Zola2023-08-16T00:00:00+00:00https://focusretreatcenter.com/atom.xmlWells College Rural Health Immersion2023-08-16T00:00:00+00:002023-08-16T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/wells-college-rural-health-immersion/<p>We had the wonderful opportunity to host a group of Healthcare studens from <a href="https://www.wells.edu/area-of-study/health-professions/">Wells College</a> recently. Wells runs a Rural Health Immersion Program whose purpose is to immerse students in a rural community healthcare setting so they can understand the needs of that community and ultimately help rural communities recruit and retain healthcare providers. In partnership with <a href="https://www.nationalahec.org">Area Health Education Center</a> (AHEC) and Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, the group embedded themselves in our local healthcare ecosystem for one intense week.</p>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/panel1.63b1dc0e3842e731.jpg" alt="Panel Discussion"/>
<figcaption>Panel Discussion</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The program included several sets of hospital rounds, pharmacy visits, ambulance visits, and even a session studying a real medivac helicopter. The students conducted surveys of both community members and healthcare providers. We hosted several panel discussions here at FRC with medical professionals and leaders from many organizations around the region. Four professors and an alum contributed to the delivery of this program this year: Associate Professor of Chemistry and Health Sciences and Health Sciences Program Chair Lindsay Burwell, Assistant Professor of Biology Leah Elliott, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Benjamin Steiner, Full Professor of Psychology and Health Sciences Deborah Gagnon, and recent alum Anthony Westmiller. Lindsay is a North Country native (Madrid-Waddington class of 1999) and is the main organizer of the Wells College team.</p>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/panel2.065f6d907798dfb2.jpg" alt="Panel Discussion"/>
<figcaption>Panel Discussion</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The students summarized their experiences with a presentation at the end of the week and discussed their plans for continuing on with their careers in healthcare and related fields.</p>
Kitchen 2.02023-06-26T00:00:00+00:002023-06-26T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/kitchen-20/<p>Pete and I took a long road trip over the winter. We stayed with friends and family, or in short term rentals all over the country. It was great to take a step back from FRC and get some of that perspective that comes naturally with distance from a big project.</p>
<p>While we traveled I had the opportunity to visit several kitchens. I tried to be mindful when visiting a new kitchen, to ask myself questions and to observe how the flow of the kitchen happened (or didn’t happen). These kitchen’s varied greatly in their functions and aesthetic but each one of them taught me something about kitchen design.</p>
<p>When we got back to FRC in the spring, I found myself inspired to reset my workspace. I emptied everything out of my kitchen and then slowly put objects into place using the lessons I had learned on the road. The result is a much better work flow in the kitchen!</p>
<img src="table-of-stuff.jpg" alt="Tons of kitchen items set aside for the reset">
<p>Better flow makes work less stressful and reduces fatigue. It also makes cooking more fun!</p>
<p>Here is a short list of the changes that were made in v2.</p>
<h2 id="pan-and-lid-storage">Pan and lid storage</h2>
<ul>
<li>All pans and lids must be visible for quick analysis of available equipment</li>
<li>No Stacking Allowed!</li>
<li>Pots and pans cannot be stored overhead or near the floor as they are just too heavy</li>
</ul>
<img src="pot-rack.jpg" alt="Pots hanging on our new pot rack with 3D printed hangers">
<h2 id="our-floating-kitchen-island">Our floating kitchen island</h2>
<p>Our island is on casters so it can "float" around the kitchen.</p>
<ul>
<li>This allows the space to be configured many ways</li>
<li>We have Better access to side storage bins</li>
<li>Increases number of workstations available in the kitchen</li>
</ul>
<img src="vika-island.jpg" alt="Vika cooking on the moveable island">
<h2 id="removal-of-the-cupboard-doors">Removal of the cupboard doors</h2>
<ul>
<li>(this was actually in V1, but is an important part of the design)</li>
<li>There is no need for a mental map of kitchen storage when all the shelves are visible</li>
<li>Having open concept storage allows for Quick Inventory when preparing to shop</li>
<li>Mindfully <strong>not</strong> hiding food/brands provides guests the opportunity to observe the ingredients being used to make their meals</li>
<li>This style of storage forces frequent purging of pantry and provides incentives to keep supplies orderly</li>
</ul>
<img src="shelves.jpg" alt="Stella working on renewing the bottom cabinet shelving">
<h2 id="boxes-instead-of-more-traditional-drawers">Boxes instead of more traditional drawers</h2>
<ul>
<li>This system is more flexible and can be arranged to fit current/different tasks</li>
<li>No mental map of storage needed because you can see into the container without opening anything</li>
<li>It is quick and easy to relocate an item to a different container</li>
<li>This method Invites user to inspect the entire contents of the box so nothing is lost in the back</li>
</ul>
How Lessons from TAoG Will Impact FRC2023-02-24T00:00:00+00:002023-02-24T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/gathering-at-frc/<blockquote>
<p>Gatherings crackle and flourish when real thought goes into them, when (often invisible) structure is baked into them, and when a host has the curiosity, willingness and generosity of spirit to try. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As I have traveled around the USA this winter, I have had a lot of opportunities to observe and participate in all types of gatherings. As a traveler, I was mostly playing the role of a guest, so this was a great time to observe many of the lessons from Priya Parker's book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters” from that guest perspective. I was able to see, and feel, how different a gathering with clearly defined purpose, a not-chill host, and a sense of being in a temporary alternative world is from a gathering that just …sort of happens. Let me say, the difference is remarkable!</p>
<p>It is my sincere intention to take these lessons back to my job at FRC. In my role as a host, I hope to be able to stay keenly aware of how it felt to be a guest. I am going to benevolently rule over my gatherings with a generous authority, enforcing pop-up rules as I go, all while creating a container to hold our temporary alternative world!</p>
<p>When answering a question about how a group should choose ‘a good, purposeful location’ for their gathering, Parker answers like this: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>You should, for starters, seek a setting that embodies the reason for your convening. When a place embodies an idea, it brings a person’s body and whole being to the experience, not only their minds.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It is my intention to make Focus Retreat Center the <em>embodiment</em> of our gatherings, bringing our guests into a state of wholeness and empowered creativity. Parker goes on to state that another essential element in choosing a perfect location for a gathering is <em>displacement</em>, also known as a <em>change of scenery</em>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Displacement is simply about breaking people out of their habits. It is about waking people up from the slumber of their own routines…But it is possible to achieve a great deal of displacement through the choice of a space. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When I consider these ideas of embodiment and displacement as reasons to host gatherings here at FRC, it seems so clear to me that here exists a unique opportunity for personal development with the possibility of getting to host actual life-changing events!</p>
