up to that with 15 or 20 at first). Start the timer and then work on only that thing. If an idea pops in your head, write it down and then go back to work on your task. When the timer rings, finish up your work and take a 3 minute break. Get up, walk around, get a drink, or basically anything else that is not at your computer. Then, repeat the process again. Take one session to do busy work (email, reading blogs, texting, etc. combined) and put off that work until that session (you will probably need to do this twice a day). Every 2-3 work sessions, put in an "around the house" session with the same restrictions. If you can get up to 10 work sessions per day, you will be getting more work done then you are now (and that's only

[@j2csharp]

My Bose noise cancelling headphones are AMAZING, at blocking out the distracting TV noises. You are correct sir! Best Advice ever!

[@IAmTimCorey]

I'm glad you like them.

[@timothyhastie]

Thank you. This was really helpful. Been struggling with distractions lately. Your channel is a huge benefit to many. Keep it up

[@IAmTimCorey]

Excellent!

[@williamFrSFO16]

Thank you, Tim! Back at work now, so it’s nice to have some suggestions on keeping focus in my more limited free time.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Congrats on the job. Glad that is working out for you!

[@ahlinn6809]

Good points to practice. Thanks Tim

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@fortunembulazi]

Thanks for this video Tim, much appreciated. I'm a junior dev at a small company and sometimes I get distracted a lot and I can see it a real issue, going forward I'm gonna be much better.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Consider sharing the video with your team mates and boss so you are all thinking the same way. Maybe, as a team, you can define some set focus time where all of you "tune out" for the same time slot.

[@fortunembulazi]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 Alright Tim, I'll certainly do.

[@timothywestern6488]

Some ideas I would add: Try to schedule blocks for your day. When I was focused on testing or quality I would try to box 30-90 minutes of contiguous time just on that, and then take a break rest my mind a moment, and do a debrief, review. I also find I discover lots of work while I'm coding. Sometimes its just part of the normal test/build/refactor/synthesize cycle. So I started keeping a small little legal pad to write down notes of things I discover i need to do, but am not ready to do. As I work in an Agile environment, work that seems to have a them or a particular focus may indicate a new story with tasks that I need to define in our tracking system. Be deliberate about working breaks for the brain as well as the body into the day. It is draining to stay hyper focused for multiple hours at a time. Breaks help it last longer especially as you get older. I also like to pick at least one day a week to focus for an hour to a half day on design ideas, and then once or twice a week on helping define my work. If you are in an environment where you aren't just a developer or tester, but also have to help support a product, some of that work can be scheduled, and some of it is going to interrupt. Being intentional and more organized as you do each day can help make it easier to pick the work back up again. It takes time to do, but I find it extremely valuable. Also, when you desperately need to focus find a way like Time says to get into Zone Mode. For me, that's when I don Headphones, sometimes playing music or quiet talk that draws my hearing because its closer and allows my mind to focus. Think also about different types of work you do. Work that's repetitive, routine, reproducible activities is easy to get into a groove on. Creative activity is not always that way. Also if you think of distractions what you can do is acknowledge it and then schedule time to deal with it. Especially if its something that can wait a few minutes. I find if I let outlook remind me of that, then I can let it go in the moment and keep working on the current issue. BTW this sometimes also helps when I discover bugs, bugs can be a huge rabbit hole.

[@timothywestern6488]

So to summarize schedule some of your irregular activities to force intentional structure on it, this includes: Design, Review, Learning, Reading, etc.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for the real world application and sharing what works for you.

[@CyberAbyss007]

Thanks for the video. You distracted me. LOL. A BIG YES on the noise cancelling headphones!

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

When ever I 'meet' with Tim, its over video calls and he wears those headphones. Now I won't know if he is really listening to me or playing his music - LoL.

[@rickyp9803]

Thanks for the suggestions Tim, some of the things you mention I'm already doing and I use Microsoft To-Do to keep track of the DAY tasks, In the great idea to separate a timeframe for checking E-mails, perhaps it would be good to add a message in your signature or like a vacation message, to let folks know when you'll check their E-mail according to the time it was sent. Muchas gracias.

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@hoseahkiplangat]

Thanks, Tim, you have saved me a lot.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for spending your focused time with Tim!

