Productivity and Writing
Making the most of your writing time by understanding your brain
Derrick Duncan and Steven Bohls
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Who am I?
I am
Derrick Duncan.
Brain Space
No matter how you split it up, you’ve only got 100%.
100 % = All of it
What we use our brain for
1. We need to breathe. (and other stuff)
Life Processes
What we use our brain for
2. These are the other details of daily life: What’s for dinner, kids, family, where do I put all that stuff I just bought, how do I beat the boss level, job, church, school, etc.
Life Processes
Background
issues
What we use our brain for
3.Whatever you are doing right now.
Life Processes
Background
issues
Active
Tasks
What Now?
Skills and Mental States
Skills
What skills apply to your current task?
SPEAKING
Life Processes
Background
issues
Ideas to Communicate
Who I’m Talking to
Vocabulary
Pronunciation
Volume
Grammar
Culture
Skills
What skills apply to your current task?
SPEAKING GERMAN
Life Processes
Background
issues
Ideas to Communicate
Who I’m
Talking to
Vocabulary
Pronunciation
Volume
Grammar
Culture
So how does it work with writing?
Writing Skills
Here are some examples:
Life Processes
Background
issues
Writing Skills
Here are some examples:
Life Processes
Background
issues
Writing!
External Factors & Conditions
Our Physical State
Life Processes
Background
issues
Active
Tasks
Life Processes
Background
issues
Active
Tasks
Sick
Stressed
FEAR
Background
issues
Active
Tasks
Life Processes
FLOW
Active Task
Life
Processes
Background
issues
How do we apply this knowledge?
Three Steps
1. Skill
Three Steps
1. Skill
2. Preparation
Three Steps
1. Skill
2. Preparation
3. Focus
Steven
Thresholds:
Implementation
Study
TIME!
I wrote the most when I was the busiest
*If you can’t write when you have a full time � job then you won’t write when you quit
*If I can write 6 novels in 6 months as a full time graduate student working a full time job with two kids and wife going to school full time--you can write one novel this year
Quality or Quantity?
Do you have to choose?
Accountability!
The more accountable you are for any goal, the more likely you are to complete it
*mine was my blog
Wordtrackr.com
A free productivity resource
Beta
The End
Sources:
Mihaly, Csikszentmihalyi. "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness" Recorded February 2004. Ted.com. Web, http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html.
Derrick Duncan, "Productivity and Writing: Making the most of your writing time." (unpublished working paper.).
Flow Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)
Contact Info:
Twitter: @derrick_duncan
Facebook: Derrick Duncan
Blog: http://bad-at-titles.blogspot.com/
Website: Olmuneth.com
Steve Bohls
Facebook: Steven Bohls
Email: sbohls@gmail.com