<img alt="Stella working on pizza night" src="pizza.jpg">
<p>Please consider joining us for one of these events! We are open to many types of gatherings from casual co-living arrangements to very formal and structured workshops. Whether you would like to host an event, or be a guest at someone else's event, or take up a longer term residency I would love to talk to you. Please email me at <strong>team@focusretreatcenter.com</strong> or join our email list below.</p>
<p>This post belongs to a <a href="/blog/the-art-of-gathering-introduction/#more-in-this-series">series of posts about The Art of Gathering</a>.</p>
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Good Endings2023-02-21T00:00:00+00:002023-02-21T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/good-endings/<blockquote>
<p>The first step to closing a gathering well is less practical than it is spiritual or metaphysical: Your must, before anything, accept that there is an end. You must accept your gathering’s mortality. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Endings are hard. Ending things that are wonderful and satisfying is <strong>really hard</strong>. But all things end and according to Priya Parker in her book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters”, accepting the impermanence of our gatherings is part of the art. It is the job of a host to design an ending that allows guests to both look inward — at how the gathering affected them, and to turn outward to see how the gathering will propel them forward.</p>
<img alt="Walking along a path" src="path.jpg">
<blockquote>
<p>…gatherings will benefit from a pause to reflect on what happened here. A gathering is a moment of time that has the potential to alter many other moments of time. And for it to have the best chance of doing so, engaging in some meaning-making at the end is crucial. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Parker suggests approaching your designed ending as a two-phase event:</p>
<p>The first part of the ending should be about looking inward. This involves doing some ‘meaning-making’ and helping guests connect with each other one last time. The host should lead guests, gently but firmly, toward some collective exercise of taking stock of the experience and to observe themselves as a cohesive group or tribe.</p>
<p>The second part of the ending should be about turning outward toward separation and reentry into ‘real’ life. It is important to address the concerns of the group around the issues of transitioning back into the world. It is the job of the host to guide guests in thinking about what they would like to take with them as they go back into their lives. </p>
<p>At FRC we value the endings as much as the beginnings! Even though endings are hard, we commit to designing the end of each retreat to provide our guests with a moment to reflect on how the retreat process affected them personally and to form a plan for how to take that new energy out into the world with them as they exit our temporary alternative world and step back into their original context.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A good and meaningful closing doesn’t conform to any particular rules or form. It’s something you have to build yourself, in keeping with the spirit of your gathering, in proportion to how big a deal you want to make of it. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This post belongs to a <a href="/blog/the-art-of-gathering-introduction/#more-in-this-series">series of posts about The Art of Gathering</a>.</p>
Create a Temporary Alternative World2023-02-16T00:00:00+00:002023-02-16T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/create-a-temporary-alternative-world/<blockquote>
<p>A gathering's blandness is a symptom of a disease. We must treat the disease. And what is the disease? That the gathering makes no effort to do what the best gatherings do: transport us to a temporary alternative world. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Most people that know me would likely use the word 'anti-authoritian' when describing my general attitude. It is safe to say, I am not a rules type person. I am Gen-X. We don't really do rules. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself agreeing with Priya Parker when she suggested that 'Pop-Up Rules' are a key to a great gathering! In her book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters”, Parker sets up a dynamic comparison of pop-up rules vs etiquette.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If the standards of etiquette are fixed, imperious, and exclusionary, pop-up rules have the power to flip these traits on their head, creating the possibility of more experimental, humble, and democratic - and satisfying! - gatherings. If etiquette is about sustaining unchanging norms, pop-up rules are about trying stuff out. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The reason we need pop-up rules to have satisfying gatherings lies in the notion of creating a temporary alternative world that will hold the gathering. Designing a container out of rules creates a space that is especially compelling, and comforting, to guests attending that gathering. I began to understand that by creating rules for my gatherings I was rebelling against etiquette itself! What the rules provide is a direct replacement to the ‘passive-aggressive, exclusionary, glacially conservative commandments of etiquette with something more experimental and democratic’. By dictating the details of expected conduct up front and plainly, leaving nothing to the imagination or social cues, allows all participants to understand what is happening and why. What a revelation!</p>
<p>“Etiquette allows people to gather because they are the same. Pop-up rules allow people to gather because they are different - yet open to having the same experience.”, says Parker. One of my primary goals at Focus Retreat Center is to be welcoming and accommodating to many different types of people. These differences might be cultural, or neurological, or just generalized strangeness. I sincerely want even the most awkward of humans to find a way to be nurtured at FRC. By being clear and explicit about the social expectations and rules of the gathering (and then enforcing those rules by exercising generous authority!) a host can provide a level playing field for all their guests to interact on. This act of leveling will then allow interactions between guests that are meaningful, profound - and satisfying!</p>
<img alt="Image of library maker space" src="library.jpg">
<p>It is my intention to be as clear as possible about the house rules and to help people understand that the rules that are being presented are not meant to restrict the gathering, but rather to contain it. By enforcing the rules I will create an environment of trust that helps guests feel safe. These rules allow us to collectively build a temporary alternative world where we can share information without the clutter of old-fashioned etiquette and confusing social cues.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>That is the point and the magic. In a world of infinite choices, choosing one thing is the revolutionary act. Imposing that restriction is actually liberating.” —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This post belongs to a <a href="/blog/the-art-of-gathering-introduction/#more-in-this-series">series of posts about The Art of Gathering</a>.</p>