[@jodybailey7683]

Been distracted a lot lately. Thanks for this video.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for spending your time with Tim.

[@williammain3247]

Tim, have you pondered helping Devs navigate employment law? I know it is not the typical C# OOP topic and may even require you to partner with a labor law firm, but things like non-compete agreements and non-disclosure agreements are a very real part of being a professional developer.

[@pierreplourde]

The Province of Ontario recently made all non-compete clauses illegal and unenforceable. Non-solicitation and non-disclosure are still enforceable, though.

[@Talorthain]

Thank you for this video, it does clarify many thoughts, but it is hard when not your own boss. But you have given me ideas for covering the subject.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I used some of Tim's techniques when I was in an office and they work well. One thought, if you purchase ear buds you plan to use in the office for 'focused time', get LOUD COLORED versions, like red, lime green or bright orange. You want folks to notice them in your ears when you are doing focus time so they are less likely to interrupt you. Just a thought.

[@francispion2353]

What kind of boss forbids you from using headphones while you're working!? Isn't it in their best interest for you to be focused while you're working!?

[@Talorthain]

@@francispion2353 I can and do wear headphones, but in the new world of covid and companies making it easier to contact / communicate it is hard to turn everything off. I have had bosses in the past, where every little thought they had or comment from their boss, must be investigated regardless of what you have already told them in the 10 team calls you had that week to understand what you are doing.... I have started conversations and raising ideas for blocking time etc... time will tell...

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

@@francispion2353 They may think you are zoned out listening to music or a sports events. We all know it happens a lot. Its all about individuals building relationships and trust with their boss. Truth is we have to earn that trust. Its not realistic to just assume they should trust every employee.

[@sglasgowaz]

This was a great video. I am all about productivity and ppl think I am not social because no one seems to realize a distraction takes time to get back in the "zone" and I laughed hard about notepad part. I do that all the time, real or program one so I know where I was.

[@IAmTimCorey]

I am glad you enjoyed it.

[@Star-vg7ix]

Excellent subject.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for trusting Tim and faithfully watching.

[@mikey803]

great video. I thought I was the only one who had the distraction and focusing problems. I like to notepad idea. I am going to start implementing it.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@xchanmolx]

Thanks, Tim.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for watching

[@KentBrakewell]

I do this and it helps, but not until hearing you say "Jot down distractions in Notepad" did I realize that I need to reframe my perspective of it - from a good idea that I use when I remember, to a rule that dictates habit. Valuable content, thanks for posting!

[@IAmTimCorey]

Good though.

[@Xershade]

Came to figure out how to be less distracted, realized I pretty much do all of this already minus the telling everyone to leave me alone bit because I'm anti-social and anything involving people usually gets forgotten. :P

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I would suggest not watching KZbin, but ... wait. Nah, KZbin is ok! Thanks for watching!

[@kitsurubami]

you're amazing Tim

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for spending your distraction time with Tim. 😀

[@cjm3801]

Regarding noise canceling headphones… I did the exact same thing when I first started and didn’t have much money but they have by far been the best investment of my career. I can’t even think right without them at least being on, even with no music now.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for sharing what has been working for you.

[@luiscarlos715]

Very Helpful

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for watching

[@WeaselGreasel]

Glad to hear that other people also do the "Rabbit hole traceback" :-) Also, thanks for the video. These are some awesome tips.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@danish4129]

Hey @Tim You are providing such a great content. Do you have any video on fetching data from Sqlite or Sql server from multiple tables?

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

For SQLite see kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6rTZKd-etCFmZI and for SQL see kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5unlHt9rd6ke5Y. In both, look at the topic breakdown in the video notes to jump to specific topics.

[@kostasgkoutis8534]

+1 for mentioning Notepad (this very same reply message was prepared in Notepad via hitting Windows Key + N), +1 for being a night person. I also want to point out how setting reminders via some app of your choice (I set them in Slack) or using other tools like time-trackers or password managers can help you out to recover faster from short memory loss. Better get back to work!

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for spending your distraction time with Tim. 😀

[@tymczasowanazwa]

Nobody says that, but to keep focused during work you have to sleep enough hours during the night. Go to sleep early enough to fall asleep without stressing yourself that you can't fall asleep quick. You need to rest if you want to do hard work next day!

