Ask HN: How to Professionally Focus? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How to Professionally Focus?

13 pointsaosaigh5 comments

I run a small web agency with my friend. We’re capable and talented and we have happy clients.

We have a good balance of skills (design vs development/logic vs creativity). We enjoy staying small enough to enjoy other activities but deep down we feel like we are resting on our laurels. We don't make as much money as we could. We don’t work on projects we’re particularly excited about.

We’d like to challenge ourselves more, whether that’s great products, content or client work. Truth be told, we don’t know how to do this or where to start. On one hand we’re very grateful of our position but on the other hand we lack the external motivators many in traditional jobs have.

What techniques, lectures, books or advice do you have for developing focus and cultivating more ambition and drive?

Sounds like a new search for meaning and creative direction. A simple but effective habit in that direction could come out of: https://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/

Some ideas for extras. . Do you know webGL and SVG? You could build some 3d/interactive/gamified experience for your sites . Do you implement CI/CD? That could be effective for cost reduction and quality . Do you have a creative stock photo archive you use in the process? You could build up your own photo/video studio if someone is into it, and sell video production services . You build custom websites, what about building a website editor as a product, tailored on your audience? . Do you also offer social media advertising or marketing consulting? . In pandemic times everyone is on Discord Twitch and Zoom. What about expanding your shop to a brand with a community? Offering tutorials, blogs, opensource contribution, coffee with the developer...

As for inspiration and ambition. . TED talks are the greatest inspirators of our times. . Harari books . Read Hacker news! . Browse Github for famous developers. They mostly have lots of interesting repositories which do not actually belong directly to their main interest.

I highly recommend: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

For me lately webgl (three.js) has got me back in the flow. Maybe see if you can incorporate any fun technologies into client work.

sounds like you want to increase your personality trait conscientiousness.

here's an article on that:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-new-home/201...

Used to be a Harvard Health page on it, but it's behind a paywall now.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com