Don’t Be a Chill Host2023-02-07T00:00:00+00:002023-02-07T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/dont-be-a-chill-host/<blockquote>
<p>‘Chill’ is selfishness disguised as kindness. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The chapter titled, “Don’t Be A Chill Host” in Priya Parkers book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters”, spoke to me in such a specific and personal way that I actually felt bad for the guests I had assembled at past gatherings, sigh. I was definitely guilty of being a ‘Chill Host’.</p>
<img alt="Stella's legs up in a hammock" src="hammock.png">
<p>Parker defines ‘Chill’ as “...the idea that it’s better to be relaxed and low-key, better not to care, better not to make a big deal.” I really thought at the time I was being chill that it was what my guests preferred and wanted from their host. I now understand that this is often very uncomfortable for guests and that a host assuming power and control is a welcome trait. Leadership is critical. When you abdicate leadership, you do not eradicate power. You just hand the opportunity to take charge to someone else!</p>
<p>It is one thing to understand the need to exert power and leadership, but how is it done well? Parker believes that the answer to that question is ‘Generous Authority’. “A gathering run on generous authority is run with a strong, confident hand, but it is run selflessly, for the sake of others.”, she says. There are three goals that someone practicing generous authority should keep in mind:</p>
<h2 id="protect-your-guests">Protect Your Guests</h2>
<p>Parker suggests that it is the duty of the host to protect guests from one another, or from boredom, or from the addictive technologies that lurk in our pockets.</p>
<h2 id="equalize-your-guests">Equalize Your Guests</h2>
<blockquote>
<p>In almost any human gathering there will be some hierarchy, some difference in status, imagined or real…</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It is up to the host of the gathering to balance these differences through the use of their generous authority.</p>
<h2 id="connect-your-guests">Connect Your Guests</h2>
<p>Guest-to-guest connections rarely happen all on their own. It is the job of the host to design the gathering deliberately for the kinds of connections they want to create. Hosts must use generous authority to guide guests into making connections. When this is done well, lifelong friendships can be forged!</p>
<p>The idea of trading in my old, comfortable ‘chill’ attitude and adopting the use of Generous Authority is daunting! This change lies near the core of my personal identity, it forces me to look at my attitudes in a different way and will challenge me greatly. I don’t expect that I will get it perfectly right every time, but having these goals in mind should help me in making these new ideas become second nature.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>YOU ARE THE BOSS. Hosting is not democratic, just like design isn't. Structure helps good parties, like restrictions help good design. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This post belongs to a <a href="/blog/the-art-of-gathering-introduction/#more-in-this-series">series of posts about The Art of Gathering</a>.</p>
The Art of Gathering: Introduction2023-02-01T00:00:00+00:002023-02-01T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/the-art-of-gathering-introduction/<h1 id="impact-of-this-book">Impact of this book</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Having a purpose simply means knowing why you’re gathering and doing your participants the honor of being convened for a reason. And once you have that purpose in mind, you will suddenly find it easier to make all the decisions that a gathering requires. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I read a book last fall that has had a significant impact on my identity as a host at the Focus Retreat Center. The book is called “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters” by Priya Parker. The author’s perspective and thoughts on what it means to host meaningful, intentional gatherings has followed me on my winter travels - causing me to refine in my mind my role at FRC.</p>
<img alt="Cover of the book The Art of Gathering" src="taog-book-cover.jpg">
<p>I spent my time during our first retreats last summer acting and reacting with the vague hope of somewhat resembling a host. I bumbled along answering direct questions, making obvious adjustments, and scrambling around the kitchen trying to get everyone fed. It happened. The retreats were largely successful, and I learned a lot about the needs of typical guests. As if there was any such thing as a ‘Typical Guest’, Ha! 😄</p>
<p>The Art of Gathering came into my life at just the right moment. I had just collected a lot of kitchen data and had learned the strengths and weaknesses of my kitchen & dining room setup. Plans to improve systems and efficiency were starting to become clearer. I was ready to take my role to the next level. Priya Parker's book gave me the framework to go from acting like a host to really becoming one!</p>
<p>I will be writing a series of blog posts on the subjects covered in this book, there are just too many revelations to cover in one essay. The topics I will cover include:</p>
<ul>
<li>how not to be a ‘Chill Host’</li>
<li>creating a ‘Temporary Alternative World’</li>
<li>why endings matter so much</li>
<li>how I would like for these lessons to impact what we do at FRC</li>
</ul>
<p>I am genuinely excited to host next summer's events with generous authority!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Generous Authority is not a pose. It’s not the appearance of power. It is using power to achieve outcomes that are generous, that are for others. The authority is justified by the generosity. —Priya Parker</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="more-in-this-series">More in this Series</h2>
<p>This post is first in a series on The Art of Gathering.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/blog/dont-be-a-chill-host/">Don't Be a Chill Host</a></li>
<li><a href="/blog/create-a-temporary-alternative-world/">Create a Temporary Alternative World</a></li>
<li><a href="/blog/good-endings/">Good Endings</a></li>
<li><a href="/blog/gathering-at-frc/">How Lessons from TAoG Will Impact FRC</a></li>
</ul>
Five Books: Rhonda Rosenheck's Writing Residency2023-01-09T00:00:00+00:002023-01-09T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/five-books-rhonda-rosenhecks-writing-residency/<p>Rhonda Rosenheck is a poet, humorist and bible-translator from New York’s Capital Region. She came to the FRC to start off 2023 with a week of Focus. </p>
<h2 id="what-project-are-you-working-on">What project are you working on?</h2>
<p>The work-in-progress I brought with me to FRC is a fresh English translation of the book of Genesis. The work is detailed and sometimes tedious; I need large blocks of time to stay with it through frustration. </p>
<img alt="Rhonda Rosenheck" src="rosenheck.jpg">
<h2 id="what-s-your-hope-for-the-project-long-term">What's your hope for the project long term?</h2>
<p>With the steep acceleration of damage humanity is causing each other and the environment, I wondered if re-reading the Bible without 3000+ year-old cultural assumptions could provide guidance for new ways to relate. I began the translation as an experiment I assumed would fail, and yet, about halfway through Genesis, my work continues to result in valuable, sometimes stunningly profound meanings. </p>
