We start our re-read of Monotasking by Staffan Noteberg. The book is 237 pages published by Racehorse Publishing (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) and was released in English on June 1, 2021. For most of the readers of the blog and listeners to the podcast, this will be an initial read. The book’s contents include a Preface, Introduction, seven numbered chapters, an Afterword, and then other stuff like index and more (we will not cover the other stuff but I am glad for the index and endnotes). This re-read will take between 10 and 11 eleven weeks barring disasters or absolutely perfect Saturdays.
This is not the first book of Staffan’s I have read. The first was Pomodoro Technique Illustrated. This book was my gateway into pomodoro which is now one of my core personal productivity practices; so when I got the catch to read Staffan’s new book Monotasking and then interview I jumped at the chance. Re-reading his new book is a great trifecta.
When I asked Staffan about the relationship between pomodoro and monotasking on the podcast (posting 6 June) he suggested that pomodoro reelected a lean mindset and monotasking an agile mindset. Being lean/agile agnostic, my initial read suggests blending the two concepts will be even more useful. This idea of trying to apply monotasking has led me to an experiment. The experiment:
1. I will re-read and discuss a chapter each week, as our normal process.
2. Then I will spend the following week applying the concepts I highlighted.
3. I will begin the following week’s entry by sharing successes and failures before delving into the next chapter.
It would be very exciting if the readers of this column also try the same experiment. This is an experiment and I am not 100% convinced that I will be able to pull this off, but what I am sure of is that it will be fun. One immediate hurdle the author deals with in the Preface is the belief that personal productivity approaches (I used and discarded more than one) have to be complicated to be effective. Staffan notes, “Systems that are too complicated, too rigid, or too time-consuming will sooner or later be rejected — no matter how much potential they have to help us.” This is a sentiment he amplified in our discussion of the book on the podcast.
The book begins with a Chinese idiom; Raise your head to see the way, lower your head to do the job. Before we break for the week, I want to give you a direct hint that missing the front matter and Preface is a mistake in this book. As a change agent, reminders that flexibility (and simplicity) aid uptake and the gentle suggestion to replace rules with good practices foreshadow the ideas in the book.
Next week, we will begin in earnest with the Introduction, The Five Axioms of Monotasking. I will note that unlike many books the introduction is core content, do not skim it.
Have you bought your copy of Monotasking by Staffan Noteberg? Well, if not, then please do and read or re-read along.
