Go with your gut. Sometimes you just have no fire for the thing you are working on and no matter how many times you try, starting and stopping seems to be the name of the game today. Instead of continuing to force yourself, go do something else easy and simple. Go for a walk. Wash dishes without music or podcasts on. Sit on the couch for 15 minutes without stimulation. Often this is enough to reset the brain and can give you a chance to look at your situation from a different perspective as well as give you a new found spot of energy to do it.
A few approaches that help my easily distracted brain:
--Listening to "Binaural beats" ambient music while working (search YouTube). Helps with focus.
--Using a huge water bottle, filled the night before, with the *minimum I need to drink that day.
--Using the Bookmarks Toolbar in my browser to organize current/relevant items. Example: created a "Daily" folder for my morning routine. It contains direct links to movement, contemplation pages, and a couple more. Just click on the folder, then "open all in tabs"
--As artificial as it may seem - creating little "rewards". eg, the other day, I had to do something unpleasant that I was resisting - but I powered thru it because the "reward" was a movie I wanted to watch.
--Using podcasts as time-containers. Putting on wireless headphones, then aiming to scrub the bathroom, organize my office, etc *before the end of the podcast (typically an hour) . Makes time fly AND I learn something!
--Determining whether to approach a task "by time" or "by task". Sometimes, it's difficult to assess how much time something will take. So I allow a by-task approach: I'll buckle down until it's done.
I adore this! Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and helpful post for us neurosparkly souls.
I also love using my visual timer. When I'm struggling to focus, I set the timer for 20 minutes and take a break to do something that brings me joy, like dancing to "Dance Monkey." It never fails to reignite my spark!
One important lesson I've learned is to not tackle the hardest task first (aka Eat the Frog). Forcing my brain to do something it doesn't want to do is like trying to corral a herd of wild horses. It depletes my energy before I've even started! 🤭
While a lot of ppl choose exercise and weight lifting after work, I think a morning routine energizes you even if sitting is going to be your mode of travel for the next few hours. I once took a rap dance class after work and I was pumped with energy at 8 pm. I would highly recommend adding a few good habits to boost your sense of comfort to prime for productivity. My fave relaxation hack is wetting a thick face cloth, adding a few drops of almond oil, heating in microwave for 23 seconds and then applying to my wrists, back of neck and face. So soothing. In the morning I’ve taken to running an ice pack over my face. It’s exhilarating. Sensory hacks can provide comfort in a tense world.
I wanted to take the hip hop class but instructor suggested I start with tap. It was fun n I love the noise of it. But at the same time I was slow n outta sync. Gave me a clue I’d never be cut out for hip hop.
So much useful info - thanks & bookmarked! I will add that having a water bottle nearby is essential. Stay hydrated. Go to the bathroom, get some steps in :)
I did write my first book with "1000 words a day" as my goal, but really it was, 1h every morning before anything else". I was convalescing at the time, so that worked. Now, I'm luxuriating in the spaciousness of long work blocks and then long breaks, because writing is something my hyperfocus .loves. (In said book I called this a phasic work cycle: intensive-go followed by intensive-stop.) All these recommendations resonate, as does the suggestion of a water bottle! (And a snack). But *enough room to play* is critical for me. If I'm too strict with myself, nothing happens. I get stuck. It's almost like flow state requires room to move. So breaks to do something with my body are vital. Cooking. Gardening. Whatever.
The key is to let my mind not be interrupted. I can't talk to anyone else in a break or the bubble pops.
As much as I agree with having a good work space set up I also think changing up your work space can help if you hit a productivity slump. Sometimes a fresh location even if its just moving to another room can bring a fresh perspective, I find this particularly useful when swapping between different projects or tasks.
As someone who owns a marketing business, I used to find I would forget to work on my business rather than just looking after clients this would include neglecting our own marketing activities, to combat this I now treat my business as a client with clear goals, deliverables and deadlines for marketing activities, they get put on the task list just like a client. This has helped me to prioritise my own business growth more effectively and reduces the brain energy needed to manage these tasks. I have now started doing the same with other activities such as hobbies, self care time and personal commitments. including these in my task management adds weight to them which ensures they are not neglected.
Love your share, Quota v Time Block v Time Box is something I’m discussing at the moment. Sometimes, just the awareness of the difference seems to bring clarity. For me, I’m working on the ways we can create cognitive closure, and how we can recognise what type loop is open.
You're definitely not the only one with multiple drinks on your table! I always have a coffee/tea and water on my desk, and most times also a fun drink like a hipster seltzer water in a beautiful can.
I do this at restaurants too and get some laughs.
"What would you like to drink?"
