How many times have you heard the phrase, “you should lock yourself in a room for a week, and just crank?”
Someone said this to me just last Thursday and it really hit home. I’ve never done that. I honestly don’t know of a single time I’ve just disappeared for a week and worked on just one thing. It’s nearly impossible to do that these days, with clients calling, deadlines to meet, and even friends and family.
But the possible productivity result of renting a cabin with electricity and working on one single thing for an entire week, without distraction. Now that sounds like fun. Plus imagine how much you could get done. While it might take you months to do something if you only spend a few hours a week on it, with a week of solitude you could be done!
So, how does one go about this? Is this sort of like going on vacation? I wonder if I could get away with that. Where would I go, too? Do I rent a cabin? So much to think about. There should be something in the phone book about this.
9 responses to “Lock Yourself in a Room”
I’ve often thought about this idea and would love to have some property somewhere in the sticks with a cabin so i could go the regularly and be productive.
A place like this.
The link didn’t post.
https://www.brainfuel.tv/ideal-work-environment
I think with the popularity of wifi this could really be a feasible possibility. I am currently saving up for a motorcycle (replacing the one i sold) and have been mulling over the idea of going for a day or two to small tows with wifi’d coffee shops and doing work away from everybody just by myself. Not quite the same as being away from everybody but everybody i know. Relaxed solitude.
Hey, I came across your blog while browsing through Technorati today. I just wanted to say that getting away from it all to focus on a single task really does work. That’s why so many novelists have a hideaway where they go to actually write their books once the research is done. The longest I’ve ever been able to get away was for 3 days, but even that allowed me to be more productive than I usually am in an entire week.
Go to a hotel that has an Internet connection. Tell the front desk to hold all your calls, turn off your cell phone, stay away from the TV, and just work. Go down to the bar, game room, or restaurant if you need to take a break. Otherwise, just work!
Sounds like a good idea, I might have to try it sometime 🙂
You could always google “executive retreat arizona”
or, you could just go home and unplug from everything.
😉
I think the best would be to unplug the landlines, turn off the cellphones, disconnect the TV, fax, and turn off email and chat programs. Then download all the reference information you need for your work before disconnecting the ‘net too. After all that, put on some good music (if you can work with music) and ask a very large, menacing looking individual to make sure you don’t get off your chair except to use the bathroom or grab breakfast, lunch or dinner.
That’s how you get work done. Otherwise, forget it 😉
City libraries work well. Plenty of reference material, fresh view, no distractions (as in going somewhere and having to “do” something), quiet, free
That’s what I would do. I think it would be fun too, because I personally haven’t been to a library in years.
It’s not even the amount of work you’ll get done. It’s the quality of work you’ll accomplish. Being that immersed with a project you are passionate about can only lead to greatness. IMO, all great artists and athletes create their best performances after this type of personal time, dedication and effort. Talent and skill multiplied by unrestrained effort.