I want you to have information that will allow you to implement your own Attention Compass, if you want to do that.
Attention compass needs some support and some explanation. Episode 22 discusses the big picture and how the tool works. I want you to have some guidance towards doing an implementation so you can understand what’s going on. So you can implement Attention Compass for yourself, if you’d like.
In the previous episode, we talked about the properties of a data storage tool for Attention Compass and briefly mentioned some the reasoning behind the workflows and some description of what the workloads are.
In the previous episode I talked about the best way to manage information of the kind that we’re dealing with here is to use a backlog metaphor. Here I’ll discuss the first two workflows that maintain the backlog and keep it from turning back into a pile of information (that may be pretty useless).
Three mindsets that support the workflows
What’s a backlog
Processes turn a list into a backlog
The workflows are intended to maintain the backlog
Farming the backlog
Submarine analogy
Exposed is dangerous, but necessary
So with our attention – exposed is dangerous
Communication channels expose our attention
Hijacking and curiosity
But channels can absorb more attention than warranted
Quiet-chatty balance
Be on guard, your attention can escape you
Constant capture
In order to reduce the most difficult form of wasted attention, distraction, we need to capture everything that we become seriously aware of
How capture keeps us away from distraction
The Capture workflow
You’re already doing capture – we’re just formalizing it
Aware of new or changed information
Capture = Throw the info toward the backlog
Quick and easy and back to work
So capture is semi-continuous
Capture can happen during other work
And during exposure to communication channels
‘capture during other work’ is distraction and is expected to go away
So we eject stuff from our skulls
Good capture keeps stuff from lodging in our brains
The monkey brain slows down
Capture needs to be extra fast
Good capture does two related things:
One: give us confidence that we’re aware of the stuff
Two: give us confidence that we don’t need to store things in our brain
Brain = workbench, so keep it clean
Capture is a fundamental act and core workflow
There are times when we intentionally capture, as well
The Processing workflow
The backlog has an intake
Processing deals with the captured stuƯ from the intake
and can help capture work better
Processing on a routine, rhythmic basis
Ideal workflow rhythm
Aside on work blocks (a dedicated time period for focus)
Back to the work rhythm
First rule: process to empty
‘mechanics’ of processing: turn it into what it is and put it where it belongs
Actionable vs. reference information
Turn it into what it is
We don’t know where it belongs until we know what it is
Then we put it where it belongs
In general, it belongs where you are confident you’ll see it again at the right time
Processing to empty (or current)
Recap: three things about processing
Process in two layers
We process the intake of our backlog
The same mindset of processing applies to any information channel.
Then we process our ‘master’ input channel – intake to the backlog
The tool has to create new places where things may belong
The tool must have certain properties
One is support for an ‘emergent’ storage schema
You have to create your own schema
The tool has to have a few organizational schemas
Actionable information requires a ‘Reminder’ schema = tickler system
But it also has a reference information schema
And a priority schema
Data storage must support multiple different schemas for proper organization
Recap
This represents a description and definition of the first two of the four workflows that Attention Compass uses. In an upcoming episode, I’ll talk about the other two: daily review and weekly review.