"Well, definitely water, must have water, then also a beer but also I must try this watermelon mint lemonade concoction."
My biggest tip is not being a slave to the order of your to-do list. I take a minute to "meditate" (sounds too lofty here but...) on my tasks and listen to some intuitional signs on which one sounds the most pleasing. If your mind and body want to work on a thing, it's more likely that the quality will be better and you'll enjoy it much more too! And truly, even the most grueling of tasks - folding and hanging up laundry for me - can become more enjoyable if you want for the moment that your body and mind is saying, "OK, I'm ready."
I'm going to elaborate a bit more... So putting up laundry for example, because my clothes get piled onto my couch after the dryer, they're in my direct line of site and so I put that to-do first on my list. But it doesn't really need to happen first. Sometimes I'm very resistant to doing that task and I get frustrated with myself for not just doing this easy task right then. But if chill the hell out and take a step back. I can consciously choose to do another task - say editing my memoir, because it feels like the right moment. Then I work very productively on that editing and by the time I need a break from that, my mind and body are like, "OK, we need to stand up and stretch and do something a bit physical" and then there it is, putting away the laundry.
Thank you for the playlist! I’m finding it very helpful. I also enjoy listening to a DJ lane 8 that releases seasonal mixtapes you can find on Spotify or Apple.
Lol you’re not the only one! I dual-hydrate w/ hot coffee and a cold bottle of water on hand at all times! When you’re thirsty, remember to reach for the real H2O! Doc told my caffeine is a diuretic, so if you drink a lot (and I do) be sure to get extra-extra actual water.
This is a good topic. I do not always do so well at this, it can be feast or famine with me. Energy is so important for anyone like me. I do routines in a very strict fashion, which I am not sure if that is good or not. It seems good but can also feel a little like addiction.
Last month someone introduced me to a productivity browser called Sidekick and it has been a total game changer in terms of focus, the ability to mute notifications, go into focus mode, set timers, apps are pre-loaded and clicking on them does not open yet another browser window which is a lot less distracting. The version I ended up buying allows me to add team members, share my apps with them without giving them my passwords so if you have someone helping like a VA or an editor, it's very helpful! =)
Go with your gut. Sometimes you just have no fire for the thing you are working on and no matter how many times you try, starting and stopping seems to be the name of the game today. Instead of continuing to force yourself, go do something else easy and simple. Go for a walk. Wash dishes without music or podcasts on. Sit on the couch for 15 minutes without stimulation. Often this is enough to reset the brain and can give you a chance to look at your situation from a different perspective as well as give you a new found spot of energy to do it.
A few approaches that help my easily distracted brain:
--Listening to "Binaural beats" ambient music while working (search YouTube). Helps with focus.
--Using a huge water bottle, filled the night before, with the *minimum I need to drink that day.
--Using the Bookmarks Toolbar in my browser to organize current/relevant items. Example: created a "Daily" folder for my morning routine. It contains direct links to movement, contemplation pages, and a couple more. Just click on the folder, then "open all in tabs"
--As artificial as it may seem - creating little "rewards". eg, the other day, I had to do something unpleasant that I was resisting - but I powered thru it because the "reward" was a movie I wanted to watch.
--Using podcasts as time-containers. Putting on wireless headphones, then aiming to scrub the bathroom, organize my office, etc *before the end of the podcast (typically an hour) . Makes time fly AND I learn something!
--Determining whether to approach a task "by time" or "by task". Sometimes, it's difficult to assess how much time something will take. So I allow a by-task approach: I'll buckle down until it's done.
I adore this! Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and helpful post for us neurosparkly souls.
I also love using my visual timer. When I'm struggling to focus, I set the timer for 20 minutes and take a break to do something that brings me joy, like dancing to "Dance Monkey." It never fails to reignite my spark!
One important lesson I've learned is to not tackle the hardest task first (aka Eat the Frog). Forcing my brain to do something it doesn't want to do is like trying to corral a herd of wild horses. It depletes my energy before I've even started! 🤭
While a lot of ppl choose exercise and weight lifting after work, I think a morning routine energizes you even if sitting is going to be your mode of travel for the next few hours. I once took a rap dance class after work and I was pumped with energy at 8 pm. I would highly recommend adding a few good habits to boost your sense of comfort to prime for productivity. My fave relaxation hack is wetting a thick face cloth, adding a few drops of almond oil, heating in microwave for 23 seconds and then applying to my wrists, back of neck and face. So soothing. In the morning I’ve taken to running an ice pack over my face. It’s exhilarating. Sensory hacks can provide comfort in a tense world.
TAP dance. Not rap dance. Sorry.
