The RNDM: Longform

Hello and welcome.

Today marks the start of something new for The RNDM. The first issue of The RNDM: Longform, a weekly newsletter which consists of articles written by the RNDM team. Each week we will aim to share more in-depth articles written by our team on the same interesting topics as we cover in our usual newsletter.

Please let us know what you think of this new format. Did you like it? Would you change anything? Feedback is a gift so let us know by replying to the email or leave a comment below.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I'm Not Crazy, My Mother had me Tested

Talk to yourself?

You're not crazy. In fact, your actually thinking better than most people.

Talking to yourself or as the scientists call it self- explaining is a process that can be used to improve your critical thinking, learn better and solve problems. Studies show it can improve learning by up to 3 times.

So why is this so effective?

Self-explaining slows your thinking down from automatic and reactionary to critically thinking about what you're learning. By slowing down your thinking and asking questions you become mindful of your thought processes and understanding, allowing you to clarify any gaps in understanding. This Leads to a better grasp of the topic you're trying to learn or a deeper understanding of the problem you're trying to solve.

There are two ways you can use self-explaining to improve your thinking.

1. Ask Questions

When learning something or trying to find a solution go through the information you have and ask yourself questions.

A good question to start with is why?

Why did this happen? Why is this important?

2. Summarise In Your Own Words

Try to summarise the information in your own words as if you're trying to provide a summary to a friend.

This helps to make sure you have a grip on the information and also helps to identify any gaps in your knowledge.

Now you don't have to physically talk out loud to yourself to get the benefits of self-explaining.

I've been experimenting with typing my thinking out while I work. I've noticed this has allowed me to understand my thought processes, identify any gaps and weaknesses and work on them.

Next time you need to learn something try it out and let us know how you get on.

Tomato, Pomodoro!

I've been using the Pomodoro technique at work recently to increase productivity. When I've mentioned this to people recently their response is generally "Pomo-whatnow?!?", so I thought I would provide a summary. Read on for a brief explanation of the Pomodoro technique and how it could help you level up your productivity.

In the late 80s Italian-German university student and programmer Francesco Cirillo began timeboxing work and study into small 25 minute blocks. 

He tracked these timeboxes using a tomato shaped kitchen timer, called a Pomodoro, Italian for tomato. Sharing widely in the 90s he published a book about it in 2006.

Enough history, what does it actually involve and why does it work so well?

The process is pretty simple. 

1. Get yourself a timer.

2. Write down a to-do list of items you need to complete.

3. Set 25 minutes going on the timer and during this time focus solely on one task until the timer goes off. This period is known as a Pomodoro.

4. When the Pomodoro is done, mark off one pomodoro next to your to-do list and write down briefly what you accomplished.

5. Take a 5 minute break.

6. Take a 15-30 minute break after four pomodoros.

In addition to 25-minute sprints that are central to Pomodoro, there are also three vital rules to get the most out of each Pomo. These are:

1. Divide large projects into smaller parts. If a task needs more than 4 Pomodoros, break it down into smaller tasks.

2. Group smaller tasks together. If you expect tasks to take less than a Pomo, group them together in one Pomo. For example, creating & sending an invoice and a quick spreadsheet update could be done in a single Pomodoro

3. A Pomodoro must ring once it's been set. The pomodoro is a measure of time that can't be broken down, particularly not for chats and tweets. Take note of new ideas and other activities and check them later.

If you do get disturbed and can't avoid it, take a 5 minute break then start a new Pomodoro. Record interruptions as soon as possible and think about solutions to avoid them in the future. 

If you finish your task before the Pomodoro ends, don't stop the timer. Leverage remaining time for more learning and development. For example, you could use this remaining time to watch a video on a specific area of interest.

Why does it work so well? There's a few reasons for this:

1. The simple and portable nature of the method makes it easy to start

2. It helps combat procrastination due to the short bursts of activity. Research has shown that procrastination has little to do with laziness or self control and more to do with avoiding the negative feelings attached to large tasks or projects, for example. 

3. Helps avoid distractions by default

4. Increased awareness of your time and where it goes. This contributes to the ability to better reflect on and plan your days

I'm sure there's plenty more research on why this method is so successful. Why not give it a try and let me know how you get on?

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