Mug Snacks
When I need to push myself through a difficult desk task, you can bet I've got myself a mug snack.
A mug snack is any snack poured into a mug. I usually go for something salty, small, and crunchy. Then I place the mug to the left of my keyboard and I can mindlessly drink my snack out of the mug while I work. I imagine coffee drinkers are doing a similar thing but with a liquid that tastes bad even before it gets cold (don't @ me. I'm in an uneasy alliance with tea drinkers).
Why?
I like to snack while I work. It's basically a way of fidgeting, which tracks given my ADHD. The real point is to occupy a sense or two to free up brainpower for the task at hand — I'm not sure why that makes sense, but it does to me. I need my eyes for the task at hand; any music is usually distracting because I'm too auditory; my hands are busy typing; and I don't even want to guess how I would fidget using my sense of smell. So, the mouth it is. I could accomplish something similar using gum, but that's comparatively mushy and perpetual. A Mug Snack™ feels intentional and concrete.
Benefits
- Lowers my distractibility
- Gives my body something to do when I pause to think
- Adds consistency to my working environment, helping me get in the zone
- Mug minimizes the brainpower used for holding/manipulating a snack
- Makes it harder to forget to eat during a hyperfocus session
- Salty snacks also keep me hydrating
- When the snack runs out, I (hopefully) notice and have a built-in pause to check in with myself
- Yummy compensation for a task I might otherwise avoid
Favorite mug snacks
You'll notice here that I prefer more intensely flavored snacks. When the sensory experience is "sharper," it structures my focus more strongly.
- Chex mix
- Bold party blend (garlic, mostly)
- Cheddar
- Any flavor I won't prefer to pick through piece-by-piece
- Cheez-its
- Cheddar jack flavor
- The spicy ones
- Goldfish
- Flavor-blasted only
- Hard pretzels
- The window-shaped ones
- Strongly flavored pretzel bites
- Hot Cheetos
Pro tips
The mug
Use a mug that tapers in at the bottom for easy snack drinking. I use a slightly oversize one, but ideal mug capacity depends how often you want to make yourself pause. This is a little over the top, my preferred mug matches the red accent color of my workspace. It's part of the setup, not an import from the kitchen.
Desk layout
I have the snack on one side and a tumbler of water on the other. I always keep the mug to the left of my keyboard. That way, I can grab it while using the mouse with my right hand. I don't sip the water as often as the snack, so it's relegated to the right side.
I also keep a wireless charger on my desk, further to the left. Taking the phone off the charger feels like unplugging it, so it's much harder to absentmindedly pick up the distraction brick. Still, the phone in reach in case of something urgent.
Routine
Above all else, I recommend being consistent. This is the way I do it: I have my go-to mug for snacks, and we already had a few of that mug. I pour my snack, then fill a tumbler of water, then carry it all to my desk. Depending on task length and my willingness to step away for refills, I sometimes bring the bag to the desk too. I run to the bathroom if needed. I quiet my phone and place it on my wireless charger. Then I sit down and put my nose to the grindstone.
I'm also working on a routine for after I finish a mug-worthy task, but that's a post for another time.