Alright, let me tell you about this little experiment I ran for myself, this whole ’59 48′ thing I was tracking. Wasn’t anything official, just something I cooked up tryin’ to get a better handle on things. You know how it is, sometimes you feel like you’re just spinning your wheels.
So, I got this idea. Needed to see where my time was actually going, especially the focused time. I figured, let’s try for blocks of solid work. Set myself a target: 59 minutes of pure focus. No phone, no random browsing, just head down, gettin’ it done. Then, a proper break. That was the ’59’ part.
The ’48’ part? That was the bigger picture. I aimed to clock in 48 of these focused 59-minute sessions per week. Sounded doable on paper, right?
Getting Started
I started off pretty gung-ho. Got a cheap kitchen timer, a basic notebook. Day one, I knocked out maybe five or six of those 59-minute blocks. Felt productive, felt like I was finally taking control. Marked each one down in the notebook. Felt real good ticking them off.
Did that for a few days. The timer helped, really kept me honest. When it buzzed, I’d stop, even if I was mid-flow, and take that break. Walk around, grab some water, whatever. Then reset and go again if I could.
Where it Got Messy
But yeah, reality bites. After that first burst of energy, things started slipping. Some days, life just got in the way. Unexpected calls, urgent emails that couldn’t wait 59 minutes, sometimes just feeling drained and unable to focus for that long. That solid hour block started feeling like a real stretch.
And hitting 48 blocks a week? Forget about it. First week, I checked my notebook tally. Think I managed maybe 30-something? Second week was even worse. Some days I’d only manage two or three blocks. It started feeling less like a tool and more like something else to fail at.
It kinda reminded me of this one time, years back, working on a team project. We had these super ambitious deadlines handed down. Totally unrealistic. We all knew it, but we pushed anyway. Result? Everyone got burned out, mistakes were made, and the whole thing ended up late anyway. This 59 48 thing started giving me similar vibes, except this time, I was setting the crazy target for myself.
Switching Gears
So, I had to rethink it. Sticking rigidly to 59 minutes wasn’t always working. And 48 blocks a week was clearly just wishful thinking for my current routine. The whole point wasn’t to hit some magic number, it was to be more intentional, right?
I stopped being so strict about the 59 minutes. Sometimes it was 45, sometimes just 30. Whatever felt right and allowed for real focus. And I ditched the weekly 48 target. Instead, I just focused on logging whatever focused blocks I did manage each day. No pressure, just tracking.
- Less pressure to hit the number.
- More focus on the quality of the block, not just the length.
- Accepted that some days are just gonna be less productive.
What I Reckon Now
It actually worked out better. Taking the pressure off made it easier to just sit down and focus when I could. Some days I get a lot done, other days not so much. The log is still there, but it’s more of a guide, a reminder to try and be focused, rather than a strict rulebook.
So yeah, that was my little 59 48 journey. Started as a rigid plan, ended up being a lesson in being flexible and realistic. It’s not about perfect numbers, it’s about the process, about trying. Still haven’t cracked the code completely, but it’s progress, I guess. Just gotta keep plugging away.
