Sorry I have not posted for a while, but I was in Florida . . . on the beach . . .working. No, really. I had a lot of work I needed to get done without interruption and figured “What better place to do work than on a beach.” I flew to Florida, sat on the beach and had a very productive three days, maybe the most productive three days I have ever had. I probably ended up working twelve hour days each day, but it is amazing how much motivation you have to keep at it with sand squishing between your toes.
Actually, without any interruptions, the time passed quickly and efficiently. Knowing I could stay on task for several hours without interruption allowed me to produce a more fluent, cohesive product. And when I got stuck . . . I just drifted out in the ocean for a while until that “ah ha” moment came to me and I could get back to work. Not only did I get a lot done and come back refreshed, but I have a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that the work I produced was better than I could have done in the office.
Now this technique is not for everyone or every project. These projects were all flat fee projects as I doubt a client would appreciate an hourly invoice, even if I did break it down by on-sand working and in-water thinking. Plus, I obviously did not charge any clients for any aspect of the travel. Most importantly, the work involved equal parts calculation and creativity. While I rarely get stuck on the calculation aspects, the scenery kept me plugging away, when I otherwise would have had to stop to recharge. On the creativity side I get stuck quite often. Not because I cannot think of anything, but because I just know there is a more elegant solution that I am just not seeing. The relaxation aspect of the trip allowed me to clear my mind more easily (you really would not think there would be all that much to clear out), and find the elusive solution.
Strange as it may seem, I was the only person on the entire beach surfing the Internet. Hopefully, this post might change that for next time. BTW/Here is a picture I took on the trip with my iPhone. Now those of you who never liked me anyway at least have a legitimate excuse.
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