Okay, so I stumbled upon this “Thomas Frank There There” thing and decided to give it a shot. I’m always up for trying new productivity hacks, even if they sound a little… out there.
Getting Started
First, I watched a bunch of videos about it. Basically, it seemed like some kind of focusing method. I’m easily distracted, so anything that promises to help me stay on task is worth investigating. I jotted down some notes from the videos – mostly about setting intentions and using some kind of timer.
The Actual “Doing” Part
I decided to try it while working on a blog post. My usual routine is, well, chaotic. I’ll start writing, then check emails, then scroll through social media, then remember I need to do laundry… you get the picture.
So, I set a timer for 25 minutes. I told myself, “Okay, for the next 25 minutes, I’m ONLY working on this blog post. No distractions.” It felt a little silly, but I stuck with it.
- First 5 minutes: My brain was all over the place. “Did I reply to that email? What’s for dinner?”
- Next 10 minutes: I started to actually focus. I typed out a few paragraphs, deleted some stuff, rewrote other parts.
- Last 10 minutes: I was in the zone! I felt productive and actually made some real progress.
The “There There” Moment?
When the timer went off, I took a 5-minute break. I walked around, stretched, and grabbed a glass of water. Then, I set the timer again and dove back in.
Did I have some magical “There There” moment where everything clicked? Not really. But, I did notice something. By forcing myself to focus for those short bursts, I got way more done than usual. And the breaks helped me stay refreshed, instead of just feeling burnt out.
My Takeaway
It’s not a miracle cure, but it’s a decent technique. I’m going to keep experimenting with it. Maybe I’ll try different time intervals, or use it for other tasks, like cleaning or exercising. It’s all about finding what works for you, right?
The main thing is, I actually did something. I tried something new, and I learned something about how my brain works (or doesn’t work!). And that’s always a win in my book.
