Sometimes in work or life we find ourselves “down a rabbit hole”.
What we mean when using this metaphor is that we started on one project or piece of research, got sidetracked with some additional information and then started to explore other connections and related topics.
This is especially problematic when we are working online.
Moving to the new, interesting connection is easy and before we know it, hours have passed.
My Perspective
Sometimes, the rabbit hole we find can be more valuable than the original topic we were researching.
The synchronicity is wonderful, and we should celebrate our discovery.
However, many times, we are working on a deadline and don’t have the time freedom to meander into other spaces.
There are two approaches that can help us navigate the rabbit holes:
- Set a timer. When working on a tight deadline, set a timer for time you can explore. When the timer goes off, stop exploring and start working.
- Schedule longer research sessions. If you find something you really want to dive into and explore the connections, set aside intentional time for this exploration.
My Story
Writing these blog posts is a good example of a time when rabbit holes can happen.
This morning is a perfect example. I was scanning my list of notes that provide inspiration for the daily posts and I saw a note that said, “taxonomy of how to use the physical space”.
This got me thinking that the word taxonomy is used a lot and I understand it in context, but I’ve never looked up the definition and thought about the meaning…..enter the rabbit hole!
A quick search answered the question – taxonomy is a scientific term used for classifying plants and animals.
As I continued down the rabbit hole, I learned how it has been applied to marketing and life in general with articles like “the taxonomy of the closet”.
By now you should know that anything about the organization of things has me hooked!
The only thing that saved my morning was time constraints. I have a timer set to get thoughts for a post down in 30 minutes and today I have another meeting at the end of that time.
I’ve pulled myself out of the rabbit hole with a new topic for this morning’s writing and you can be certain that time will be scheduled to dive into research on the concept and application of taxonomy.
Stay tuned!
Your Turn
Have you found yourself down the rabbit hole?
Are there certain situations where this happens more frequently?
Could a time limit and/or scheduled rabbit hole time work for you?