Dear World.
Ever been in deep concentration only for it to be broken by the sound of lawnmower?
No?
Okay, let me tell you.
Brief Introduction
Since working from home (WfH), I’ve been the most productive with my 9-5.
I’ve also been the greatest procrastinator. It’s contradictory, I know. But, like – I get my best work done and I also have more free will to delay certain tasks.
That’s part of the joy of this work-from-home arrangement.
The lawnmower cut my concentration
Joy aside, I find it seriously annoying that when I get focused on a task and find myself in deep concentration that my neighbours cut their lawns.
And, it’s always the neighbours who are right next door. Not like two houses down or a block down the street. I’m talking about my literal next-door neighbour.
So, if it’s not a pack of dogs making an audio cameo in my work calls, it’s the damn lawnmower obnoxiously disrupting my workflow.
I mean, I’m not gonna knock anyone for maintaining their property. We like good clean spaces and well-manicured lawns and hedges around here.
Just don’t do that at my discomfort.
I’m mad that they choose to do so while trying to get serious work done.
As ridiculous as it sounds, consult me first, damnit! 🙄
There are some things I can block out but there are others (such as the sound of a lawnmower) that I cannot ignore.
Have you sat and listened to a lawnmower in action? What about a weed whacker? Goodness, don’t get me started on the weed whacker!
They work simultaneously and if you focus on the sounds, you run the risk of losing your mind.
As some of my friends would say, it grinds my gears! It’s like scraping a sharp edge against a concrete surface at max speed.
Just make it stop already!
WfH? Not ‘Sterile’
Again, I say: working from home is NOT a sterile situation. It for sure has its positives but you can’t escape the home and neighbourhood distractions and disruptions like dogs and the landscapers.
Try as you might – going into a room farthest from the noise does not eliminate the distractions. And, moving into that other room will introduce another set of distractions.
All this stress!
Don’t get it twisted though – I still get my work done. And my best work really has come since working from home.
The Lesson
At the end of the day, it all boils down to how well you perform in stressful situations.
Like, really – how do you perform in such a space and time?
We all handle stressful situations differently. So I can only speak for me and maybe those folks who are similar.
By the way, I am not a master of any of the things I’m about to tell you.
1. Sift through the noise and get back to what really matters.
2. Practise mindfulness to help increase the level at which you can concentrate and focus on tasks.
3. Walk away from distractions and disruptions as best as you can.
4. Where possible – shift your focus from the task you were distracted from and move to another task. Choose a task in which the disruption has no power.
Speaking of power…
5. You have the power over how you complete your tasks for work. Are you seriously gonna allow a lawnmower and a weed whacker to negatively impact your work?
I doubt it.
You know you have these tasks to complete and so you will find a way to get it done despite the noise around you.
6. Think of the people in your life (whether personal or professional) and note their behaviour and reactions towards you and the things you value and are aiming for.
If the answers you come up with include negative disruptions and distractions then consider numbers 1 thru 5.
For real though, am I the only person who’ve had to endure those loud ass lawnmowers in the middle of the workday?
Signed while working from home,
The Suburban Girl
The Suburban Girl JA 