smart computer use?

I think I need to step into the new millenium and get something other than a tape player for my car.

Heavy computer users tend to start to do everything on a digital level if possible. I do it. I’m not sure why exactly, but I’m constantly finding that it is more efficient and easier to do things if I use a computer, which is probably 80% of the reason.

The Daily Digital Grind

As a result, here’s the most common things I do from day to day, and all involve heavy use of a computer:

• Work
• Listen to music
• Produce music
• Play video games
• Watch movies
• Accounting & Finances
• Blogging
• Checking the weather
• Reading news
• Managing my schedule
• Communicating with clients and co-workers

Here’s a few of the things that don’t involve use of a computer that I tend to do from day to day:

• Sleep
• Shower
• Eat
• Disc golfing (in the summer only)
• Maintaining my aquarium (however my aquarium logging software is computer based)
• Driving to and from the office
• Going to the gym

Haha, I could probably go on and on, but this gets my point across.

So, even when I’m not working, a lot of my free time is also spent using the computer. This is probably not a good thing! It just so happens that a lot of my hobbies fall into the “able to do it on a computer” category.

Getting Non-Digital

After realizing this overwhelming use of digital resources for work and play, I started focusing on introducing non-digital stuff into my life. Why? Just because I can, but also the need to mix it up I guess.

What’s one of the first things I did?

I bought a Banjo and am going to learn how to play that.

It’s not digital. I can’t plug it into an amplifier or hook it up via USB to my computer. I can play it anywhere, including in the middle of the woods with no power source within miles of my location. This is a good step in a non-digital direction. The sound is raw, compared to the computer-based synthesizers and drum machines I am used to playing with. I also don’t need to be in my studio to play it. I can play it anywhere. I can sit on the porch and hammer out some bluegrass at will. Well I gotta practice a bit more before I’m hammering out bluegrass at will, but you get the idea.

I’ve only had the Banjo for a couple days, but I already like being able to go home at night and pluck away on the Banjo, forgetting that I was even involved with marvelous technology for the last 10 hrs of the day.

The non-digital sound, the natural feel of the simple yet complex instrument, it’s a great break from overwhelming computer use in daily life.

Sometimes mixing in a lot more non-digital stuff will make your daily computer usage seem like less of a grind, and you might even regain some appreciation for computers, assuming you have started to take their usefulness for granted. I know that using computers less myself makes me appreciate them more, which is why I try to get away from computers from time-to-time if possible.

How’s Your Non-Digital Outlook?

Are you ever feeling overwhelmed by the digital nature of modern society? You probably are to some degree. Take a look at your day to day life and make sure that you get some non-digital stuff going from day to day, especially if you rely on computers as much as I do.

Don’t forget that music doesn’t need to be digital, vinyl records are fun to have around for something different. Want to learn to play guitar? Try acoustic first.

Some more examples:

• Want to get into more art related hobbies? Buy oil paints or get into woodcarving instead of using Photoshop more than you already do at work.
• Woodcarving is a nice alternative to a 3-D modeling hobby, for something more physical in nature (might be a stretch but helps make a point).
• Do you like to play online first-person shooter games? How about getting involved with paintball? That’s another very fun non-digital alternative.
• Try writing a letter to your parents every now and then, rather than trying to get them to use email more often. It’s a nice change of pace.

You get the idea. I’m not saying all digital stuff is bad, but I’m learning from experience that I should probably mix it up a bit to feel well rounded as a human being.

I’ve recently noticed I have fallen into a sort of “groove” while working at a computer, regarding music.

I find that music, when implemented correctly into my work flow can greatly increase productivity, but at the same time, it can be just as decreasing of productivity when not implemented correctly.

A Few Cases Regarding Music & Productivity

#1 – Fresh work day

Ok, so let’s say that I’m just beginning a day of work and know that I’ll be programming/developing and need to focus.

In this particular case, I’m usually best off if I don’t have any sound going on in the background, even music. Why? I’m not quite sure yet, but it seems that right away in the morning I like to keep the environment peaceful and once I slip into the developer groove.

If all goes well as I start my work for the day, I will fall into the developer groove and zone out to my work, which is what I want to happen. I don’t hear anything going on around me anyways, and in this case, music in the background might actually prevent me from getting into that groove, strangely enough.

In this case, I find it best to not have any music or talk radio to enhance my productivity.

#2 – Later in the work day

Now as the day goes on, I might start to feel a little burned out and start to slip out of the developer groove. This is not a bad thing, it’s just what happens. Hopefully I’ve accomplished quite a bit by this point, usually I have.

Now I’m starting to get distracted by other things at this point in the day. I might even feel like not working at all anymore at this point, and my attitude starts to shift to “cripes, I wish I could just leave and come back later” – but I can’t do that and have to stick it out for a couple more hours.

This is where music can now be a tool to my productivity. I can pop on the earbuds and get some mad Clutch (or insert favorite band here) guitar riffs and vocals going on the MP3 player and all of the sudden I’ve got a little energy boost (without ingesting caffeine!) and can probably still keep working for a while more without needing too much of a break.

Great. So that is a good example of injecting some music to break up a burned out afternoon.

#3 – Working in the evenings or at night

Any web developer will tell you that they are no stranger to pushing work days late into the evening and through the night if needed. Sometimes you are just in that groove and want to keep working since you are holding a good train of thought or ideas and code is just flowing so well.

Well, at the same time, we’re usually getting a little punchy (tired) at this point too, especially if we’ve been working during the day as well.

When I work in the evenings or at night, these are the time when I pretty much never work without music playing.

I almost need it to stay awake. Plus I’ve also probably spent quite a bit of the day in quite solitude (if I had been in a developer groove) and the music changes it up a bit.

I’m not exactly sure why, but I always have music on if I’m working in the evenings or at night, and it keeps me productive and is hardly ever detrimental.

The Lesson

Ok, I’m getting at something here, but I’m not sure what yet, so roll with me on this one.

I’m not saying this pattern of music with work will make you productive. I’m more or less outlining that I have found a “groove” that works well for me. This is half the battle, finding what works well for yourself.

You should pay attention to how music affects your productivity, and then implement it in the best way possible to enhance your productivity. You may already have a good groove for this technique, but haven’t really thought too much about it yet. Now you can!

The Follow-up Example

As I write this, it’s hitting very late afternoon. I’ve been sitting and working in silence all day and have been nicely in the groove.

I’m now starting to slip, and should probably get some Fear Factory going on that MP3 player, haha!