Exhaustion, Self Control, Productivity and Drupal

Change is hard. We all know that. What we don't know is that the self-control necessary to manage change is exhaustible.

An article this morning in Fast Company, Why Change Is So Hard: Self-Control Is Exhaustible, reports on a fascinating experiment. After reading the article I had to think about the application to productivity. In order to be productive you have to practice self-control, to focus on the task at hand. If there is a lot going on around you - new work environment, distractions such as kids or spouse, or other things - then you run out of self control much more quickly. The supply of self-control once it is exhausted leads to distraction and frustration.

For a long time I have said that I can tolerate a lot of chaos around me IF I have my routines. So I get up in the morning, write, shower, eat breakfast. I sit in certain places to work and I tackle things in a certain order. And all that gives me a high tolerance for change in other areas.

As a Drupal developer/builder I have to invest huge amounts of time and energy in keeping up with the changes in the system that I have grown to know and love. And there are some days when it just boils over in frustration. There is a limit. The trick is to recognize when I'm getting close and just put things down and walk away. Go sailing or mow the grass, play with the dogs.