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Excellent point! Thanks for sharing that key point!

[@algarud]

I got sick badly (nervous) because of 4 years of being kind of Head of dev department and living in one constant distraction. Recovering now...

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I have been there also. I was too young and inexperienced, I thought. Glad you are recovering and in a better place.

[@nwdreamer]

I'm ADHD so I'm most focused during my programming when I've got a ton of distractions! Used to be a recorded soccer game being played without sound on a TV, music jamming on the stereo, a cup of coffee, a bowl of M&M's, a window with the drapes pulled back (clouds, trees, birds and squirrels), and a playful Boston Terrier. Worked for me! LOL.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Wow! ... just Wow!

[@Greatfulone]

Thank you for these videos. I want to buy a noise canceling headset. I wonder if there are less expensive options?

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I got mine used. Also, I think several vendors are planning "Amazon Prime Days" like sales this month, Target, Walmart, etc. That may be an option.

[@Greatfulone]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 I have to say I tried a very good one from a beloved vendor we all know, and it was like I was in heaven. It'll be the first thing I get when I have the money.

[@thomstunes6485]

Working on devs and distracted (stats says once every 15 minutes) by : emails, phone calls, people coming directly asking things... collegues making chewing mouth noise.... this is awful ! Headphones and smooth jazz are the best combo to kill loads of distractions :)

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I completely agree!

[@daniellaerachannel]

thanks

[@IAmTimCorey]

You're welcome!

[@VeaceslavBARBARII]

I suggest getting a pair of WH-1000XM5 Sony noise+canceling headphones. It was a great investment into productivity.

[@IAmTimCorey]

They are great. I love them. Great for flights, as well, since it reduces the cabin noise to almost nothing.

[@visionmajor7300]

Tim it’s time to talk about blob storage with web apps. One Drive API, Microsoft graph, mongodb maybe. The most cost effective solution to scale a enterprise app. Role base permission file access, organizing files to avoid servEr folders with complex folder hierarchical structures, meta tags for search ability etc. Thanks

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

We appreciate the suggestion and I have added it to Tim's list for consideration.

[@user-jq1oi6ur2x]

Hi Tim. I want to expedite my career and so I went to your website. I was going to buy your product but I’m not sure if I can download your source code? If I buy your product does it come with the source code for me to look at also? Thank you. I didn’t see a contact us page on the website- sorry for using KZbin.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

You can always reach us at [e-mail]. Great questions. Most of the classes for coding come with source code. In fact, as you access most individual lesson sessions, the first thing you find is the download link for this lesson. Email me if you need more info or want to know about a specific course.

[@user-jq1oi6ur2x]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 thank you very much! I’ll be downloading soon. Does it come with source code for the data layer also?

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

@@user-jq1oi6ur2x Depends on the course.

[@user-jq1oi6ur2x]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 do the blazor and mvc courses have source code?

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

@@user-jq1oi6ur2x Many lessons in them do.

[@menfra]

Hi Tim, Thanks for this video. What are your thoughts on blockchain development? Is it going to be the next big thing? Do you think c# developers should invest some time to learn it? I would like to know your response on this. Thanks

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for bringing it up, as this keeps coming up a lot lately. I added it to Tim's list of Student suggestions (again).

[@mattkins99]

I find if my tasks are vague I find things to distract me, however, if I've broken them down detailed enough (I use WBS) then it's much easier to keep focused. But ya, in the devOps world it's really hard to not be distracted.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

As some say "Plan your work, then work your plan"

[@Microgen86]

being a nerd, distractions are important few times a day to break the boring silence when its just me and my brain overthinking or stuck in some loop

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Consider planning your work in 'sprints' rather than a marathon. Maybe deep focused time for 90 minutes, then an alarm to prod you to take a walk, get food, what every. Find what works for you and keep at it!

[@Microgen86]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 thanks yeah i do that but sometimes it feels way better to be naturally distracted. makes a dev feel more like a normal person lol.