<p>Basically, I unpack each word without a plan for how it will progress or what narrative it will form. I refer only to linguistic scholarship – not interpretive or archeological – and distill every name down to its root meaning(s). In the publication, I will include an outline of my hermeneutics so that scholarly, political and spiritual leaders can refer to my method as they shred and discredit my work. After all, who am I to upturn everything we’ve assumed for so long? </p>
<p>While I don’t see this as a feminist undertaking, I think it does matter that I’m not a member of the empowered gender in the hierarchies we assume the Bible endorsed. I will only be the second woman in history to have her translation of the Five Books of Moses published – the first was in the 1850s. </p>
<p>I’m 61 years old, so translating all Five Books of Moses is probably the work of the rest of my life. That’s daunting for me, as a person who prefers close-ended projects. But this feels like it could make a contribution to the human enterprise, so I’ll get it done. </p>
<h2 id="what-makes-it-hard-to-work-at-home">What makes it hard to work at home?</h2>
<p>Bills. Dust bunnies. The garden and the invasive vines I battle. My beloved in the other room, and what I might want to say to him. In that environment, I can jot down a poem from a flash of inspiration, but I cannot focus uninterrupted for hours. </p>
<h2 id="what-s-your-ideal-cozy-productive-setup-look-like">What's your ideal cozy/productive setup look like?</h2>
<img alt="Rhonda's cozy writing setup" src="mirror.jpg">
<p>There must be coffee, tea or fizzy water – often more than one. Beverages are the main reason I don’t write at the library. Desk and chair are usually my least favorite way to sit, but with this project, they facilitate the shifting around screens and tabs and programs I need to research before deciding each word’s translation. Even so, I must sometimes lounge, laptop perched above the throw blanket on my knees, and a snack on the side table. I work well in quiet and with the hum of other people working on their own stuff around me. Either way, I love to commune with others working on utterly different creative work than mine. That’s why shared dinners and clean-up at FRC have been a huge pleasure and inspiration for me. </p>
Pete Interviewed on the JUXT Podcast2022-12-04T00:00:00+00:002022-12-04T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/pete-interviewed-on-the-juxt-podcast/<p>In September, Pete attended the <a href="https://thestrangeloop.com/">Strange Loop</a> Tech Conference held in St. Louis. One of the sponsoring tech companies, <a href="https://www.juxt.pro/">JUXT</a> had a booth and conducted a series of short interviews/chats with attendees for their podcast, the JUXT Cast. JUXT is a consultancy bringing great people and innovative technologies together. They do a lot of clojure, have a super cool bitemporal database product called XTBD, and have been longtime participants and sponsors with Strange Loop.</p>
<p>In this short 13-minute chat, Pete takes Renzo through the motivation and backstory for Focus Retreat Center, what types of groups we had in our first season, and what a typical experience at FRC is like.</p>
<p><a href="https://pnc.st/s/juxt-cast/f0fac951/strange-loop-edition-a-chat-with-pete-lyons"><img alt="JUXT Cast Strange Loop Edition Logo" src="juxtcast.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pnc.st/s/juxt-cast/f0fac951/strange-loop-edition-a-chat-with-pete-lyons">https://pnc.st/s/juxt-cast/f0fac951/strange-loop-edition-a-chat-with-pete-lyons</a></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="61" src="https://pinecast.com/player/f0fac951-9e6d-46aa-b752-206fc5434c66?theme=cardstock&dark=false&shortlink=true" title="Episode player" width="100%" style="border: 0px;"></iframe>
Brooks Patton on Learning While Streaming2022-11-22T00:00:00+00:002022-11-22T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/brooks-patton-on-learning-while-streaming/<p>I had the opportunity to have a great chat with Brooks Patton who has been live streaming coding sessions since 2016. Brooks streams 6 mornings a week and has worked on the coding game Screeps Arena in rust, his "Brooks Builds" series of courses, and lots of other interesting projects. Brooks is a software engineering manager, coding course author, and community leader. Here's the video of our discussion.</p>
<iframe class="video-landscape" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/-l72bQjexNk" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Startup Incubation Retreat2022-11-18T00:00:00+00:002022-11-18T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/startup-incubation-retreat/<p>In our last post we talked about the large layoffs we've seen this year from big tech companies and how that might catalyse personal change. In this post we want to talk about how this effects the scene for brand new small startups. There could be as many as 100,000 tech workers who unexpectedly and suddenly lost their jobs. We wish each of you success in responding to that, whether it's finding another job, taking some time off, changing course to do something else, or perhaps gathering a few friends and starting a new company.</p>
<p>I can imagine scenarios where a small group of folks have experience working closely together at one a big tech company and all got laid off around the same time. Here's a great opportunity to "acquihire" yourselves as a fully-formed team and dive into that idea that you chatted about but could never get started at the big company. It's hard to overstate how valuable it is to have an established team that is gelled and works well together. It's gold.</p>
<img alt="A retreat group laughing around the fire pit in FRC's back yard" src="fire.jpg">
<p>Your group may already be primed with a shared understanding of a problem that needs solving. Maybe now's the time to brainstorm what a solution could look like. Maybe you relied on a great but unpolished internal tool that really should be a commercial offering. This has played out many times such as kubernetes (origins in "borg" internal to Google), prometheus (origins in "borgmon" at Google), kafka (origins at LinkedIn before Confluence spun off as a separate company), and many others.</p>
<p>It seems a certainty that the huge exodus from twitter to mastodon is enough to generate a handful of companies founded by ex-twitter staff bringing their expertise to the fediverse, much like there's a host of companies that provide value-add services on top of twitter.</p>
<p>Hiring in tech, especially engineers but really most roles, has been a huge struggle and pain point throughout recent memory. If you have a ready-made team that could be the initial employees for a startup, that is a huge opportunity.</p>
<p>Here's a salient twitter thread relevant to the Twitter layoffs.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">9 uncomfortable truths about engineering and tech right now. <br><br>How Twitter might play out, the ramifications, and what Elon’s calculus might be.<br><br>Disclaimer: Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m relaying observations through a lens of engineering for over a decade & managing engineers.</p>— Louie Bacaj (@LBacaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/LBacaj/status/1593705261939802112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>We here at Focus Retreat Center want to see if there's interest in doing an immersive incubation retreat for new startups in 2023. If you have thoughts about that, please take a moment and fill out this brief survey so we can best align our offerings next year to fit your needs.</p>
