Success requires focus, how to use 'path dependence theory' to improve workplace focus?
The secret of strength is concentration - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Changed jobs and still got nothing, because I didn't understand the theory
Over the weekend, a friend sent me a private message and talked about his confusion in life: he has held five or six jobs since graduation, but he often finds that these jobs are not suitable for him.
I asked how old is he? He said it was the tail of the "post-80s". I'm in my thirties. If I can't find my own development path at this age, it will be troublesome.
His first job was as a customs broker. Because foreign trade was very popular at that time, he broke in immediately, but after working for a while, he realized that there were many unspoken rules in this job, and the money was not as good as he thought. After 8 months, he left...
Later, he went to sell an industrial products company, because the infrastructure construction was in full swing at that time, but it didn't take long for him to feel that the industry was too dark, the profit was too low, and the customer's appetite was too great, and it was too difficult to serve.
After that, he became the administrator of a small company and opened Didi for a while.
The year before last, he started an official account with his friends again. The good times didn't last long, and he was ready to give up again, because in less than two years, the number of fans did not exceed 5,000, and it was impossible to realize it. He sighed why he couldn't always step on the rhythm point?
Considering the age of this friend, this kind of experience is quite rich, but this richness lacks a main theme, just like dead branches and scattered leaves cannot build a house, and a few words cannot be combined into an article.
You can never build a path to success when each step of yours exists in isolation and cannot be connected to the next.
The reason is mainly because they do not understand this theory - "path dependence theory".
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
So, what is "Path Dependency Theory"? What principles should be followed in the use of "path dependence theory" in the workplace?
Path dependence means: once people make a certain choice, it is like walking on a road of no return. The force of inertia will make this choice continue to strengthen itself and make it easy for you to walk out. - 1993 Nobel Prize winner, economist Douglas North
Douglas North put forward the theory of path dependence. His original intention was to explain that the economic evolution of a country depends on the inertia of history. This inertia will continue to strengthen itself, often leading to the result that the strong will become stronger. This theory is still valid even for microscopic individuals, that is to say, a person's success must be strengthened step by step and intensively cultivated on the original path, rather than always switching paths.
In the book "Attention Curve", the basic model of our attention is given, and the principles that should be followed to improve concentration by using "path dependence theory" from the perspective of the workplace:
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
① Learn to eliminate interference and only do one job for a period of time;
② learn to allocate energy and focus on important things;
③Learn to use time to improve the output per unit time.
How should I use the "path dependence theory" to improve my career focus?
First: Deep work is the key factor to improve efficiency. By keeping away from interference and clearing interference, you can help yourself enter a state of deep work.
In his book "Deep Work", Carl Newport, Ph.D. in computer science at MIT and associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, points out that most people spend more than 60% of their work time on superficial things that don't create anything at all. What value, ability can not be improved.
Only through deep work, focused professional activities in a state of distraction-free, can you continuously strengthen your cognitive abilities. Expressed in a formula, it is: high-quality output = time × concentration, which is the "efficiency work formula".
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
Superficial work refers to: tasks with low cognitive requirements are often carried out under the condition of interference. Such work usually does not create much value and is easy to replicate;
Deep work refers to professional activities performed in a distraction-free state that push cognitive abilities to their limits, and that effort creates value and enhances skills that are difficult to replicate.
For the idea that deep work can improve cognitive ability, Daniel Coyle also argues in his "10,000 Hours of Genius Theory".
The book writes: When people deliberately deal with some complex tasks, a layer of myelin will grow around the neurons in the brain. If the brain is likened to an engine, then this substance is the oil in the engine, which can ensure that the brain runs smoothly at high speed.
Therefore, it is not difficult for you to understand that the reason why those powerful people are powerful is because the brain has been exposed to complex things for a long time, and myelin will continue to grow, making the brain's operating circuit more sensitive.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
So, how do you get into a state of deep work? You can try these two methods:
①Away from interference, effectively reduce "attention residual"
Leroy, a professor of business at the University of Minnesota, published an interesting paper in 2009 referring to a "residual attention effect."
When you switch from task a to task b, your attention will have a lot of residue from task a, and it will not be transferred in time. This residue is simply the "killer" of your attention and time.
The makers of these killers include cell phones, social media, emails and sudden phone calls. You must avoid switching back and forth between multiple tasks, otherwise you will waste a lot of attention resources.
How to avoid interference? In fact, it is also very simple, that is, batch processing of superficial work, and set aside a whole block of time for deep work.
For example, instead of responding to every email in a timely manner, set up an auto-reply that tells them what time you will be responding to emails in unison. Regarding the mobile phone, you have to control your hand, don't swipe it twice, you can set it to the do not disturb state, and read it again at the time you set.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
②Using the "30-second Holy Land" meditation method to clear the interference
It is an ideal situation to stay away from interference, but in many cases interference is unavoidable. For example, the work suddenly arranged by the boss, unexpected events outside the process, etc. will catch you off guard.
In this case, how to quickly clear the residual attention and switch the state? In "Building Your Multidimensional Competitiveness", a method is given:
This method is called "30-second sanctuary". This is one of the most helpful ways to concentrate: the specific method is, before entering a deep work, imagine a picture in your mind, it can be a landscape, animation or your idol, but it must be wonderful, Holy.
The picture you choose can be set according to your own preferences. The key is to mobilize the vision, hearing, smell and touch in your imagination. Don’t think, just feel, 30 seconds. When you come back you will find yourself refreshed and full of energy.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
Second: people have limited energy, learn to focus on useful things in limited time, increase the conversion rate of knowledge to ability, and abandon invalid knowledge
In this era of information overload, you must learn to identify invalid knowledge and clean it up. - Daniel Gorman
People in the workplace have limited energy. In the process of learning new knowledge, they should pay more attention to efficiency and the conversion rate of knowledge to ability. Dare to abandon useless knowledge is the real focus:
① Learning should focus on practicality
Learning should focus on practicality. Nowadays, online learning has become the norm, and many young people are also fully engaged, which is beyond reproach. However, knowledge that is too loose and out of focus is actually not very helpful to you.
