1y ago

What strategies/tactics do you use to maintain your focus and productivity?

Today, I got to thinking: what are some of Lemmy’s“go to” ways of maintaining focus, or getting their focus and concentration back after becoming distracted or being pulled away by other things “demanding” attention?

I really struggled with work today. Just an overwhelming amount of outstanding projects and assignments and client deadlines. Felt stressed and that resulted in me being avoidance and procrastinating and mindlessly doing everything BUT what I needed to do to stop feeling stressed and get stuff off my plate.

When you get stuck in those types of situations, what do you find are the best strategies to “snap out of it” and get back to work or being productive?

12 comments

I've been realising more and more that I need music, or certain types of music to push through something I need to do. Working in silence (with undiagnosed ADHD/whatever's happening up there) leaves too much room for boredom, so I suppose the music acts as a stimulus to keep going.
When I have to do something as menial as chores or housework, I put on headphones and crank a mix of tracks from the Tekken games. Nothing like blasting Tag 1's rousing, electro-rock-D&B intro to start washing the fat stack of dishes from last week. 😁
- When it’s thinking work, I listen to ‘background’ audio e.g., game soundtrack, nature/cafe sounds. If it’s manual work then I like a podcast or news radio.
- Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
  Tag 1's rousing, electro-rock-D&B intro
  Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
  I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.
- At my previous job, I was able to justify two pairs of wireless earbuds because I could switch without stopping the music when the batteries ran out. If I wasn’t on the phone or in a meeting, I had music going.

I have all notifications turned off.
If I need to concentrate, I put on noise cancelling headphones and play electronic music.
To get "started", I pick the smallest, quickest, easiest task and complete it.
At the end of the day I purposely stop mid task.
That incomplete task is the one I start the next day.

Sleeping well, moving around when it's warm, showering, not being intoxicated, and cycling through forms of audiotherapy.

I use a pomodoro timer! I actually like it so much I wrote my own, but haven’t released it yet
- Early morning pomodoro is what got me through my masters degree, having been a mediocre student before that.

I would say: write down your task before you are pulled aside. Do this each time you are pulled aside, then work through tasks in reverse order.

Pad/paper & pen
Top left list: shit i need to do now
Top right list: lower priority, but need to be done this week
Bottom left: things i am absolutely able to procrastinate on, personal things, hopes, dreams, wishes
Bottom right: long term goals/projects
everywhere else: doodles....lots of doodles.
Also, your brain is stupid. For example, if you have started the list after completing a couple tasks that day write them down and cross them off anyway, you will still get that sense of accomplishment & won't feel stuck trying to get started.

Increase your adrenaline and noradrenaline either naturally (aerobic exercises and cold shower/shock) or with chemichals (stimulant and sympathomimetic drugs). That will increase your focus and goal-oriented behavior. It's really crazy when you're able to achieve a 100%+ flow state. If you have heart problems you shouldn't do it tho. I had tachycardia for 1 month straight.

Beyond what people have written here - communicate.
Often you can simply reduce or even cancel work by just asking for it, or get more time. This creates space.

12 comments