<a class="button brand-button" href="https://us14.list-manage.com/survey?u=a54483dfc73731ced2ff35a04&id=535dbf9df4&attribution=false">Fill Out Retreat Program Survey</a>
Recover from Burnout2022-11-11T00:00:00+00:002022-11-11T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/recover-from-burnout/<p>There has been a series of large layoffs in tech recently: Meta, Twitter, Stripe, Lyft, Shopify, NetFlix, Snap, and many others. There are also larger trends and a confluence of challenging and stressful circumstances that have contributed to burnout and have also peaked in the past few years:</p>
<ul>
<li>pandemic, quarantine, and isolation</li>
<li>disillusionment with big tech overall</li>
<li>too much time working from home plus staying home to limit pandemic exposure</li>
<li>War</li>
<li>Politics</li>
<li>Relentlessly negative news and media</li>
</ul>
<p>If you were laid off from your tech job, we're sorry you have to experience that and wish you the best in responding to that unexpected change. Job changes and feelings of burnout are circumstances we feel can often benefit from taking a retreat to process, heal, and re-energize. We think working on one's own creative work without external pressures and deadlines can be a cure for burnout. One of our driving motivators here is seeing creative people flourish and do their best work.</p>
<img alt="Coffee mug on a park bench with leafy trees in the background" src="coffee-mug-on-park-bench.jpg">
<p>Louie Bacaj expressed this in a tweet recently:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There is no better feeling than being able to:<br><br>– work on what you want to work on<br>– chase what you want to chase<br>– write what you want to write<br>– build what you want to build<br><br>I’m thankful that the majority of my time this year was spent that way.</p>— Louie Bacaj (@LBacaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/LBacaj/status/1595488098426798092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>ThePrimeagen on Youtube posted this fantastic short video. The script is completely aligned with <a href="/values">our values here at FRC</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li>"Side projects can prevent and even cure burnout"</li>
<li>The importance of intrinsic motivation. Following your own excitement and curiosity. "Do it because you want to do it".</li>
<li>The power of sabbatical</li>
<li>Skill building by cranking out projects</li>
<li>"Find that joy again"</li>
<li>"It's 2023 - take the time. Invest in your creativity. Invest in passion. Invest in desire."</li>
</ul>
<p>We love to see this more reflective content on a youtube channel that's normally very technical stuff about vim and coding.</p>
<iframe class="video-landscape" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/nMHxdz-N7EU" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<hr/>
<p>In the tweet below, Gergely Oroz links to companies that are hiring now.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: companies are hiring software engineers and engineering managers.<br><br>More than 750 of them! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this list. See the full one here:<a href="https://t.co/4cHeharzeH">https://t.co/4cHeharzeH</a><br><br>(Using the 'breaking' part to highlight some good news for a change!) <a href="https://t.co/3pc0LPdPHx">pic.twitter.com/3pc0LPdPHx</a></p>— Gergely Orosz (@GergelyOrosz) <a href="https://twitter.com/GergelyOrosz/status/1593536296965865473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>If you are curious about a retreat or might be interested, we want to directly factor your personal situation into our 2023 schedule of retreats. If you take 2 minutes to fill out this short survey, it will help us match our plans to the needs of our community.</p>
<a class="button brand-button" href="https://us14.list-manage.com/survey?u=a54483dfc73731ced2ff35a04&id=535dbf9df4&attribution=false">Fill Out Retreat Program Survey</a>
InkTober Congratulations2022-10-31T00:00:00+00:002022-10-31T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/inktober-congratulations/<h2 id="congratulations-to-all-inktober-artists">Congratulations to all InkTober Artists</h2>
<p>Today is the last day of the 2022 InkTober illustration challenge. We want to congratulate all the artists around the world who participated in the challenge. We hope you got an illustration done for each of the 31 daily prompts. But whether you completed the entire challenge or not, we hope you enjoyed the process, gained some new skills & confidence, and made some new friends both in person at FRC and online.</p>
<h2 id="thanks-to-inktober-and-jake-parker">Thanks to InkTober and Jake Parker</h2>
<p>We are so very grateful to have collaborated with Jake Parker and InkTober to create the first ever artists in nature retreat associated with the InkTober Challenge. Everyone was a pleasure to work with and we at FRC are so grateful to have been able to provide a fantastic retreat experience for our guests. We had folks from the Eastern US, the midwest, the rockies, the west coast, and Canada travel to work together on their art.</p>
<h2 id="highlights-from-inktober-at-frc">Highlights from InkTober at FRC</h2>
<p>The vibe at FRC during our InkTober retreats was really fantastic. Everyone worked dilligently on their illustrations and fed off of each other's energy, creativity, and work ethic. I led some hikes but only after reassuring everyone that they'd be back in time to get the day's prompt done!</p>
<h2 id="reflections-from-our-guests">Reflections from our guests</h2>
<blockquote>
<p>"This has been a big deal for me, to actually do something for me, for my art and then besides meeting y'all to come away from this week with two art friends - I've never had art friends before." —George</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"You've also just taught me so much in terms of not just art technique but almost like life in general." —Audrey</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I had this project in my head for years and I really am glad that I could implement it here even if it's not over. Even if it's not perfect...I'm not sad that it's over, I'm happy that it's happened." —Lucas</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I needed a rest or I needed something; I needed a reboot and I needed to meet people and I wanted to meet artists, especially people who like ink." —Chloe</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I've learned so much about color, about work, about paying attention and not giving up, about doing better, about how much more there is to know from the two of you. I get to keep that the rest of my life." —George</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"It's been so amazing and I feel so happy because it's not just I got the goal done, but you were all supporting me. I've been doing InkTober since at least 2016 and I've never gotten 31 drawings done before." —Denise</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I learned a lot from everybody. A little thing here, a little thing there. I'll never forget any of you guys or any of this experience. It's so frickin' cool. My soul thanks you." —Mike S</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I just felt really at home and really welcomed and it was really cool." —Gina</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I have been starting InkTober for five years, but I stop after a week. This time I got through it - only here." —Hanna</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>"I am so grateful to have met each and every one of you. I'm so happy that I took that leap of faith." —Megan</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="some-retreat-photo-highlights">Some Retreat Photo Highlights</h2>
