Pops, whistles and crackles

You can tell when I’m in the zone.

When I find myself able to concentrate or think intensively about things, I tend to find I have a bunch of associated mannerisms.

I make little noises. I giggle and I snort and I snigger. I pull oddly over exaggerated faces that perhaps mimic the look of someone experiencing a particular emotion, happy or sad. Sometimes I look serious, with big wrinkles in my brow.

I can’t sit still. My leg pivots backwards and forwards at the hip, and I tap my heel and toe. I swivel about in my chair, and if you catch me in an especially intense moment, you may even see me spin my chair through 360 degrees.

My hand touches my face a lot – I rest my chin on my hand, or twiddle the hair in my sideburns with my fingers. I chew the insides of my mouth. I hunch up too much and don’t look at all relaxed. I type frantically and noisily, bashing the keys. Sometimes I cough or clear my throat repeatedly.

If there’s a conversation going on in the office I won’t hear it.

And yet amazingly, this is when I’m the most productive. If you want some good work from me, then you want me to be doing some or all of the above.

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