Photo courtesy of Ordinary Guy Life Coding: 9 Ways to Fight Feature Creep in Our Lives
Editor’s note: This post written by Glen Stansberry of LifeDev (feed ).
As a web developer, I’m constantly struggling with the concept of feature creep. Feature creep is when the developer keeps adding features to the software to the point that the core product starts to lose it’s focus. The software slowly becomes less elegant and very un-simple, which is a developer’s worst nightmare.
The worst part about feature creep is that it’s almost always the result of the best intentions. The developer takes a mindset that by adding more features, more people will want to use it. Pretty soon the documentation for the product resembles a dishwasher and requires the smarts of a doctor to decipher it. Eventually it takes so long to learn how to use the program that it’s no longer useful.
Feature creep can also be present in our lives. If we pretend for a second that our lives are a piece of software, we can see the types of “features” that we’ve added to it. Cell phones, email, IM, iPhones, Crackberry’s, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace… suddenly we’ve got a bunch of digital accounts that are stealing our focus. All of these accounts demand attention, and carve bits of attention from our day. We’ve become more and more connected to our computers and other communication devices. Life, it seems, has become much less simple.
So how do we break away from all the “feature creep” that we’ve added to our lives? It’s simple, but painful. We have to start dropping features. But take heart, it can be done. Here are a few techniques to help make sure that you don’t add feature creep to our lives.
- Set hard deadlines on Internet usage. I’ve tried a computer fast before, and it worked really well. It’s incredibly hard to do, but if you can at least make a deadline when your computer will be shut off every day with no exceptions, the control shifts back to your favor.
- Be mindful of the accounts you set up. Every social media account that you sign up for will require at least some attention. They send frequent emails, and ultimately try to get you on their site.If you need to set up a ton of accounts, be sure that the email settings are turned waaaay down so that the amount of email you receive is minimal.
- Communicate on your terms. Try to push aside the need to always be connected to IM, Twitter, or even the Internet. By disconnecting, it allows you to focus more on what needs to be done, without distracting IM’s and people wanting to chat.
- Turn off email notices. If you use a probgram like Outlook or Thunderbird, be sure to turn off the popups that let you know when you’ve got mail.
- Only check email a few times each day. This could be very hard for some, but you’ll find that email is a huge timesink. By limiting the number of times you actually open up the inbox, you’ll find yourself getting more done.
- Limit amount of time on social sites. Yeah, they’re fun and addictive. But being social and working never usually go together very well.
- Be mindful of your goals. It’s hard to justify chatting on IM if your goal is to become your own boss. Keeping constant reminders of what you want to do can keep you focused on what’s important.
- Constantly evaluate social commitments. For me it’s hard to tell people no. But in order to really focus on what’s important to me in life, I have to really think about what commitments I can make to friends and family. It’s incredibly easy to commit to an unmanagable amount of events. But if these events and commitments start to dictate your life and goals, think about cutting back on them.
- Everyone needs a time to reflect. If you don’t have a quiet time built into your day, get one (I recommend the morning). Everyone needs personal time to reflect on what the day holds, or to just take some personal time to unwind. I’m not alone here, some of the greatest minds did this as well. Gandhi would often spend time just staring at the horizon. Churchill would sit down to smoke a cigar after lunch and Beethoven would stop off for a few beers after his afternoon walk (more examples here).
Adding extra “features” can quickly add a lot more expectations on our lives, to the point of becoming unmanageable. Remember, where we spend our time dictates what is truly important in our lives, whether we’d admit it or not.
Glen Stansberry writes about productivity for creative people at LifeDev. He’s also the creator of Blogfuse’s Facebook App Creator for Bloggers and one of the founders of the LifeRemix blog network.
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- Posted on 30 March 2008 in Productivity & Organization |
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Comments (40)
Clay Collins | 47 Lifestyle Design Resources Says:
March 30th, 2008, 21:31 pm
I like the point about being careful about the social media accounts. One thing I’ve done to separate out that part of my life is create a new email address just for social media. It allows me to focus on that when I want to and to tune it out when necessary, because social media can take over your life if you let it.
–Clay
Shilpan | successsoul.com Says:
March 30th, 2008, 21:47 pm
Another trick I use to minimize unproductive time is to never pickup cell phone. I check voice mail once I get voice mail and call afterwards as I prioritize the call. I have turned off text message feature as well.