<section class="gallery-gap">
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/chloe-desk.e8375d7b68889714.jpg" alt="Chloe working diligently at her desk" />
<figcaption>Chloe working diligently at her desk</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/denise-jake.939b3453ec348c8d.jpg" alt="Denise showing her art to InkTober creator Jake Parker for personal remarks" />
<figcaption>Denise showing her art to InkTober creator Jake Parker for personal remarks</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/fire.fc1f8646d5a75b12.jpg" alt="Evening chatting and relaxing by the fire" />
<figcaption>Evening chatting and relaxing by the fire</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/group-week-1.cb1e362c72716566.jpg" alt="Group with their certificates signed by Jake Parker" />
<figcaption>Group with their certificates signed by Jake Parker</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/hike-draw.02baee9d4424e71f.jpg" alt="Megan doing a quick sketch while hiking in Adirondack Park" />
<figcaption>Megan doing a quick sketch while hiking in Adirondack Park</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/inktober-week-3-group.fd2e3164f69f99c6.jpg" alt="Group with their certificates signed by Jake Parker" />
<figcaption>Group with their certificates signed by Jake Parker</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/mike-hike.3b91d83db37763f5.jpg" alt="Mike enjoying a hike during peak autumn colors" />
<figcaption>Mike enjoying a hike during peak autumn colors</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="photo">
<img src="https://focusretreatcenter.com/processed_images/park-night.b0be1e7831fe80f1.jpg" alt="A pretty shot of the park in front of Focus Retreat Center at night" />
<figcaption>A pretty shot of the park in front of Focus Retreat Center at night</figcaption>
</figure>
</section>
The Magic of Shared Meals2022-09-26T00:00:00+00:002022-09-26T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/the-magic-of-shared-meals/<p>Shared meals are where the community building magic happens at FRC. Meals are such a great time to get to know people, share stories, and enjoy each others' company. Meals foster a sense of abundance, a sense of being cared for, a sense of belonging. There's no substitute. This is one of the key reasons Focus Retreat Center is not a 9-5 coworking setup. A live-in experience elevates the potential of friends and colleagues to have access to cultural experiences that are too often reserved for family and close friends. Every relationship enriches one's life, and deepening one doesn't diminish another, so we gather together every evening to enjoy a delicious meal prepared on site with fresh local ingredients.</p>
<img src="table2.jpg" alt="people eating in the FRC dining room">
<p>The power of the meal is beautifully portrayed in one of my favorite films: <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/big_night">Big Night</a>. This 1996 movie stars Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, and Minnie Driver. It's a great story and beautifully crafted film. The film centers around an elaborate meal of Italian food that is my favorite food scene ever. I love this movie more each time I watch it. It strikes close to home for me having grown up in NJ resident with Italian heritage. No spoilers but I'll also say the final scene is absolutely my favorite final scene of any movie.</p>
<div class="centered">
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115678/"><img src="big-night.jpg" alt="still from Big Night showing people in a restaurant kitchen"></a>
</div>
August Programming Retreat Highlights2022-08-27T00:00:00+00:002022-08-27T00:00:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/august-programming-retreat-highlights/<p>In August we had generative artists, game developers, VR developers, data scientists, and programmers here working on their projects. This retreat was 3 weeks during the peak of the summer season.</p>
<p>They worked on their games and projects, collaborated with each other, and enjoyed some time to rest and reset after a stressful year.</p>
<p>This game is written in a custom LISP programming language and compiles through Haxe to several target languages and platforms. It’s a habit tracker that fosters healthy habits with gamification by rewarding completed tasks with a new piece of the puzzle to solve.</p>
<h2 id="nat-demoing-a-puzzle-habit-game">Nat Demoing a Puzzle/Habit Game</h2>
<p>This game is written in a custom LISP programming language and compiles through Haxe to several target languages and platforms. It’s a habit tracker that fosters healthy habits with gamification by rewarding completed tasks with a new piece of the puzzle to solve.</p>
<img alt="Nat demoing the habit puzzle game" src="puzzle-habits.jpg">
<h2 id="rachel-s-interactive-generative-art">Rachel’s Interactive Generative Art</h2>
<p>Rachel makes generative art that responds to inputs from the mouse, keyboard, and even microphone! Each piece is entirely unique and cannot be recreated once it’s gone.</p>
<img alt="Rachel's heart piece" src="rachel-art.jpg">
<img alt="Rachel showing an interactive art piece" src="rachel-interactive-art.jpg">
<h2 id="hive-mind-game-play-testing">Hive Mind Game Play Testing</h2>
<p>Steven is developing a game based on the concept of a hive mind that has a very unique user interface seeing through multiple sets of eyes at the same time. Here Justin is doing a play test with no special instructions.</p>
<img alt="Play testing the hive mind game" src="hive-play-test.jpg">
<h2 id="jamming-in-the-music-room">Jamming in the music room</h2>
<p>Folks running through some tunes in the music room.</p>
<img alt="Folks jamming in the music room" src="jamming.jpeg">
<h2 id="ac-explains-his-game-engine-s-ai">AC Explains his game engine’s AI</h2>
<p>AC is working on a sophisticated simulation game with AI models for language, social interactions, memory, and feelings.</p>
<img alt="AC game demo" src="ac-demo.jpg">
<h2 id="relaxing-with-some-big-puzzles">Relaxing with some big puzzles</h2>
<img alt="Group working on a tabletop puzzle" src="puzzle-group.jpeg">
<h2 id="open-mic-night">Open Mic Night</h2>
<p>FRC was represented at the local open mic night with original music and poetry.</p>
<img alt="Dain sings at Malone open mic" src="open-mic.jpeg">
<h2 id="group-photo">Group Photo</h2>
<img alt="Group photo" src="retreat-group.jpg">
The Kitchen of My Dreams2022-07-15T13:55:11+00:002022-07-15T13:55:11+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/20220715-the-kitchen-of-my-dreams/<p>I have always loved food. When I was a kid in the 4H club, the cooking lessons were my favorite. My first jobs were in food service, and as a teenager I loved the chaos of restaurant kitchens. As an adult, I taught my kids to cook and to enjoy a wide variety of food and styles of eating. I guess I am one of those people that lives to eat, rather than eats to live!</p>
<p>There is a huge disconnect in our culture between loving to cook and working in typical commercial kitchens though. Our perception of commercial cooking is that you have to be ‘mean’ and that the work has to be so stressful that it makes you sick. Most commercial kitchens are very unpleasant places. Certainly not places that I was going to spend a majority of my time and energy. But still, I have always dreamed of a place where I could cook every day and serve the food to eager, hungry guests.</p>
