Everybody has a way of doing things, and often they have a similarity between the different things they do. Let me explain. Whenever a person sits down to do something, they have an order of doing things. As we grow and mature, that order usually changes and improves, or it can make it harder The order in which we do things and specifically work or school is a process. Everything we do has a process in some form or another. For some tasks, it is a regimented and specific process; for others, it is a more general process, but a process. The great thing about having a process is that you have a starting point, and you have a set of actions that you take to complete a task, and you can utilize that same process as guidelines for any task you do. For most of us, we have a process for waking up in the morning, or taking a shower, or coding a program; each thing we do has some form of process.
The reason why a process is important is that our brains like patterns, and words, languages, music, are all patterns. The reason we see things in clouds is that we look for patterns. So why not utilize our brain and set ourselves up for success.
I am sure there is scientific evidence about such things, but I’ll primarily talk about my personal experience.
I know that one of the biggest hurdles in completing things is starting. Once I am going and in the flow, most things are easy to complete, and I want to complete them. Before I start, I don’t want to start because it is hard, or I want to do something else. A process is a key way that I have found that helps me with completing such tasks or assignments. I have a distinct set of things that I do to get my mind to transition from, say, eating to working. I sit down at my computer, clear any distractions, IE emails, reminders, extra tabs, anything that is gonna distract from my work. I then review what I need to do and when it needs to be done. I often like to listen to music; I usually pick music without words else I will want to sing along. Lastly, I open all the things I need to have open, so I don’t have to go looking for them, and then I start. This is one of my processes, but I have others. This works for me because when I do these things in succession, I tell my brain to transition into work mode and not get distracted. This process is vitally important specifically for me because I like to accomplish stuff and be done, but if I keep on stopping, then I have to keep on starting again, which is the hard part.
Your process can be putting on a certain pair of closes, sitting a certain way, using a specific mug; anything that reduces the number of distractions can be your process. Processes are everywhere in manufacturing, teaching, surgery, and driving. It all has a process, and our brains like these processes.
“Do Not Frown, Break it Down.”
Quote from Blog post referenced below
Several of my thoughts about processes arose after reading this blog on ADHD by Alan Bester “Nahaz”, a Ph.D. in Economics and a Georgetown professor.
Here are a few things to read if you want:
Superior pattern processing is the essence of the evolved human brain.