[@ahmedfattal9569]

I was happy to give thumbs up 👍 for this video it was 599 I made 600. Thanks Mr. Cory for informative videos

[@IAmTimCorey]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@ThomasLorenz1]

What about thoughts like: This Programming problem is so hard. Because in that i get lost. Is it to divide the problem into little pieces? Or is there more? Thx Tim

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Negative thoughts can be a challenge. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you CAN do it. Break problems into small steps and work each one. Take a break to exercise or stretch. Remember prior big issues you have solved as a reminder that you can succeed.

[@saifshaikh5358]

What is Distraction? A. Watching and listening a video and side by side scroll to reading a comments.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

But no body does that, do they? 😉

[@hristiyankolev9228]

All jokes aside: What do you do when your SCRUM master is the main distraction with intrusive 2-3 productivity meetings per day?

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

As part of an Agile SCRUM Team, you should have a set of team norms, or expected behaviors. If not, request that SCRUM Master (SM) lead the team in defining them with the team voting on each rule. If you do have them, then maybe you need to revisit them as a team. Also, review the SCRUM ceremonies and clearly define / limit the ceremonies that are hindering your progress. Remember, Agile, if done right, is a SELF-DIRECTED team. SM is not the manager, just a member. Revisit the Agile manifesto and its principles as a team, if needed. Next revisit the SCRUM framework definitions as needed. SM should be a servant leader clearing roadblocks, not creating them. [e-mail] if I can help with more specifics.

[@Imafriggingoddess]

I told mine to sod off with the meetings that never seemed to go anywhere and he did but then everyone else started requesting meetings. Now I'm stuck with twice as many meetings as before.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

@@Imafriggingoddess Sorry to hear that. Sounds like a general education related to agile across the team / org. I wish you luck.

[@Imafriggingoddess]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597Thanks, It's fine, I say my piece and zone out.

[@S3Kglitches]

Haha your noise-cancelling headphones. I use these for programming and I thought I'm crazy but I see that it's perfectly normal.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

What I liked about using them in the office is it gives a clear notice to those around that you are focused and don't want to be disturbed. I found that I had to be very careful when someone interrupted me when I had them on. The WAY you remove them and turn to the person can easily expose your inner feelings! LOL - think about it.

[@serpent77]

If you're working for a boss that refuses to understand the intricacies of concentration especially to the level of needing to sign off on anything you're listening to, it's probably time to find a new boss.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

It may be you have a boss who has been burned by prior employees. You may just need more communication and to build trust.

[@serpent77]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 true, it's worth a try, but again, if they REFUSE to even try to understand, your likely just working for a control freak, and it's likely a bad working environment for that reason and probably others.

[@dand4485]

Might be me but find a lot of developers i've seen are kind of OCD and tend to focused. I will take some steps to prevent getting distracted, phone is off, only check e-mail after i finish a given task, no faKebook, and only do work on my work computer, given i'm working at home, I do whatever i can to not be disturbed. Might be one reason i really hate open offices, when i'm programming i have no interest hearing someone talking about the enema they got last week.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I am with you! I find that I not only get distracted by people talking around me, but occasionally I get angry at them if I am struggling with a complex problem. I have to be very careful not to show it.

[@dand4485]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 Absolutely agree, it is interesting Google was the first company to really push open offices, they found after doing it productivity dropped around 30%, even a Harvard study is now proving it. I worked at SicroMoft for about 20 years, and when starting there one perk was "An office all your own..." But about 10 years ago they moved to open offices. Now with all my microsoft friends working at home MS has found there has been a productivity bump of 30%, interesting eh? Even better hearing most of my friends still at $icroMoft, they are seriously considering people my have to opportunity to work at home effectively permanently from now on...

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

@@dand4485 So when I was at "a major phone company" we went thru a similar set of phases. After sending everyone to work from home for a couple years, they found team cohesion and collaborate dropped. Individual work may have gone up some, but they lost that bantering of ideas and innovation that promoted creativity. Also, enforcing intellectual property controls and ownership seemed to be a significant issue. They started pressing "Centers of Excellence" to centralize organizations geographically and pressing them to come into the office for set periods. Many folks that demanded to keep working from home or were in the wrong geographic area lost their jobs. I see it as a pendulum, it will swing back and forth until a balance is finally found.

