"I get started the minute I get out of bed, and I have all the context there in my head, so I'm productive immediately."
Well there's your problem! Get some of it written down, on paper, Evernote, or wherever works for you. You will definitely improve your context switching if whenever you need to switch gears you can review your notes from the last time you were working on that task.
I work as a freelance consultant for several clients, and I keep different notebooks for each one. I don't think I'd be able to manage this if I tried to keep everything in my head.
You know, I think you've pegged it. Keeping it in my head is probably the main factor.
I write down lots of thoughts and tiny tasks in a notebook as I'm working, and check off the tasks as I go, but that's not really setting up for context-switching. When I'm writing code, I'm following inspiration: playing out the idea in my head, or rather, using the act of writing code to cause the idea to become clarified and completed. While ramping up and while coding, the idea is taking shape.
Maintaining notes designed to enable context-switching sounds like something I could try. This is probably the key. This would enable working in smaller chunks of time, too.
Weird: Right at this moment, the thought terrifies me. I wonder if I'd have to completely change my creative process to make such notes.
Yeah I can see why that would be terrifying. You probably wouldn't have to completely change your process while you are working.
You might just be able to do a quick brain dump onto paper or software (maybe a mind mapping tool?) once you get to a good stopping point. It doesn't have to be everything - just enough to remind you where you left off.
Comments
"I get started the minute I get out of bed, and I have all the context there in my head, so I'm productive immediately."
Well there's your problem! Get some of it written down, on paper, Evernote, or wherever works for you. You will definitely improve your context switching if whenever you need to switch gears you can review your notes from the last time you were working on that task.
I work as a freelance consultant for several clients, and I keep different notebooks for each one. I don't think I'd be able to manage this if I tried to keep everything in my head.
You know, I think you've pegged it. Keeping it in my head is probably the main factor.
I write down lots of thoughts and tiny tasks in a notebook as I'm working, and check off the tasks as I go, but that's not really setting up for context-switching. When I'm writing code, I'm following inspiration: playing out the idea in my head, or rather, using the act of writing code to cause the idea to become clarified and completed. While ramping up and while coding, the idea is taking shape.
Maintaining notes designed to enable context-switching sounds like something I could try. This is probably the key. This would enable working in smaller chunks of time, too.
Weird: Right at this moment, the thought terrifies me. I wonder if I'd have to completely change my creative process to make such notes.
Hmm.
Yeah I can see why that would be terrifying. You probably wouldn't have to completely change your process while you are working.
You might just be able to do a quick brain dump onto paper or software (maybe a mind mapping tool?) once you get to a good stopping point. It doesn't have to be everything - just enough to remind you where you left off.