Task-zones. A time and place when I focus my action.

More than a random-hopeful time slot of convenience, task-zones by nature are deliberate setups with the stop-clock running. A certain time-frame for a certain work to be performed, that is a task-zone.

A task-zone eliminates interruptions, or at least makes one quite conscious of interruptions when they occur within a task-zone.  Beyond ten-seconds, the diversion requires me to pause the clock. The time period of a task-zone is next to sacred.

The task-zone is my altar where I attend to the task right before me.

A task, with maybe a few parameters to keep the activity moving along. The best example of it is right now -- I mean right now, as I squiggle ink onto this paper: This is my RT task-zone. I write for 21 minutes -- pretty much non-stop stream of conscious writing; keeping the oil flowing, as the pen slides over the paper.

This is a task-zone where the time limit is 21 minutes. The mode is non-stop writing. The beginning is me reading what I wrote for RT last time. This builds continuity, if amenable to the task. It refreshes the thought process. And at the end, I'll reread what I just wrote. That occurs usually after the clock is out. To admire what happened. 

Even for a pee break, I'll pause the clock. That's in the rule book for this RT task-zone. Renaissance Time. Time to throw ideas down. Toss up thoughts. Fry them on the frying pan of my writing sketchbook. Scramble them. Cheese them.

Writing is like cooking: each word, an ingredient. Sentence and structure, the fry pan. Freezers and pantries, the past and current events, the old shopping list of ideas -- some frozen past their expiration date. Then the chair, the table, the room, the coffee cup, the pen: these accoutrements cannot be overlooked. The oven and sink of the kitchen. The tablecloth and salt shakers. All are involved in flavoring the stew, crisping the vegetables, sipping the soup of the finished narrative. The essay sandwich. The blog post snack.

A task-zone way of life is a goal-attaining way of life.

6.22.26   10:37 AM