A key characterization of Postmodernism is that our lives are fragmented; “the fragmentation of time into a series of perpetual presents” as critic Frederic Jameson put it.* Oh how true, how practically true.
How often does it happen that you are working on a project, only to be interrupted by email, IM, a phone call, or maybe the sudden urge to check the stock market or your friend’s Facebook page? And then you go back to what you are doing, only to forget where you were? This is particularly true if you get pulled away for a few hours or more.
My old firm encouraged O.H.I.O., which stands for Only Handle It Once. As in, do a full search, review the results and write it up in one sitting (otherwise you have to go back and review it again, hardly efficient). A lofty goal in these fragmented times.
Here are some techniques to use while searching that will help you stay efficient with the time fragments you have and help reduce the need to retrace your search steps:
1) Mark your trail. Cut-n-paste search terms you use and URL’s you’re visiting as you go. You can do this in a word document or spreadsheet. This may not seem worthwhile at the beginning of your search, but it often will be invaluable at the end. Really, do it. Seriously. A seemingly obvious, but extraordinary timesaver.
If you have unlimited RAM, there are programs that record all keystrokes, which you can set up on your computer and then do keyword searches to figure out where you went.
2) Use paper (yes, really! the tree pulp thing). Jotting down ideas/inspirations as they come up during your search will help you remember what searches you wanted to try and, just as important, not derail your current search path. Just make sure you use one fresh piece of paper per search with a subject and date at the top of the page.
3) Print Screen. For those web pages you’re not sure if you need, try printing a screenshot and either printing it out (that paper thing again) or else save it in a word document with a name that will jog your memory like “the page with the funny looking tiger.doc” or “the site I got from Sarah’s email.doc.” Freezepage is a website with screenshot technology if that works better for you (thanks PIBuzz.com).
* This post was inspired by a beautiful and thought-provoking dance performance by Hope Mohr Dance that played with the ideas of perfection, fragmentation and postmodernism. Hope told me that, in discussing postmodernism, the poet and show-collaborator Brenda Hillman said artists who are mothers have always been postmodern; they’ve always had to create in fragments of time because that’s all they get. As an artist and a mother, I particularly appreciated the observation.