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Where "implement crafting system" doesn't really tell you anything about exactly what you need to do next, tasks are things that you know how to do immediately after reading them. It's much more useful to break down these goals into specific, actionable tasks. These might be the overarching goals I'm working towards at a given time, but they're not very useful from a motivational standpoint. A goal is vague, undefined target- for me it usually looks something like "add combat" or "implement crafting system". How many hours a week do you work on your project? Tasks, not GoalsĪnother important motivational tool is to focus on tasks, not goals. Once you have this data, it's a lot easier to set work-related goals or to keep watch for warning signs about slipping and burnout. So, what's the point of all this timekeeping? Like I said above, it's to hold yourself accountable. Taking short breaks is great for rejuvenating your attention span. In fact, it helps a lot if you clock out when you're starting to feel too distracted to continue. It doesn't! Keep in mind that you can clock in and out as much as you need. Now, one of the benefits of working for yourself is that you can have a more flexible schedule, and clocking in and out each day might seem to ruin that.
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Knowing that you're on the clock can provide a powerful barrier against outside distractions, helping immensely with short-term attention. Not only does it provide a simple metric by which you can measure your performance and focus, but it also provides a clear psychological seperation of "work time" and "play time". It's actually one of the best things you can do to stay motivated. I know, I know, you're working by yourself, for yourself, so clocking in might seem a bit silly. The easiest way to do this is to track when you "clock in" and "clock out" of work. Being independent means being your own boss, and part of that is knowing when you're are at work or are slacking off.
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The absolute, hands down most useful piece of advice I can offer you is this: hold yourself accountable. In this entry I'm going to talk about a few key techniques you can use to stay focused and on task over the long haul. There are so many distractions and responsibilities vying for your attention that it's often difficult to stay on task, especially when working alone. One of the many issues an indie developer must deal with is motivation.