Bricks

Hello again, frequent readers. Welcome, first time readers. The next thing I wanted to post about isn't so much a struggle as a method I've been using to help me get work done.

Back some time ago, even before middle school, I was getting (once again) overwhelmed by my homework. I saw it as an impossible task, and described it to my mom as "like trying to move an entire house all by myself," or something like that. Using that analogy, Mom suggested that I start by moving one "brick" at a time. I would work for a short while or do some specific assignment, take a very short break, work, break, and so on. And, amazingly, it WORKED! Though obviously I lost some work time to the breaks, having a chance to blow steam and do leisure things I would think of while working helped me get MORE done during my work times. It also made the school less daunting as having smaller bits to work on really did make me less stressed than having the only light or freedom at the end of a long dark tunnel.

This "brick system" has been one of the most helpful tools for me as I work. It's nothing more than the idea of making the cycle of breaks and work shorter For instance, taking a 5 minute break after 25 minutes worth of work instead of 30 minutes after 2 and a half hours. It's flexible, and doesn't take any kind of preparing or organizing, and I can just stop taking breaks if for some reason it stops working.

The major drawbacks to it, though, is that it does cut in on work time, and doesn't always work. Even with the 5:1 ratio, I am forfeiting what could be up to two hours of my day spent otherwise working for a system that, if it works, is worth the extra time. However, sometimes it can be more distracting than helpful, and becomes little more than an excuse for me to play two collective hours of video games. Other times, I have issues switching gears to working, and end up taking 30 minute breaks. Despite the holes in the plan, though, the bricks system both makes work less daunting and gives me a chance to do or work on whatever leisure thing I want to get done.

I hope that this idea works, if any of you happen to try it, and I would love to hear from you if you've ever done things like this before. Leave a comment! Until next time.

-Caleb