Shilpan
Marelisa Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:01 pm
I think the concept of productivity can be boiled down to one word: “focus”. If you know what you want, plan how to get it, schedule the tasks that need to be done to achieve your goals into your day, and focus completely on the task that is scheduled for that particular time slot, all the twitter, e-mails, and social media in the world will not be able to distract you.
banji - LessonInLife.com Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:10 pm
I never knew of the termm feature creep before. Come to think of it, it does make sense. I have a friend who actually own a very expensive cellphone that has everything - camera, video, internet, etc.
One unfortunate day, his phone just spoilt and make it very hard to call or receive call. In the end, he bought himself a new older generation phone just to call out :)
Don’t you think the older generation of cellphone which the only thing you can do with it is to call and receive call, is more reliable and tough?
Vered Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:18 pm
I went on a computer fast this weekend. It seems like the only way for me to do that is to go on vacation, or mini-vacation, and leave the computer at home. We went to Napa for the weekend and it was pure bliss. Great food, long bike rides, tennis, massages, wine tastings… no computer at all for three days!
Needless to say, the moment I came back home I ran to my computer. :) But after three days without it, I feel calm and energized.
Now I need to work on incorporating mini computer fasts into my daily routine, but to be honest, I doubt I can do that.
Tad Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:29 pm
Glen,
I know many people that has had their computer/facebook take over their lives. It is an addiction. I have the tendency to check my e-mail whenever I get the chance. It is just one bad habit that I would like to change.
I really enjoyed the article, especially about setting deadlines. Too much of a good thing can become a bad one!
Andrew Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:29 pm
I work in mechanical engineering projects and we have similar issues with ’scope creep’.
Scope creep almost always comes from the best intentions, but very rarely do they assist in achieving the key goals of the project.
Scope creep always costs more time and money and if not managed correctly can cause frustration and stress where it could have easily been avoided.
The way to beat it is to have a clearly defined scope detailed early on so you know exactly what you are supposed to be achieving. You should also monitor and record any changes to the scope.
You also need to stay focused on the key goals of the project and always ask yourself of any scope item ‘how will this help me in achieving my key goals?’.
Now if only I was discplined enough to apply these principles to my personal life I’d be unstoppable…
Tom Marsh Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:34 pm
Saying “no” more often was the best thing I ever did for myself.
And the more I use “no” the better “yes” feels for everyone.
Nice article. Thanks.
Laurie Says:
March 30th, 2008, 22:45 pm
I have to watch the time on the internet. I can really wast a lot of time getting sucked into it. So right now I have limited myself to three blogs. I do this one, The Simple Marriage Project, and a blog for my church.
Time to reflect has been great for me. I also cut out TV. Good points here to consider! :O)
LivSimpl Says:
March 30th, 2008, 23:38 pm
A great article. I especially like the parts about minding our social commitments and saying “no.”
I feel we often try new ways to manage/hack our crazy lives/schedules when, instead, we should be limiting what there is to manage in the first place. (For anyone interested, I wrote an article on this, “How to Manage Less by Reducing More” which can be found here http://tinyurl.com/2pjscp).
I’m also a huge proponent of turning off e-mail notifications and having separate e-mail accounts for different purposes. For example, I have a blog e-mail account, a bacn account, a personal account, etc. I’ve found it’s much easier to manage these because I know which ones I can ignore and which ones need more immediate attention.
Again, wonderful post!
Dave
The Daily Mind Says:
March 30th, 2008, 23:52 pm
Social Media is a real worry. The Australian Government said that billions of dollars are wasted every year because employees spend so much time on Facebook. I really don’t think it is healthy either - why do you need to know everything all your friends do?
Great post.
TDM
greatmanagement Says:
March 31st, 2008, 1:22 am
Great article and great timing. I definitely need focus right now - our 12-year-old family dog died recently and I have been spending too much time on those social sites and not working on product creation. So a great reminder of what I should NOT be doing. Thanks.
Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:
March 31st, 2008, 1:29 am
Technology really is a double-edged sword. Fact is, you really don’t need a website to stay in touch with your family and friends. Why not write them an actual letter, give them an actual phone call, or (insert gasp here) meet them in person? We’re not meant to spend our lives sitting in front of computer screens, thinking we’re connecting with others when we’re not. We’re meant to be out living our lives. Even though the online experience may seem real, it can never come close to the interactions in the flesh. So, what are you waiting for?
J. Says:
March 31st, 2008, 3:02 am
Great article!
I realised I was in the danger zone when I started feeling real-life-guilty about neglecting my Flickr contacts :)
Quiark Says:
March 31st, 2008, 3:10 am
I really liked the title of this article :) It’s probably because I’m a programer.