<p>Part of my issue with traditional restaurants is that the cooks HAVE to cook what the guests want even if it is unhealthy or out of season. There is often no seasonal variation or even acknowledgement of the seasons in a restaurant menu. In most restaurants, the same food is delivered by a truck every week and is already over-processed as soon as it arrives. The ‘recipes’ are inflexible and often use the least healthy, but cheapest, methods available. I have always dreamed of doing it better somehow.</p>
<img alt="FRC Kitchen" src="kitchen.jpg">
<p>And now, because of the Focus Retreat Center, I am getting my chance to do it better! I now have a fully licensed commercial kitchen that is free of meanness and stress and full of fresh seasonal food that is lovingly prepared. I am so excited to cook for our guests. I am looking forward to getting to know their likes and dislikes and to search for dishes that will be healthy, fresh and delicious!</p>
Programming Retreat Dates Announced2022-06-27T14:20:30+00:002022-06-27T14:20:30+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/programming-retreat-dates-announced/<p>We are pleased to announce the dates for our inaugural Programming Retreat this year:</p>
<h3 id="august-1-through-21">August 1 through 21</h3>
<p>Guests will travel to Malone on Monday August 1. We'll have a 3-week retreat experience, and depart on Sunday August 21.</p>
<p>This retreat we will have a great mix of programmers, generative artists, community builders, and game developers. We have already seen lots of excitement in our applications:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I haven’t even finished reading the website and all details but I am ridiculously excited and think I might be a great fit."</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<blockquote>
<p>"I'm hoping to focus on the project long enough that I can make it to a Kickstarter before the end of the year."</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<blockquote>
<p>"it’s 1000% what I need in my life right now."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Please help us spread the word and send anyone who wants to learn more about what a programming retreat is all about to email <strong>team@focusretreatcenter.com</strong> or <a href="https://focusretreatcenter.com/contact">contact us through this form</a>.</p>
On Sourdough and Calipers2022-06-21T18:06:16+00:002022-06-21T18:06:16+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/on-sourdough-and-calipers/<p>Pete and Stella often describe themselves as <em>Calipers</em> and <em>Curves</em>. They have very different approaches to problems and projects. But they have discovered that by combining these two points of view they often come up with unique and interesting solutions. These solutions tend to be something that neither of them would be capable of on their own.</p>
<p>Pete's <em>Calipers</em> approach is all about precision. He measures every angle and calculates clearances, edges and tries to account for the width of the saw blade. This approach allows for excellent documentation and reproducible results. Without calipers, we would not have bridges that can span long distances or the machines that make our lives so much easier.</p>
<p>Stella's <em>Curves</em> approach is all about intuition. She feels each situation as a parabolic opportunity for learning a bit more about how the world works. She makes freehand cuts with the jigsaw without hesitation. This approach allows for improvisation and unique solutions. Without curves there would be no influence of nature in our creations and everything would be very sharp and flat.</p>
<p>Precision and intuition are often at odds. It seems that we are so often forced to choose between being precise and being intuitive but when it comes to sourdough bread, we can be both!</p>
<img alt="bread loaf size mat" src="baking-loaf-board.jpg">
<p>The creation of sourdough bread is an exercise in patience, science and magic. Harvesting the wild yeast from a kitchen and teaching them how to help us bake fantastic loaves of bread is a long journey, but the rewards are unachievable through any other means. Sure, we could quickly bake bread using store bought yeast, but the loaves would be commonplace and highly reproducible.</p>
<p>By taking the time and effort to grow the sourdough starter using a magical combination of time, measurement and intuition the loaves of bread become unique and startlingly delicious. The tang of the wild yeast and the toothiness of the crust are something that is so deeply satisfying that it becomes something more than just a piece of bread.</p>
<p>Here at Focus Retreat Center we value taking the long road to a unique conclusion. We believe that the best approach to making magic happen is to use a combination of precision and intuition, periods of intense work and periods of rest combine to create unique opportunities… in both bread and people!</p>
Residency Program2022-06-16T19:30:40+00:002022-06-16T19:30:40+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/residency-program/<p>We are excited to announce our inaugural Residency program! The following applies to an upcoming retreat from August 1st-21st (dates negotiable if you need!).</p>
<h2 id="what-is-a-residency">What is a Residency?</h2>
<p>A Residency at Focus Retreat Center is a period of time to work on a creative coding project and prioritize creative project work. The creative work that excites and ignites you may often be relegated to the periphery of your schedule. Jammed in the nooks and crannies here and there on nights and weekends. A Residency is an opportunity to center that work, giving it full priority so it can flourish.</p>
<img alt="spirograph" src="spirograph.jpg">
<h2 id="who-is-eligible-to-apply-for-a-residency">Who is eligible to apply for a Residency?</h2>
<p>If you do creative work with a computer, you're a candidate! Some ideas of the kinds of folks we're looking for:</p>
<p><strong>Creative Coders</strong></p>
<p>People working on visual art powered by programming as well as other tech-powered creative projects.</p>
<p><strong>Electronic Musicians</strong></p>
<p>People making music through code.</p>
<p><strong>Game Designers</strong></p>
<p>People designing and developing independent games.</p>
<p><strong>Open Source Maintainers</strong></p>
<p>Anyone doing development or maintenance on open source software projects.</p>
<h2 id="what-are-the-residency-schedules">What are the Residency schedules?</h2>
<p>Schedules are flexible to fit your availability. We recommend a minimum of two weeks.</p>
<h2 id="what-does-the-residency-provide">What does the Residency provide?</h2>
<p>Residency is an award of recognition that covers your lodging and food at Focus Retreat Center so there is no cost to you.</p>
<h2 id="can-i-nominate-someone-i-know-for-a-residency">Can I nominate someone I know for a Residency?</h2>
<p>Yes, absolutely please do!</p>
<h2 id="how-do-i-apply-or-make-a-nomination">How do I apply or make a nomination?</h2>
<p>Email us at <strong>team@focusretreatcenter.com</strong> or <a href="https://us14.list-manage.com/contact-form?u=a54483dfc73731ced2ff35a04&form_id=33ffae0ec11579cdc44c4f30cb839689">Contact us here</a>. Tell us your name, a good email where we can reach you, and what you or your nominee would work on during a Residency. Share any websites or links to previous work that might help us get to know you better!</p>
