The pattern interrupt is one of the time-tested classics of cognitive psychology. You're grappling with and trying to overcome a particularly challenging problem or roadblock. The frontal attack strategy isn't working - it's like the proverbial "broken record". The answer is often simply to step out of the rut and spend a couple of hours doing something totally different. This will frequently release trapped mental energy, almost like the dam in a reservoir bursting. You often find that when you return to the original problem the problem has not changed, but you have.
So far, so conventional. Yet if we all know this, why is this so hard to do? First, there's the heavy weight of social expectation, particularly in a commercial environment. We are told to relentlessly focus on a single goal, so that even re-framing the problem can appear like a sign of defeat - a blow to our pride. That's is why it's always best to remind ourselves of the Pareto Rule - that the critical success factors that deliver the 80% of results are contained within the 20% of inputs. There is no glory or honour in slogging through the dreary and irrelevant 80% of inputs. That's why I recommend using the Yamazumi Board as a key control device to assess what REALLY matters in any projects.
Pattern interrupt, if managed prudently, can work at a "lifestyle design" level too. We all realise the importance of a change of scene at an intuitive level, which is why we take holidays outside our home town and even travel to far-flung and exotic locations. Of course travel is aimed not primarily at changed our surroundings but ourselves. You may not wish to take a gap year from integration testing to travel to Japan to qualify as a snowboarding instructor (as a friend recently did) but a simple walk in the park could have a similar refreshing effect.
The power of the pattern interrupt to re-frame problems and recharge energies is dramatic. Here on the written page it seems blindingly obvious, but applying it is as usual the tough part. Proper process control is essential. When does a genuine and beneficial pattern interrupt become a distraction or a simple avoidance strategy? If you're working on a big project,the follow guidelines will help.
- Keep the pattern interrupt short (two hours at most)
- Keep it tightly defined in scope and beneficial in effect. Do not exceed the initial plan.
- Reflect on the process afterward. Take time to think and recharge. What has the pattern interrupt given you?
Now, on to the next project!
James Rozel
You may not need a holiday - just a quick pattern interrupt...:-)
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