To many, switching to Airplane Mode may feel like getting unproductive because we sever the standard connections to any network that feeds the apps on our phones and other devices. Does it? Does switching to Airplane Mode really make you unproductive?
Unproductive doing what? Checking your friends’ most recent survey results on Facebook definitively determining “Which Celebrity is Your Soulmate?” Or maybe to check how many (and who) have liked your recent post on Instagram?
If this is you (like me—sometimes—okay, maybe a tad above sometimes), you’ll need to rethink your notion of productivity. Being productive, simply stated, means you’re producing something. In my opinion, being productive can go two ways—it can be an inward flow of information or learning, or it can be an outward result of producing or achieving a task. It could be small tasks of output like writing a blog post. Or as big as writing a few chapters of a book. Peter Shankman, 5x best-selling author and social media expert, wrote over 28,000 words on one flight from Newark (NJ) to Shanghai (China). For Shankman, switching to Airplane Mode allowed him to complete a large chunk of his manuscript.
Okay, okay. Switch to Airplane Mode, but what does that mean? Let’s first take a look at what happens when we actually take a flight to any destination. There is a defined start and end time. There’s limited physical space during the flight. Strangers—lots of strangers. And, white noise. All these are part of the recipe to productivity.
Like any project, a flight has a start and an end. This gives you a mental framework of a deadline. Blocking a specific amount of time dedicated to a certain task gives your brain the permission and the opportunity for deep thinking which leads to deep work. Deep work is achieving intense concentration which can result in deep learning and immense performance or production. In Cal Newport’s book, “Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success in a Distracted World,” he talks about scheduling out blocks of time in your calendar for deep work. Simply putting them on your calendar will not do it. You’ll need to protect those blocks of time, which means turning off any notifications and anything that doesn’t pertain to the deep work you’re scheduled to do. Like being on Airplane Mode, you remove all the unnecessary connections that will distract you to achieve your goal.
The limited physical space on a flight forces you to be deliberate on what things to bring with you on the plane. In order to make this work, you’ll only pack the most essential items with you. The less unnecessary things you pack, the more productive you can become. If you’re writing a blog post or a book, all you’ll need is your writing device(s). A laptop or tablet. Or, if you’re supercool, a paper journal to handwrite your project.
The fact that you’re disconnected to any live feed of information, notifications, and communications remove unnecessary distractions that can derail your line of thought. This setting allows you to achieve a deep level of productivity. At this level, you elevate yourself with the right medley of ease and discomfort (drag) to achieve cruise control in what you’re doing—finishing a book (writing or reading), learning a difficult subject, or finishing a certain task.
How to switch into airplane mode?
No. You don’t have to take out your credit card to book a flight to get things done. Switching to airplane mode can be achieved almost everywhere. Let’s take a look at the key components of being on airplane mode:
Limited space/access
White Noise
Structured Timeline (deadline)
Anonymity
Limited Space/Access
Be lean. Only have with you the most necessary things you’ll need to achieve your task. A laptop. A book. Pen and paper. Stow away your phone and other things that are not part of the task you’re trying to do. Imagine having a small food tray in front of you. With the limited space, prioritize the items you’ll need in front of you. Be purposeful when it comes to equipping yourself for what you’re trying to achieve.
Turn off any pop-up notifications, and other alerts from newsfeeds, social networking sites, and most especially your mobile devices. These alerts serve as speed bumps that prevent you from achieving cruise control.
White Noise
The constant background noise on a plane can help you focus more by drowning attention-grabbing sounds. When I used to write code for online apps, I remember listening to Harry Potter audio books. I’ve read and listened the books many times. I’m not really anticipating who actually opened the “chamber of secrets,” so it’s just white noise for me. Currently, as I prepare for two big speaking engagements in April, I have instrumental covers of 90’s hits playing in the background. It drowns out other noises that would keep me from getting into the zone. Plus it reminds me of my young, wild, and free days—the peak of my coolness!
Structured Timeline (Deadline)
The take off and landing of plane rides creates an absolute start and end time for flights. To replicate this scenario, I block 1.5-2 hours on my calendar for a specific task. I make sure to make myself unavailable during that time. This amount of time is enough to get a large chunk of the task done. In my personal experience, blocking out anything larger than that can bog you down too much, making it hard for you to get through it. In building these chunks of time, I’m able to exert as much effort as I can to push-through in a task until I get exhausted from it. I take the deliberate break to do something else to regroup. The amount of time needed varies for individuals. Yours maybe shorter or longer than what I’m prescribing.
Of course, you can block larger chunks of time depending on the task you’re trying to do. If you’re writing a book, and that’s the main focus of your time, you can book much longer time. But if you’re like me, who runs operations, other projects, and manage team members, it’s just impossible to forego of our other duties and responsibilities for the sake of a task. Prioritize, budget your time, and be disciplined.
Anonymity
If you’re famous like me, this is going to be a challenge. (LOL) If you’re at work, this is the best time to shut your office door. If you don’t have an office, maybe put a “do not disturb” sign up, or book a small conference room to work in. (Yes, please book a small conference room. Don’t be like other jerks who book a 20-seater conference room.) Preferably, at another building/floor, away from your normal place of business. Go to a coffee shop, a library, or a bookstore. Running into someone you know is highly unlikely. And if you do share a proximity with folks you know, they’re probably also trying to achieve some level of anonymity, so they won’t even bother to engage you in conversation.
Crowdsourcing FTW
How do you achieve your version of airplane mode at work, home, or in other places? What type of task were you trying to do? What were some of the challenges you’ve realized when trying to be productive by switching to airplane mode?