Yi Zhongtian once said one thing, one day when he took a taxi, the driver was able to chat and knew a lot of knowledge that Yi Lao did not understand. The driver knows a certain singer's measurements, constellation, eyebrows and hair, birth date and other knowledge, but what use are these to a taxi driver?
Yi Lao said: "This is all useless knowledge. You are not a singer's wife. Do you need to know her measurements, constellation, and birth date? After learning so much useless knowledge, it took time and energy to occupy your cognition. , dragging down the brain space, but it cannot be applied in real life, it is a pure waste of life."
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
It may be a bit serious to say that it is a "waste of life". Some useless knowledge may be a piece of your spiritual ration, or it may be a piece of material for communicating with others, which has some positive effects.
But human energy is limited. Isn't the knowledge you spend your energy to accumulate to create value? Is it just to add a little material for gossip? Just to brag to others that you read a book, or post on your Moments how many camps you have attended in total?
If you are a "knowledge practitioner", then there is nothing wrong with it, just like some current "knowledge Internet celebrities", they study extensively in order to "re-sell", which is their profession.
If you don't want to go this route, then I suggest you focus on the learning content, which is useful for your work.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
②To improve the conversion rate of knowledge to ability
The acquired knowledge is used for work, so that your knowledge can be tested in practice, forming a closed loop of input and output, which is the most effective learning method. You might say, "My job is so simple and boring that I have nothing to learn." Is that really true?
In the book "Chicken Soup for the Soul", Liu Run once told the story of another taxi driver: when he was still at Microsoft in his early years, he talked with the driver on a business trip, only to find that the driver knew "marketing" very well.
Instead of dying at the airport or train station like other drivers, he calculates his time cost through the meter, and then chooses the time, place, and character to maximize profits.
For example, based on experience, he infers which buildings are mostly business travelers, so he often "lurks" nearby. Passengers will also be screened. Those with briefcases and suitcases are the target customers. Most of them are going to the airport. Another example, there are two people at the entrance of the hospital, one holds a medicine bottle and the other holds a washbasin. Which one to choose?
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
The driver's answer is to choose the latter, because the former may be just a nearby person who slipped out to buy medicine; the latter may be a person who has been discharged from the hospital, the distance is generally far away, and he has witnessed various life and death during the hospitalization, and his mood will be much more open-minded. , will not let you drive to a nearby subway station, and then take the subway back, but "go straight to Huanglong".
It's this marketing mindset that makes him more than 3 times as much as everyone else.
Liu Run also learned that the driver used to be a professional coach at Johnson & Johnson, and later turned into a driver. It is by combining the knowledge he has mastered with reality that it evolves into specific production capacity and benefits. My proposition is the same: what you learn needs to be relevant to the job so that it can be applied. And all skills can only evolve into your abilities after practice.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
Third: Use the "15·45·90 Rule" to conduct regular "surfing" work according to the rhythm of the brain, and improve work efficiency during the focus time
People's attention is not evenly distributed, but regular. Only by following this law can efficiency be improved - "Save Your Attention"
In the book "Why Elites Are Time-Controlled", the author Huazawa Shion proposed the "15·45·90 Rule" rule. The duration of our human attention can be divided into three time units of 15 minutes, 45 minutes and 90 minutes. This rule is called the "15·45·90 rule.
The research of modern brain science has proved that under normal circumstances, the state of high concentration of human can only last for 15 minutes, that is to say, 15 minutes can be regarded as a unit time of concentration.
Whether it's work or study, we'd better take 15 minutes as the basic time unit and take a short break every 15 minutes. Take 3 15-minute work units as a 45-minute break. This allows our focus to last longer.
2 times of 45 minutes is 90 minutes, and 90 minutes can be said to be the limit of the concentration duration of adults. So, doing anything with more than 90 minutes of concentration doesn't make any sense.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
We need to learn how to work regularly and "surf" according to the rhythm of the brain
Everyone has seen the scene of the waves rushing to the coast, the waves are wave after wave, there are crests and troughs.
In fact, a similar situation occurs in our minds, and our concentration also fluctuates up and down according to a certain rhythm. When our concentration is at a low point, no matter how hard we work, it will be difficult to see results.
We can't go against the laws of the body, we should go with the flow. If the ups and downs of concentration are likened to the waves of the sea, then we should become "surfers".
Arrange time in accordance with the rhythm of your mind, so as to maximize the use of time when you are highly focused and work efficiently.
After understanding the duration of our concentration, we can choose to rest for 10 to 15 minutes when our concentration is about to slacken, so that our concentration can be concentrated again.
As long as you learn to use the "15·45·90 rule" flexibly, you can "surf" according to the rules of the brain itself. Working with the flow can greatly improve work efficiency.
Success requires focus, how to use "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus?
To sum up, today I mainly communicated with you how to use the "path dependence theory" to improve workplace focus, and provided you with 3 methods in total:
First: Deep work is the key factor to improve efficiency. By keeping away from interference and clearing interference, you can help yourself enter a state of deep work;
Second: people have limited energy, learn to focus on useful things in limited time, increase the conversion rate of knowledge to ability, and abandon invalid knowledge;
Third: Use the "15·45·90 Rule" to carry out regular "surfing" work according to the rhythm of the brain, so as to improve the work efficiency during the focus time.