I mean, dancing to rap would probably also be invigorating.
Yes, considered leaving as is but tap dancing was the bomb.
My only experience tap dancing was in the high school musical I was in, which was so much fun! But also, not something I was willing to pursue.
I wanted to take the hip hop class but instructor suggested I start with tap. It was fun n I love the noise of it. But at the same time I was slow n outta sync. Gave me a clue I’d never be cut out for hip hop.
So much useful info - thanks & bookmarked! I will add that having a water bottle nearby is essential. Stay hydrated. Go to the bathroom, get some steps in :)
I did write my first book with "1000 words a day" as my goal, but really it was, 1h every morning before anything else". I was convalescing at the time, so that worked. Now, I'm luxuriating in the spaciousness of long work blocks and then long breaks, because writing is something my hyperfocus .loves. (In said book I called this a phasic work cycle: intensive-go followed by intensive-stop.) All these recommendations resonate, as does the suggestion of a water bottle! (And a snack). But *enough room to play* is critical for me. If I'm too strict with myself, nothing happens. I get stuck. It's almost like flow state requires room to move. So breaks to do something with my body are vital. Cooking. Gardening. Whatever.
The key is to let my mind not be interrupted. I can't talk to anyone else in a break or the bubble pops.
As much as I agree with having a good work space set up I also think changing up your work space can help if you hit a productivity slump. Sometimes a fresh location even if its just moving to another room can bring a fresh perspective, I find this particularly useful when swapping between different projects or tasks.
As someone who owns a marketing business, I used to find I would forget to work on my business rather than just looking after clients this would include neglecting our own marketing activities, to combat this I now treat my business as a client with clear goals, deliverables and deadlines for marketing activities, they get put on the task list just like a client. This has helped me to prioritise my own business growth more effectively and reduces the brain energy needed to manage these tasks. I have now started doing the same with other activities such as hobbies, self care time and personal commitments. including these in my task management adds weight to them which ensures they are not neglected.
Love your share, Quota v Time Block v Time Box is something I’m discussing at the moment. Sometimes, just the awareness of the difference seems to bring clarity. For me, I’m working on the ways we can create cognitive closure, and how we can recognise what type loop is open.
You're definitely not the only one with multiple drinks on your table! I always have a coffee/tea and water on my desk, and most times also a fun drink like a hipster seltzer water in a beautiful can.
I do this at restaurants too and get some laughs.
"What would you like to drink?"
"Well, definitely water, must have water, then also a beer but also I must try this watermelon mint lemonade concoction."
My biggest tip is not being a slave to the order of your to-do list. I take a minute to "meditate" (sounds too lofty here but...) on my tasks and listen to some intuitional signs on which one sounds the most pleasing. If your mind and body want to work on a thing, it's more likely that the quality will be better and you'll enjoy it much more too! And truly, even the most grueling of tasks - folding and hanging up laundry for me - can become more enjoyable if you want for the moment that your body and mind is saying, "OK, I'm ready."
I'm going to elaborate a bit more... So putting up laundry for example, because my clothes get piled onto my couch after the dryer, they're in my direct line of site and so I put that to-do first on my list. But it doesn't really need to happen first. Sometimes I'm very resistant to doing that task and I get frustrated with myself for not just doing this easy task right then. But if chill the hell out and take a step back. I can consciously choose to do another task - say editing my memoir, because it feels like the right moment. Then I work very productively on that editing and by the time I need a break from that, my mind and body are like, "OK, we need to stand up and stretch and do something a bit physical" and then there it is, putting away the laundry.
Thank you for the playlist! I’m finding it very helpful. I also enjoy listening to a DJ lane 8 that releases seasonal mixtapes you can find on Spotify or Apple.
Thank you!!!! Very helpful! ♥️🧠⚡️
Lol you’re not the only one! I dual-hydrate w/ hot coffee and a cold bottle of water on hand at all times! When you’re thirsty, remember to reach for the real H2O! Doc told my caffeine is a diuretic, so if you drink a lot (and I do) be sure to get extra-extra actual water.
This is a good topic. I do not always do so well at this, it can be feast or famine with me. Energy is so important for anyone like me. I do routines in a very strict fashion, which I am not sure if that is good or not. It seems good but can also feel a little like addiction.
Last month someone introduced me to a productivity browser called Sidekick and it has been a total game changer in terms of focus, the ability to mute notifications, go into focus mode, set timers, apps are pre-loaded and clicking on them does not open yet another browser window which is a lot less distracting. The version I ended up buying allows me to add team members, share my apps with them without giving them my passwords so if you have someone helping like a VA or an editor, it's very helpful! =)