Attention Management
Attention is scarcer than clock time. Design the environment and batch work so depth is possible without heroic willpower.
When to Use
- Constant context switching, notification fatigue, or shallow days that feel “busy” but empty.
- You want deep work blocks and fewer half-finished threads.
Workflow
- Attention types: focused (deep work), scattered (shallow), captured (alerts and interruptions)—audit where hours actually go.
- Environment first: remove or distance distractions before the session starts—willpower is a backup, not the plan.
- Attention residue: after switching tasks, the prior task lingers mentally—batch similar work and finish closures before hard switches.
- Notification audit: default off for non-essential channels; batch checks at set times where possible.
- Attention contracts: “For the next 90 minutes, only this task”—write it, start a timer, single tab/app if needed.
- For the agent: if the user is thrashing topics, name the pattern and suggest one protected block or a two-item stack for the next hour.
Examples
Example 1: Morning deep work—phone in another room, Slack paused, one document open, 25/5 or 90-minute box—email only after.
Example 2: Research rabbit holes—collect tabs into one list, process in a 30-minute batch, then return to the primary deliverable.
1---2name: attention-management3description: Attention Management4---5# Attention Management67Attention is scarcer than clock time. Design the environment and batch work so depth is possible without heroic willpower.89## When to Use10- Constant context switching, notification fatigue, or shallow days that feel “busy” but empty.11- You want deep work blocks and fewer half-finished threads.1213## Workflow141. **Attention types**: focused (deep work), scattered (shallow), captured (alerts and interruptions)—audit where hours actually go.152. **Environment first**: remove or distance distractions before the session starts—willpower is a backup, not the plan.163. **Attention residue**: after switching tasks, the prior task lingers mentally—batch similar work and finish closures before hard switches.174. **Notification audit**: default off for non-essential channels; batch checks at set times where possible.185. **Attention contracts**: “For the next 90 minutes, only this task”—write it, start a timer, single tab/app if needed.196. **For the agent**: if the user is thrashing topics, name the pattern and suggest one protected block or a two-item stack for the next hour.2021## Examples22**Example 1:** Morning deep work—phone in another room, Slack paused, one document open, 25/5 or 90-minute box—email only after.2324**Example 2:** Research rabbit holes—collect tabs into one list, process in a 30-minute batch, then return to the primary deliverable.
sethdford