Earlier this week, Matt Birchler, [wrote about wanting a “focus mode” in Slack](https://birchtree.me/blog/slack-feature-request-focus-mode/). The idea here is that instead of a notification every time something happens, you get a bundle of notifications every 10 minutes. In theory, 30 minutes is too long and things will catch on fire and babies will die.

While I didn’t love [Designing Your Life](https://curtismchale.ca/2020/08/14/designing-your-life-by-bill-burnett-and-dave-evans), I think the authors were on point when they said that a fulfilling career comes with lots of flow states. Around here the weeks I’m jumping between things and don’t get to stick with my timeblocking plan, I am stressed.

> Hey I’m doing a course on timeblocking and [patrons](https://patreon.com/curtismchale) will get it for free.

Around here my jumping around is often a result of trying to get enough billable hours in while making some attempt at ensuring children don’t wreck everything while my wife is out working. Even for that scenario I often wonder if I’d get more done by ignoring work until I can give it 100% attention. Not 80% attention with 20% stress from trying to get stuff done earlier.

I work on sites that move millions a month, and I don’t remember **ever** having something happen that was emergent enough that I needed to drop everything and help. Never has a few hours mattered. I bet that I could take vacation next week without telling clients and in 3 hours over the week respond to a few things and not a single person would mention the fact that I was less responsive.

While I don’t know Matt or what his exact job is, far too many people overestimate the importance of their job. My friend runs the emergency department in town, when things come up he needs to be on it because people could die.

The rest of us don’t have that excuse.

## I Shipped

Monday I wrote about the [iPad keyboards I’ve tested out over the last months and years](https://curtismchale.ca/2020/08/24/ipad-pro-keyboard-shootout). There are a few different recommendations depending on what you’re looking for.

Wednesday I did a short review of the [USB Hub that mounts under my desk and holds my headphones](https://curtismchale.ca/2020/08/26/under-desk-usb-3-headphone-mount). It was inexpensive and I love it.

Today I put up a review/discussion on a book called [The Underground Girls of Kabul](https://curtismchale.ca/2020/08/28/the-underground-girls-of-kabul). It looks at the lack of rights of women in Afghanistan and the lengths women must go to get heard at all. If you think we’re better in North America, watch the video because we’re not.

I’ve had a few posts published over at Nexcess recently. First, [An Introduction to WordPress Transients](https://blog.nexcess.net/getting-started-with-wordpress-transients-api/) and second, [An Introduction to Git](https://blog.nexcess.net/introduction-to-git/). I’ve got lots of other deeper developer focused posts coming at [Nexcess](https://nexcess.net) over the next few months.