Amir | Passion-Based Learning Says:
March 31st, 2008, 4:14 am
Dude, I LOVE the analogy you used for this. Feature creep indeed. Very creative.
Flint Says:
March 31st, 2008, 6:44 am
One of the most useful suggestions in this list (and that’s saying something because they’re all good) is the one regarding notifications. I have suggested this on my blog as well, and it makes an enormous difference. Once you remove notifications, becoming aware of new messages becomes an active, rather than a passive activity and it becomes much easier to focus and attend to those messages when it suits you.
Keep in mind this can be extended to your mobile phone by turning it off, or at very least setting it to silent.
Jim (Getting Ahead in Life Blog) Says:
March 31st, 2008, 7:31 am
Feature/Scope creep are both terms I have heard before but not recently. I is so true that as we add things to our lives we loose focus.
What about all those gadgets that we have? The ones to make life easier. One of the best things, my wife and I did was get rid of our cell phones. We have not had to pay a cell bill in two years. In the last year I was given a cell phone for work that I can use for an emergency. Only a handfull of people know about it. My Palm is also sitting unused in my breifcase. I have not used it beyond checking for a couple phone numbers in about 2 months. I have thought about getting rid of voicemail too.
It used to drive me nuts when my kids would call their friends to see if they were home. When I was a kid we just walked over and knoked on the door. Immediately we could play. No setting play dates. No couch potato kids not wanting to play because TV was more interesting than the distant voice on the phone. We were already together.
All these conveniences mean less personal contact and more time with devices.
Dot Says:
March 31st, 2008, 9:12 am
Nice article! As you noted, besides computer time, feature creep can be “having to” watch Dog Whisperer every time it’s on, even when it’s a marathon like yesterday and I have a lot of housework to do, or deciding to subscribe to a listserv that gets over 300 messages a day.
@Vered: Why not start small? If you’re sure you can’t take a one-hour computer fast, why not try an amount of time you’re pretty sure or positive you can do, like 5 minutes? Then, the following week, 6 minutes. Eventually, you’ll meet your goal and it will be painless.
Karl Staib - Your Work Happiness Matters Says:
March 31st, 2008, 9:15 am
I’ve only just recently gotten very active in social media. I’m twittering now and it is driving me a little crazy. I feel like I need to keep up with everyone else and post every hour. Last night I took a break and watched “A Bee’s Life.” I did worry about my blog, but I stayed away. I know it will be there when the movie is done or even better, tomorrow.
Thanks for the helpful reminders! I’m going to take time to reflect before I head to bed tonight. I’ve been lacking this because I’ve been to focused on my blog. I write about working happy, but I’m not taking enough time to relax with myself.
maurice Says:
March 31st, 2008, 9:59 am
Fortunately I am signed up to very few social-media-sites. Most of them I use to get new jobs. Mut that e-mail-thing… I use Mac OS X and I have Mail running all the time, so I always see that little red dot, showing me how many mails are unread. And everytime the number increases, I have to look… I should be working on that…
Corey - Simple Marriage Project Says:
March 31st, 2008, 10:00 am
Anything that helps you focus on life is worth it, so if that means I need to turn thing off sooner, focus on less, unsubscribe from lists, then so be it. The goal is a life fully alive, and its amazing how much can distract from that goal.
Erin @ Unclutterer Says:
March 31st, 2008, 10:13 am
Great advice, Glen. I’m a big fan of the communication fast … difficult the first time, much easier each time after that.
And, as a fellow KU alum, Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! Final Four, here we come :)
skyz Says:
March 31st, 2008, 10:34 am
i am not that into social media - i don’t watch tv and i am happy when the phone doesn’t ring - i wonder what makes me a little different and i think it has something to do with getting enough attention irl that i don’t crave more -
Stephan Miller Says:
March 31st, 2008, 14:17 pm
I don’t really have too much of a problem with this. I never answer my phone unless I know the number despite my wife’s anger over this. I keep GoogleTalk on busy permanently. And for the most part, in real life, I tend to be antisocial. It helps me get a lot done. But I do like social networks, which could be an issue.
