In this modern world that we live in today, we are bombarded with constant stimuli trying to catch our attention at every single juncture. From the unopened mail on the table, to the magazines in the bathroom, to the new environments in the new room we walked into, there is always something new facing us, demanding us to "DEAL WITH ME!" The drain of brain power caused by constant new stimuli is subconscious, but that doesn't make it any less real or stressful.
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160307-why-does-walking-through-doorways-make-us-forget
One psychological reason for this is known as The Doorway Effect. In the linked article by BBC, researchers outline how going through doorways causes the brain to switch into different levels of activity. The three levels are: the concrete (menial tasks), planning and strategies (figuring out which tasks to perform to reach a goal), and goal setting (figuring out which goal to achieve). Going through a door, researchers found, caused the brain to switch from the higher levels back down to the lower levels in order to deal with the newly presented stimulus in the new room. So, in essence, going through a door can completely throw off your train of thought.
Ever had something great that you wanted to tell someone in next room and forgot it as soon as you got in the room? I know I have.
What should we do about this as Steemians? STAY IN THE SAME ROOM! If you are in the middle of writing a great article that could possibly make the world a better place for all reading it, why would you want to jeopardize the process by going into another room and completely change the mind state you were in when you were originally conceiving of the idea? It's a no brainer: don't do it.
For my birthday a couple days ago, I received a great book from my sister. The book, "Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism" by Fumio Sasaki, is about reducing the number possessions that you have in order to decrease stress and increase happiness. I found many simple to implement and valuable tips on how to live a more simple life and get more fulfillment from relationships and the things that I DO value, instead of just clinging to every single item that I had the urge to buy at some point due to some whim or impulse buy.
Why bring this book up in the context of The Doorway Effect? Recently, getting through books has been a chore for me. Over the past year, I must have started reading over 10 books, but I can't honestly say that I have finished one completely. If I'm lucky, I completed 10% of the books I started, if I'm generous with myself. Yet, this book was different. I finished the book within two days, despite having worked more than full time in the same amount of time. Why was I able to sit down and concentrate on reading this particular book? I decided to use my knowledge of the doorway effect to my advantage. I did NOT leave the room until I absolutely had to while reading this book. In turn, I was able to read effectively, for a much longer amount of time, without losing focus or becoming distracted. Despite the fact that I live with my father, who is incessantly playing guitar at very loud volumes in the house, I did not lose focus. This is a windfall. If you want to get the most out of reading (one of the most rewarding things you can do with your time), don't read in a place where you have to constantly leave the room. Stay in the same room!
In conclusion, setting up a comfortable work environment where you have to leave as little as possible will help you be more productive and more focused on your work. I will be experimenting with having food at my disposal so I can keep at work for even more broad periods of time.
Do you have any tips for productivity? Please comment below and I will sure chat! Thanks!