Let me start by saying that I am not a good runner; until recently, running was not among my top favorite activities. I rediscovered running during the pandemic. Due to lockdown, my work and private space merged into one continuous alteration of the same space. My indoor time increased radically without the usual “break” in-between (commuting, coffee with colleagues, lunch breaks out, gym) spaces. Out of options, running became the natural fall-back choice to keep up with my sports activity. 

Reluctantly, I went for my first run. Immediately I felt the discomfort of the running, and the old memories of how much I disliked it returned. I knew I would not enjoy it from the first day; I expected that reaction, but I decided to run an experiment three times a week for 30 days. I would evaluate afterward to either continue running or look for another option. My success criteria included: pleasure sensation, distance, heart rate, and pace.

My first runs were painful. Even though I was listening to music or podcast or taking a photo while keeping up my breath, I found it annoying. I was not getting the response I was looking forward to, but surprisingly, I was not getting the initial pushback. As days went by, I could observe that something was changing; my body was adapting. I started not feeling as tired as initially, and my heartbeat rate was getting stable. 

After the first month

The 30th day arrived, and it was time to conclude. Unfortunately, there was not enough data to decide if my experiment was successful or not. I thought that it would be beneficial to extend my experiment for another 30 days to gather more insights to decide.

The a-ha moment arrived when the first cold and snow hit the city. While running, my body was warm while the cold was cooling off my head, and I loved it.  This contrast was a dopamine shower. I usually ran during lunch breaks, and I felt positively ready to return to where I had left. 

Soon after, I started to notice that while running, my focus was constant while my everyday work involved continuous interruptions and context switching. 

Research shows that it can take 25 min to get the concentration back after a distraction. Context switching does not come for free and could cost 40% of one’s productivity.

Working with a PM mindset in an engineering problem space, requires constant context switching and being on top of different issues. My team has a broad scope with many different stakeholders involved. I had started to block my calendar with focus times to keep up with my backlog of items that I needed to complete: backlog refinement, alignment, team reviews, and continuous admin work. At the same time, I am supposed to work with vision and innovation; both require a certain level of creativity or, what the industry likes to say, “thinking out of the box.” It is hard to think out of the box while you’re overwhelmed by the box and constantly surrounded by it. 

Finally

Running helped me find the real focus time, a space where I can free my mind from the continuous interruptions that stop my flow. Many ideas that I want to test in my product came from that space—a place where I can let my thoughts go free without switching contexts. 

I am continuously trying to improve my running, knowing it is a journey and consistency. Sometimes, I become lazy and try to skip it, but I persevere.