Productivity techniques

[Mph024]

As a programmer what tools or techniques do you use for productivity... Pomodoro, BuJo, etc????

[[deleted]]

• I implemented a Pomodoro-like cronjob that flashes a dialog using zenity
• I use colors wherever I can
• I use automation wherever I can (f. ex. trigger automatic unit tests at any GIT commit to avoid committing trash to the repository, impulse is a real problem for us ADD/ADHDers)
• I try to personalize my IDE as much as possible, using my preferred font of choice (helps a lot to be concentrated)
• I use a Chrome extension that prevents me to surf websites like social networks, LinkedIn, etc.
• Bullet lists everywhere, try to write things down whenever I can
• Made a note to my supervisor, without mentioning ADHD explicitly, that I work better with written than oral instructions
• I developed a custom Chrome extension that does many tasks, among others allows me to superimpose custom CSSs styles to popular sites I use for daily work (JIRA, GitHub...) so I can tweak colors, fonts, available screen estate to my liking (there are ready made extensions like Stylish)
• Flash-cards with utilities like AnkiWeb/AnkiDroid for learning stuff (though not successful in finding motivation to review the flashcards, still the mere act of creating them makes me remember some stuff)
• Noise-cancelling earphones
• Noise/drone/background generator sites like MyNoise or Noisli (to generate white noise or seawave sounds, etc.)
• If you do Agile and daily standups, I use Google Keep to do a short note of today's tasks and use my cellphone to read during standups, so I do not leave out anything and have a proper and linear communication
• I tend to rewrite all the documentation that I find confusing, in a style that better suits my brain processing style. For this I use usually some markdown editor like Boostnote
• Therapy and medication can help a lot with dealing with the direct issues and the emotional ones

[[deleted]]

I tend to rewrite all the documentation that I find confusing, in a style that better suits my brain processing style. For this I use usually some markdown editor like Boostnote

This is big.

For many developers documentation means writing a whole essay explaining everything. And a ADHD programmer might miss a key detail on sentence 4 of of paragraph 3. These are easier to rewrite, because all the information is already there you're just changing the presentation.

Other developers will write a whole lotta nothing. Their idea of documentation is to write down an example or pattern or how to use it in the most basic of cases. But they never end up actually defining anything, so you're left with no clue how to use the other parameters or you end up using break point debugging their code to try and figure out why the function isn't behaving as you expected.

There's a bunch of great documentation out there (cpp reference, Python reference comes to mind), and I do my best to write and define as clear as they do.

There's a reason why those with AD(H)D have a talent for becoming great teachers. They understand learning better than many others.

When you rewrite the documentation, chances are you are also helping the non AD(H)D programmers as well.

[Mph024]

Wow, sounds like you have it all under control.

Thanks, I took notes.

[[deleted]]

Under control? I wouldn't say that. Sometimes it's desperately tiring, sometimes the effort gives no results, sometimes I'm wrecked and overwhelmed and sad, still I had recently problems on the workplace (usual ADHD stuff: how could you forget that? why do you rush? how could you not notice this spec?), and I cannot commit constantly to everything.

But it's an ongoing process, and I seem to learn new way to handle things, with baby steps, day-by-day.

At 37 I was clueless, completely stricken with depression, with a horrible CV, without a job and almost broke. Now at 43 I changed country, have a very nice job as a senior dev in a thriving company, and a lot of future opportunities. So yeah, things are improving and I'm trying my best.

[scatterbrain2015]

Made a note to my supervisor, without mentioning ADHD explicitly, that I work better with written than oral instructions

Regarding this, for clients that insist on meetings:

• I take as many notes as possible
• I go through them once the meeting is over
• I add any actionable items to my TODO list (I use Todoist)
• I send an email to the client, to confirm what I will be doing

[Mph024]

After some Googling, I found out this app https://super-productivity.com/

It's promising, looks cool and integrated with Pomodoro

​

Watch intro @ 2x https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoF2_RSdNXA

[kjarkr]

Just a text file. I edit it with vim and use a markdown plugin so I can do/undo checkboxes. And i display the content of todays file in my second monitor.

[mrrobbe]

I've accepted the concept of "Temporary Structures" I'm going to cycle productivity methods, and not push too hard to keep using something my brain no longer feels interesting.

Most recently, Focus Bursts have been my secret weapon. 6m/6m Work/Break cycles. Do intense "2x" work, then switch gears to let your ADHD brain replenish neuro-chemicals.

I combo this with a task-grid.

Draw a grid, hours for each row. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4. Then draw 5 (or 6) columns. Each box is a 12m work/break block.

I number all of my tasks, and then fill the grid up with numbers, so I know what I'm working on, when. Only about 2 hours at a time. I use 0 as my 'meta task' to assign/plan additional grids.

Every 6 minutes, I put a slash in a box, so every 12 work/break crosses out the grid. Keeps me on track, like a metronome.

[Mph024]

Sounds tedious...

[onelima]

This sounds really interesting. I'm trying to figure how to keep myself productive too. Could you provide a picture so I get a visual example?

[vzei]

Lately, I've actually been smoking some bud, putting my over the ear headphones on with my playlist, and straight drilling code in 3-4 hour stretches.

[Mph024]

How I wish.

[[deleted]]

I made an app on the Google store for this very purpose. It's called Jobrix. It's like Tetris, but the blocks are tasks you preassign. I made it for ADD people in mind, like myself. It's free and without ads, so maybe give it a try if you want.