[@wixse.quisee]

You create systems and make them efficient

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for sharing

[@furtwangler8137]

Our cubicles used to be right by the lunch room. Talk about not being able to concentrate.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Oh, let me reheat my fish left overs! How about some burnt popcorn for a snack. And I love slamming the microwave door over and over, until I step away and leave my food in the microwave to just beep over and over. Never distracts me, nope not ever!

[@furtwangler8137]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 That's it! Plus, we were a fairly large establishment, so 11am-1am was like Grand Central Station. A constant rumble of chatter, utensils clanging and dropping, chairs sliding,... the works. They had the don't cook fish in the microwave sign too, but there was frequently some smell lingering.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

@@furtwangler8137 umm.. "Don't cook Fish" should be permanently printed on the front of every microwave and a sensor installed to turn off the microwave when fish is detected and electrify the handle (non-lethal, of course) to zap the person that did it. 😎

[@claudiufarcas]

I Am Tim Corey and I just got distracted you 😁

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Thanks for getting distracted with Tim.

[@andywalter7426]

I disagree about using notepad. I have found from my experiences that when I used notepad, that actually hurt me. Because what would happen is I would have a hard time finding the notes I needed. I found the more notes I had for different things, the harder it became. What helped me the most even though it was not perfect was a custom todo app. I had many times when I used notepad to record my thoughts. However, when it was time to go through it, i could not find it. If a person can't find it, it becomes useless. Doing on physical notepad is even worse because when its physical, its impossible to keep organized.

[@pjn2001]

He is not talking about long term record keeping notes. It is a place to put down all the short-term distractions/to-do's that enters one's mind during concentrated work. It's not even for saving, just a temporary placeholder, to action or file for longer term in their respective places once focused work has been completed.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I believe @pjn2001 is right on Tim's intent. The point is not to agreed or disagree on tools, but that we each need to find what works for us individually. Thanks for sharing what works for you.

[@IAmTimCorey]

@pjn2001 is correct. When you are concentrating on something, you need a quick way to get the information down and move back to your project with as little distraction and time as possible. Using a tool can work, but only if it is extremely simple. If you are picking which options to give a task (priority level, grouping, assigned time, etc.) then it is too much of a distraction. I transcribe my notepad tasks back into a list in the computer, but only later when I'm done focusing on the main task.

[@andywalter7426]

@@IAmTimCorey The cases I run to alot is I am working on the project and lots of ideas come and sometimes I have to go through those in order to get to my goal. For my todo app, if I need something most simple, I will simply do the following: I would have a category and title. Then I would enter the notes for it. For my system, I can later add the sub todo items and even give priorities for my master list as well. Many times I struggle with distractions at the beginning of the project because I have to get the details and what I would do. Sometimes for larger projects I would do a version 1 which is the most simple things needed to move on. Then create another project that will build from the previous ones. The first few tend to be hardest but then becomes easier as i fill in the details. Also, interfaces help if you know you need methods but not sure how its going to be done yet as well.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

It’s called offices with doors - the way Silicon Valley used to do it. Anyone who sits in an open office is doomed. I won’t even take a job that has an open office.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

Good luck commanding that level of control over the jobs you take. If you can do it, Great!

[@jadawo]

Is it possible to get a monthly subscription to Tim’s website? I tried emailing him and he hasn’t replied :( and $500/yr is way too much for me

[@IAmTimCorey]

I've been on vacation. Right now the All Access Pass monthly version is not open for enrollment. It opens a few times a year. I let the mailing list know when it opens: signup.iamtimcorey.com

[@jadawo]

@@IAmTimCorey thanks! Enjoy your vacation :D I know you love the beach from one of your previous videos ;)

[@ramzisayegh7070]

i got distracted while watching the video

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

I got distrac ... wa... where was I?

[@kevincordell9539]

I need a distraction free environment for coding. I close my office door and turn off my phone.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

You are blessed to have that option of closing the door.

[@kevincordell9539]

@@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597 I am the “boss” at my company and only get to do coding in my spare time, when I am not running the business. I need a new Wordpress site but right now I don’t have the time and I hate coding in PHP.

[@robiulhassan4263]

can you open 1-month subscription .it will help me to afford your courses.

[@rosscarlson3701]

How to stay focused as a developer: stay off KZbin.

[@tomthelestaff-iamtimcorey7597]

TRUTH!