to ramble …

Nearly every Saturday I get an e-mail from my friend Heather announcing that she is at the library and is parked for the day at her favorite study carrel for the day to, ostensibly, work on her homework.    I find the idea very appealing, being able to work without external distractions (battling only your own internal distractions) so you can concentrate more fully on your work.

Much of my school work requires specific software which I have installed on my 27″ iMac (yes, I’m bragging a little) so I can’t exactly haul it off to the library.    A couple things I’ve done to reduce distractions include wearing ear plugs, putting the dog outside, and to reduce the distraction of all the shiny things on the internet I created a separate account on my computer that doesn’t have access to any non school related software.   This works pretty well for when I’m working on project assignments.

For reading assignments I do something different.   I fill my water bottle or make some tea, pack some snacks (usually healthy), grab my books, hop into the car,  drive to a park, and park.    I usually go to Richmond Beach Saltwater Park (which is 4.5 miles from my house) and park in one of the upper lots where you get a lovely view of Puget Sound.    I’ve found that not only do I read with focus but I also retain more of what I’ve read when I do this instead of reading at home.   And when my eyes need a break, I just look up and enjoy the scenery.    Added bonus, the steering wheel props up that near 800 page textbook when I’m reading.