Broadcasting Brain - Latest Comments in Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:03:46 -0000

Seems like a common thing, ProgGrrl. Thanks for stopping by, so say we all!

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

ProgGrrl — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:58:37 -0000

I am definitely more of a random-access worker, for the most part. However, that falls away, and I find myself forcing a more linear process, whenever a huge deadline is looming, and/or there is a big project in the works with a lot of other people involved. In other words, when time management and limited time are at issue, linear works best.

But I always fall back to random-access in my day-to-day

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:18:25 -0000

I think it takes practice and discipline to switch, plus the awareness of what you are doing. Awareness is very important.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:17:35 -0000

Hi Beth. I hadn't really thought about this concept in terms of the qualities of the brain's hemispheres, but that's a good point to consider.

I think that many of us, particularly professionals of any kind, learn to train ourselves to think in both modes because of the different types of work that we do.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Beth Kanter — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:50:49 -0000

YOu're really asking about right brain versus left brain - I'm multi-hemispheric .. so I do a little both.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Jonathan Allen — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:50:09 -0000

I work in support, so by definition work is random, with requests and problems arriving at unpredicable times and frequency.

But when the support work stops and I have time for project work, I can't get out of the random approach. I end up spending a huge amount of time spinning my wheels trying to do a little bit of each part of the different projects, instead of just focusing on doing and completing one part. I wish I could switch to linear mode, but it's not easy.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Phil Glockner — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:58:13 -0000

Definitely more on the random-access side. In fact, yeah, I have trouble with set sequences.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:31:05 -0000

A number of other readers feel the same way, it seems.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

JayCruz — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:26:02 -0000

Definitely a "random access" type of guy.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:07:27 -0000

In manufacturing, the "switching" cost that you mention is called the changeover cost. In the past, manufacturing's aim was to go for long runs than minimized changeovers to different products to reduce those costs. Now the goal is to allow more changeovers, smaller batch sizes, and more variety at a lower cost. A universal concept, perhaps.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:48:11 -0000

I'm completely Random Access - but since I use lists and track my time, I'm still able to get things done.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Derek Hatchard — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:45:42 -0000

When you drive through Nova Scotia, get off the Trans-Canada onto the old highway near Wentworth. If you know where to stop, you can walk into the woods and find a nice little waterfall. Far better than driving straight through from A to B.

I am completely non-linear and random access. The drawback is the context switching cost. I flip between too many tasks too often. The past few months I've been trying to balance that by focusing on getting 4 to 6 primary tasks done per day. Then I can meander and flip as desired through other tasks.

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:39:48 -0000

Those are all good points, Charlie...

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

Mark Dykeman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:38:36 -0000

I can relate at times...

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

charlieanzman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:27:32 -0000

Kinda half way in between but moving toward 'more structured' as (1) I get a lot more done. (2) It's positively healthier (IE: Breaks!) and (3) I get to see my wife once in a while

Re: Are you a sequential or random-access doer? | Broadcasting Brain

George Cozma — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:18:43 -0000

I'm beginning to believe that I have a bad case of A.D.D. I'm way too random in how I do my work.