5 Steps To Work Without Distractions2022-05-08T15:07:00+00:002022-05-08T15:07:00+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/5-steps-to-work-without-distractions/<p>Being distracted is the ‘’plague’’ of our time. Especially with our little friends, smartphones, it has become unavoidable. To add further salt to the wound, our smart watches, bluetooth earphones, Ipads, are all potential focus fatigue factors.</p>
<p>I am not being a Luddite and saying these are bad. On the contrary, they are awesome! But as in everything, moderation is the key.</p>
<p>Due to all these possibilities, there is a new golden skill in the market. Being able to do focused work. This has become a very precious muscle that most of us are losing (or never had it).</p>
<p>As a trainer, one of my main topics that I am focusing on is ‘’Productivity’’. And a big part of it comes from acquiring the skill to do focused work. After many years or reading, watching, speaking, trying (and most of the time, failing), I have put 5 suggestions that could potentially be useful for you on your path to focused work.</p>
<h1 id="1-divide-the-elephant">1: Divide the Elephant</h1>
<p>A task by itself might seem too big to swallow. Therefore it is always a good idea to ‘’divide the elephant’’, which means to divide the task into smaller pieces. For example if you want to read a 300 page book, seeing the task as ‘’read 300 pages’’ might be a bit scary. But when you say ‘’read 30 pages per day’’, it sounds easy, it is easy and much more manageable.</p>
<p>Therefore, it is always a good idea to divide big tasks into smaller tasks, and celebrate each little achievement.</p>
<h1 id="2-get-rid-of-all-the-distractions">2: Get rid of all the distractions</h1>
<p>It is extremely easy to get distracted in today’s world. Therefore we need to put extra effort to get rid of those distractions. Messages, notifications, reminders… They do come from everywhere. Therefore, the best way to do focused work for me is to put my laptop into do not disturb mode and put my phone away. Otherwise, I know that I will give in to the temptation and get distracted.</p>
<p>Once I get rid of the distraction, the problem is automatically solved.</p>
<h1 id="3-plan-ahead">3: Plan ahead</h1>
<p>The time I spend planning saves me a lot of time. Using an online calendar, notepad and an app like Notion helps me to stay organized and makes me a lot more efficient. I know a lot of people think planning is ‘’taking too much time’’. To give an example, 1 hour of planning for me saves me around 10 hours, because I don’t waste time trying to figure out what I have to do and get lost in the process. I start, I do it, and I finish.</p>
<h1 id="4-benefit-from-digital-tools">4: Benefit from digital tools</h1>
<p>It is the technology era… Let’s use it! There is an app for everything, and if used correctly, these apps & digital tools will make your life much easier. Use Google Calendar, Evernote & Notion for time management. Use Grammarly to make sure you write correctly. Use Canva to do your designs. Use Trello to work efficiently with your team. Use Focustime to manage your social media usage.</p>
<p>These tools help you be more productive and do focused work, when used correctly. </p>
<h1 id="5-surround-yourself-with-productive-people">5: Surround yourself with productive people</h1>
<p>When you talk about productivity, with productive people, it positively affects your frequency. Even just a regular chat with such a person will help motivate you. Stay close to such people and put healthy boundaries with toxic people.</p>
I Get Distracted Too Easily. This Is How I Focus.2022-05-08T14:59:04+00:002022-05-08T14:59:04+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/i-get-distracted-too-easily-this-is-how-i-focus/<p>I am a person who has difficulty focusing on a task for more than 10 minutes. </p>
<p>And believe me, I suffered from this a lot, especially back at the school.</p>
<p>My teachers thought I was lazy, uninterested and even at some points, not smart enough.</p>
<p>I am sure that my art & mathematics teachers were confident that I didn’t have the necessary IQ to be successful. But that was not because I wasn’t smart. That was because I simply wasn’t interested in the way they taught things. </p>
<p>And believe me, I wanted to be focused even more than they wanted me to be focused.</p>
<p>The same issue continued when I entered corporate life in my adult years. Long (and not particularly efficient) hours were not for me. That is why I decided to go my own way and decide on my own hours.</p>
<p>Long story short, when I had the chance to decide on my own working hours, I realized that I am very effective. Especially when I work in small increments and create daily routines.</p>
<p>For example, if I am learning a new skill (say, html coding), instead of spending 2-3 hours in one block of time, I am much more efficient when I divide it into little time blocks. </p>
<p>30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon, 30 minutes in the evening (and I do some other tasks between them) is a much better way for me.</p>
<p>This way, I do not feel distracted, bored or burned out. When I am at work, I am fully focused and engaged.</p>
<p>Dividing tasks into small time blocks has created wonders for me. </p>
<p>I know that I did not reinvent the wheel by doing that, and I am not the first human being on this planet to ever do that. But sometimes, you have to reinvent the wheel within yourself, and understand what is the best way you can do focused work.</p>
<p>And of course, this is a lifelong journey. We can always do better, improve and work more effectively.</p>
<p>One step at a time.</p>
Origin Story: The Short Version2022-05-07T15:07:31+00:002022-05-07T15:07:31+00:00Unknownhttps://focusretreatcenter.com/blog/origin-story-the-short-version/<p>The impulse that would eventually result in the creation of Focus Retreat Center happened while driving along the narrow forrest roads winding along lake shores in Adirondack State Park. The area was dotted with summer camps in its heyday and I remarked off hand I should buy one of these old summer camps and invite a bunch of coders to vacation there. This was in the summer of 2019 and at that point it was just a fun offhand daydream. Nothing more than a chuckle.</p>
<p>As we crossed one year of pandemic restrictions in the winter of 2021, the lasting impact on our jobs and hobbies (mostly in the live music industry) began to set in. We were reminded that many of our familiar comforts were subject to impermanence. Good health was not guaranteed. And we ourselves were subject to mortality. This brought both a sense of detachment from the roots of our lifestyle as well as urgency around pursuing our dreams. We started browsing commercial real estate listings, starting with a pancake restaurant listing a family member sent us, and covering houses, inns, taverns, offices, and motels.</p>
<p>Most of these places were no-gos for one of many reasons: stark disrepair, insufficient bedroom capacity, literally being the subject property on an episode of Ghost Hunters (shout out to Toboggan Inn!), no high speed Internet service available, or way out of budget. There was one interesting listing of a big building originally constructed as a Catholic Schoolhouse in a town just outside the boundaries of the park with a Spectrum office in town and high speed Internet available. But the listing was super sparse and shrouded in mystery: no interior photos at all. No details on condition, heating, etc.</p>
<p>Since this is the short version of the story, I'll skip the fiasco ordeal we went through between seeing the listing and eventually purchasing the property, but in that building is what we ended up turning into Focus Retreat Center.</p>