Dull Tasks

[gothwalk]

I need to figure out how to focus my mind more on dull tasks. At the moment, I'm working on replacing image urls in files across the website, and it's dull as ditchwater. It took me a good chunk of the morning and afternoon to work the problems out of the process, and that was interesting enough, but it's done now. So I'm staring down the maw of two days or more of very very dull work. It's not really something that can be automated, either, since some images will need it and others won't, and it's not really clear even to me which ones should and shouldn't change. So the clever use of regexp and other such arcana is denied me. Ambient music helps. But still, I find my mind drifting off in various odd directions, few of which have anything to do with the job in hand. And I do need to concentrate.

Any tricks you use to maintain focus?

Comments

[radegund.livejournal.com]

I find that a pattern of short bursts punctuated by more interesting work keeps me going. Rewards are good. Or milestones. If you have, say, 500 of these fuckers to do, keep count, and when you get to 50, celebrate. Time yourself. See can you do the next 50 a little faster (but without losing quality).

Hey, you think I could sell this stuff?