JenK Says:
March 31st, 2008, 15:12 pm
Like the application of “feature creep” to everyday life. The social examples rock. But it also reminds me of much of the “Simplify Your Life” stuff: more features (stuff, commitments, relationships) can mean more maintenance, cleaning, and doing. Getting rid of the clothes you don’t wear, books you don’t read, old monitors, and so on means you don’t have to store, clean, or organize it….which reminds me, I need to go through my closet and toss what doesn’t fit and doesn’t get worn. :)
Rick Says:
March 31st, 2008, 15:23 pm
Feature creep… I love the term. A few months ago I had to force myself to cut back on the amount of projects I had set out to tackle. These included a new writing project, a blog, an income generating website, etc. All this on top of a 40 hour a week job. I had to sit back and take a hard look at those things I had assigned to myself that were taking away from time with my family. End result - I discovered a lot of those things I considered important or thought required my attention were not as important as I made them out to be. Certainly not as important than spending time with my children or girlfriend.
Wendi Kelly Says:
March 31st, 2008, 16:04 pm
Feature creep..eewww…that’s nasty, never heard of that before!
I really do have to put limits on this stuff though, there isn’t enough time as it is for real life let alone a full electronic one. Good article!
kekilia Says:
March 31st, 2008, 16:40 pm
Eugene (Varsity Blah): I’d love to agree with you, but I can’t find people with interesting ideas out there like the ones I find here on zenhabits.
Take care!
Michael Moniz Says:
March 31st, 2008, 17:15 pm
These are great tips.
Social sites really can pull you in. I have had to learn to cut them down. There will always be a new site coming out but you can not keep up with all of them. PLUS you are just talking to and adding the same friends you have on other sites.
Pawan Sahay Says:
March 31st, 2008, 17:25 pm
good post…
Amber/AZ Says:
March 31st, 2008, 17:36 pm
Great reminders. Technology frees our time to accomplish many more of the things we enjoy, but also increases the demands on our time. It definitely takes self-discipline–and maturity–to keep it in balance.
thehealthblogger Says:
March 31st, 2008, 18:01 pm
I so needed to read something like this. Didn’t know there was an actual term for such a condition.
My family and friends think I’m addicted to the computer. I can’t help but use it! I don’t think a computer fast would work with me!
I’m always worried that “feature creep” may “creep” up on me when designing my blog! This article has some very good strong points!
Thanks, much needed.
Joan Wilson Says:
March 31st, 2008, 20:32 pm
This article couldn’t have been posted at a better time in my life! I needed every word.
There’s a possibility of a promotion in my future and several duties of the position have been given to me temporarily. It’s a kind of ’show us what you can do’ situation.
My approach - schedule very minute of my day at work and do some of the work on the computer at home before I come into work.
Result - I’m so tired all the time.
Tomorrow morning I’m going to take my cup of coffee, walk to the front yard, sit down in a chair and watch the traffic on my street.
gregg sewell Says:
March 31st, 2008, 21:20 pm
A wise insight, echoing another interesting post that relates:
http://www.behancemag.com/Tip–Generate-Ideas-In-Moderation/5661
I’ve always prided myself on being a creative, and one who can create far more ideas, worthy and not so, than anyone I know. And everyone — family, friends, business associates — says so, too.
But too much creativity can be a bad thing.
Read the post (not pimping).
I’ve learned my lesson, and am slowly regaining focus after a lifetime of running from one idea to the next without ever sticking with one long enough to see it pay off.
Another version of feature creep, I think.
Ciao.
Jeff S. Jones Says:
March 31st, 2008, 22:26 pm
I really like the thing about “evaluating social commitments”.
I’ve started to realize that it’s best to give the MAJORITY of my energy and attention to maybe 5% of the people I meet… the ones who really inspire me, teach me new things, appreciate my time, and introduce me to other cool people.
Trying to maintain ongoing relationships with every person you’ve ever met is a big waste of time (though it’s easy to do nowadays). Better to give MORE of yourself to the people who really matter in your life.
Leo F. Swiontek Says:
April 1st, 2008, 6:59 am
Interesting post.
One should really have some limitations ,deadlines so that the life should not become complicated.If such a parameters are taken in account mentioned will may help a lot in our lives.
Cellphones , computers etc. r all one sort of addictions.Well v have to manage them all.Take a break .ie.taking leave & going for vacations is nice idea.Well planning should be there in our life,that should be managed in daily schedule.
Craig Says:
April 2nd, 2008, 15:23 pm
Speaking of focus, how about some additional focus on proofreading: “…that the core product starts to lose it’s focus .”
Remember, a site like this needs simplicity, usefulness, and accuracy. Should be “lose its focus.” “It’s” is a contraction for “it is.”
That said, fantastic article!
