A3b: But if I’m not in that state of deep focus, I will get distracted by seeing birds at my feeder or watching dogs be taken for walks. I try not to be frustrated at this, because seeing animals calms me down and makes me happy. And these are usually small bursts of time. #StetChat

A3a: So, when I’m in deep focus mode, I’m basically like a cat watching a mousehole. I’m not paying attention to anything else. Sometimes this means that I’ll get incredibly startled if my husband comes into my office or if my phone rings. #StetChat

A2: I also put my wired earbuds away each night…otherwise they get dragged to the kitchen by my cat Les. #StetChat

Hi #StetChat I'm Steph (Otters Editing 🦦✍️)

I edit LGBTQ+ fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

I don't have any pets as I'm not allowed to in my current living situation. But I love pet pictures so I'll be lurking!

Also have this fun gif of an otter!

A2: My cats force me to take breaks more often.

And if I’m in my office late at night, Les will come and meow at me until I come sit on the couch in the living room. (But he’s OK with cuddling with me on the couch while I work on my laptop.) #StetChat

Yeah, and the winters can be very long in New England. #StetChat

I had to get a water meter for my plants. Otherwise, I tend to overwater and kill my office plants. Repotting is a huge undertaking, so that only happens every few years. #StetChat

Q4: What do you do on days when your pet needs a little more attention than usual? #StetChat

I'm sad. They're a very cheery presence in the yard. #StetChat

Aww! He looks like he's a fun guy to hang out with. #StetChat

#StetChat | I'm neurodynamic, so deep focus has never been my strong suit. I switch tasks rapidly throughout the day in order to keep my productivity up. If I try to focus on any one project too long, I inevitably end up distracted. It's bizarre, but it works!

Macintosh! He was so dapper and handsome. #StetChat

A3: Depends on the dog. I take Leon (brown dog) for a big walk in the mornings, then he's happy to nap for a couple hours while I work. But Bo (blond dog) is very happy to play with cognative toys while I work until our break times. #StetChat

Aw, you must miss them. I'm thinking we're going to put up our feeder after the first snow of the year. Hopefully it won't take too long for the chickadees to find it. #StetChat

play breaks are important!

#StetChat

Toe beans!

#StetChat

Mr. Jynx! It's been a while since I last saw a photo of him. Am I remembering correctly that he's part Siamese? #StetChat

This was my first nephew, Macintosh. He will always be my favorite cat. #StetChat

#StetChat | Not by much. They were able to snooze or amuse themselves while I was working. Besides getting up for bathroom breaks or meals, it was pretty chill.