Detail Orientation for NPs

[ygolo]

It seems like detail-orientation is easier for Sensing and Judging types. However, detail orientation is a must for keeping any skilled labor job.

Are there any tips for people to be detail-oriented when they naturally have preferences for:

• "[A] memory of things is often an impression of what they thought was the essence of an event, rather than a memory of the literal words or experiences associated with the event."
• "[Keeping] laid-out plans to a minimum"

The Intuition Preference: Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI)
Perceiving: Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI)

?

What are some techniques people can suggest?

 

[anii]

I recommend choosing one's battles. That is, only commit to detailed memory that which is essential for one's survival, at work, at home, or out in the world.

Better yet, write it down. That way it leaves room in my head for more meaningful thoughts and I'm less likely to forget it. In that sense, post-it notes are the best invention EVAH. What did NPs do before them? Me - I faltered, scrambled, and was constantly a day late and a dollar short.

That's all I got.

 

[Wandering]

It seems like detail-orientation is easier for Sensing and Judging types.

Sensing would make sense, but Judging ? How does having Fe or Te relate to liking detail-orientation?

Anyway. I'm so hopeless when it comes to details, I'm really the last person who would know anything about becoming better at dealing with them. I'm still at the point where I have to ask myself which detail in particular I want to notice before I can actually notice it, so...

By the way: we *are* talking about physical, material details, right? Not theoretical ones, as in theories and ideas?

 

[Totenkindly]

It depends on the job at hand.

I find that if it's something I care about, I can remember some specific details... especially if they are pertinent to the conclusion.

Anii's right when she says you need to jot stuff down. Post-its or small pocket notebooks are a godsend. Especially as you get older. And I'm not saying you're getting stupider as you age, what I really think part of it is that you only have so much organic RAM to go around and in adulthood you are juggling a LOT of different types of details, multitasking them, and you have to simply accept life gets a lot easier when you start leaving yourself notes and checklists.

I also use repetition if there is a detail I need to remember. I stop what I'm doing and repeat it in my brain a few times (whether it's a phone number or whatever) and cross-link it to a few things so I'm unlikely to forget it. This has been pretty effective.

Still, if you're talking about responding in real-time to details right in front of your face, I don't think it's an easy thing. The problem is that you naturally conceptualize from detail. So you see things, then focus on their impact on you or the world, rather than actually seeing them. You would have to constantly be shutting off that part of your brain. This isn't impossible and you can practice it, but don't be surprised if it takes you some time to get into the groove. (It reminds me a bit of meditation where you are trying to "stop thinking" -- every few seconds, every few minutes, you'll become aware you started thinking again without even knowing it. And so you do it again and again and again until you get better at it.)

Another trick I used to get through repetitive labor when I was a teenager involved making up games. One summer, for example, I worked in an orchard and I had to assemble crates for packing fruit in by using the mechanical box stapler (quite a nifty piece of machinery, taller than me and operated by a foot pedal, and I had to grab a flat cardboard box, fold it out, then stick it in the stapler once for each side before moving to the next one).

So I would race myself: How many boxes could I staple in ten minutes? Half an hour? An hour? And so on. (I got good enough the foreman was upset with me for going back to college... but I was really overkill for that particular job.)

 

[Seanan]

It seems like detail-orientation is easier for Sensing and Judging types. However, detail orientation is a must for keeping any skilled labor job.

Are there any tips for people to be detail-oriented when they naturally have preferences for:

• "[A] memory of things is often an impression of what they thought was the essence of an event, rather than a memory of the literal words or experiences associated with the event."
• "[Keeping] laid-out plans to a minimum"

The Intuition Preference: Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI)
Perceiving: Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI)

?

What are some techniques people can suggest?

I agree its hard. I've had those kinds of jobs and the only thing that ever worked for me was seeing the "forest" and then setting up a system that dealt with the "trees" in it so as not to miss any. That took analyzing and alot of work initially but made the job easier later and prevented overlooking essential elements. Of course, I do enjoy creating systems.

 

[Totenkindly]

Hmm.... Is there a way to change the parameters of the job? Somehow "swing" things into your systems/conceptual area of expertise?

(iow... CHEAT!)

 

[anii]

I've just spent about 3 hours doing some of the more detail-oriented tasks of my job. What helps me is to automate the process as much as possible. I noticed I've developed a system for getting the work done and the more I do it the same way each time the less I have to think about it.

I also use the "make it a game" technique. I've noticed it takes me about 20 minutes to fill out, collate, and mail out all of the packets related to one client. So my goal this afternoon was to get 3 done in an hour. Then I could go for a walk, steal candy from my boss' office (shhhh) and make a pitstop in the ladies room. Then I'd start the cycle all over again. I've also found that making the trip to each of the various drop-off points is more satisfying when I do it after each client's packet is done than if I wait until I've done all 3 (per hour). This way I can literally see my desk clearing off and the to-do pile getting smaller every 20 minutes. So it's like a little cleansing ritual 3 times an hour, all within the parameters of this bureaucratic-machinelike job of mine.

Finally, MUSIC! is a must-have. I've been listening to kexp.org this whole time. If I hadn't I might've been tempted to blow the whole thing off and risk getting a talking to when I return from training next week.

(deleted - turns out I do have internet access)

 

[Seanan]

Hmm.... Is there a way to change the parameters of the job? Somehow "swing" things into your systems/conceptual area of expertise?

(iow... CHEAT!)

Ummm... I guess that would depend on your employer's "creativity" level... personality type.

 

[Athenian200]

I can't say that I can relate to that. I'm almost the opposite, in that I'm good at remembering what specifically happened, but poorer at reacting to it quickly without guidelines/experience of some sort, or realizing the implications of it. Many times a new insight I have is based on realizing the connection between several pieces of information I already had.

But I remember people who have trouble with such things saying that they benefited from:

1. Tape-recording important information.

2. Writing down things they need to remember.

3. Making up amusing rhymes that include the information they need to recall.

4. Repeating it to themselves several times.

5. Rearranging a group of small objects in their environment that they're likely to look at, and associating it with the information... possibly in a way that's symbolic of it.

6. Drawing a picture of something that either symbolizes the information, or is a literal representation of it.

 

[substitute]

I just re-figure it out again each time. Takes a couple of seconds and works for me so far...

I've tried the above techniques, but in reality they only work when I consciously remember to do them, and remembering to do things that were planned before is precisely my weakness. Main reason being I've never really practiced it, because I've always been able to improvise on the spot anyway...

And if things go wrong, I can usually improvise it right again.

 

[skip]

I've had those kinds of jobs and the only thing that ever worked for me was seeing the "forest" and then setting up a system that dealt with the "trees" in it so as not to miss any. That took analyzing and alot of work initially

How did you get your employer to understand you need this? All I've met with was annoyance when I explained I need the bigger picture to make sense of a project.

 

[ygolo]

I just re-figure it out again each time. Takes a couple of seconds and works for me so far...

I've tried the above techniques, but in reality they only work when I consciously remember to do them, and remembering to do things that were planned before is precisely my weakness. Main reason being I've never really practiced it, because I've always been able to improvise on the spot anyway...

And if things go wrong, I can usually improvise it right again.

That's the way I've done things so far. Unfortunately, I have also lost motivation. So improvisation doesn't come as easily. I am find myself sleeping away most of the days and pushing myself to get things done last minute before a deadline. So far the consequences have not been dire, but there have been consequences.