Pandemic Productivity Traps

We are all aware that is an absolutely crazy time for all of us. I want to start by thanking all of the heroes serving us on the front lines. Thanks for all that you do. Our lives all have changed in many ways in different ways. We find ourselves with different schedules and situations. We are working more, less, or not at all. Even if our work schedules are unchanged, other parts of our lives are. Even to the rare few out there with unchanged circumstances, still the overall tone of society has changed. With all of this said, our productivity likely went haywire as well. Our ability to adapt to change is key, and will be expanded in a future post. This post will expand on major traps that slow down your productivity in this new environment.

1. Social Media. Social Media is a great tool for many things. You are most likely reading this post because of social media. However, it should be noted that social media can be a trap for your productivity. Take note that not only do you spend time to scroll on social media, but it is also often a distraction so it takes time to get refocused. In addition, there are a lot of things that will make you upset on social media such as judgmental, opinionated, hateful, etc. posts on there. I would suggest limited you time on social media, start somewhere. I am working to only check my feed 4 times a day and no for longer than 5 minutes each time. That may seem like a lot for you so feel free to lower your time even further if that’s the case. Also, please take note that you can snooze particular people for a period of time if they post things that aggravate you. You can take further measures if you wish as well, but that is up to you. 

2. News. It is reasonable to pay more attention to the news now than during a normal time. However, overload of information an can be too much. There are also a lot of things on the news that is just simply speculation and is not dependable information. You decide what how much you need, but it is wise to only consume so much to gets the basic information that you need.

3. Video calls and chats. Video call fatigue is a thing. With so many things taking place online now, it is possible to get overwhelmed with these events and calls, just like you could with in person events beforehand. You should take the same measures to evaluate which calls or chats are most important to attend and make sure you don’t get to the point that you are worn out and drained by them.

4. TV, streaming, and other online activities. This is not to mention how much easier it is to get caught up in binge-watching TV shows, overdoing online shopping, or spending way too much time on the Internet. With more time at home, it is easy to get caught up in all of these type of time sucking activities. Remember that while we are at home more an uptick in these activities are fine, but if you feel like you are overdoing it, you probably are. 

As we are in a very different time, we are all figuring out works the best for us. It may be very difficult to keep a schedule, so cut yourself some slack. It’s OK to be a little less productive with everything going haywire. Make sure to get your rest and do things that you enjoy. Take care of yourself and stay well. Thanks for reading and see you next week.

How to Maintain Stable Productivity in Unstable Times

As you know this has been a wild time for all of us. We are filled with uncertainty and we do not know what is going to happen and how it’s going to happen. We can make plans and tentative plans but that only goes so far. It is a general consensus that we should not try to change things that we cannot control. Right now, all we can do is focus on the things we can control. In a world where everything seems to be out of control, let us focus on some things that we can control. 

1. We can always chose to make a schedule and budget our time. We all live unique lives as it is, so there is no one size fits all. Especially now that our lives has most likely changed a lot, we can make a new schedule and routine that fits this time.

2. We can help each other out more. We all need help in areas where we may not have before. While this may not be a direct productivity method, you will feel better and most likely be more productive. I also want to take this time to thank everyone on the front line of this pandemic for all that you do. 

3. We can make new goals. We should take advantage of the change of pace to set a new direction for our goals. As I have mentioned earlier, it is likely that our goals will be different overall.

4. We can stick to the things that we enjoy. Things that we have enjoyed before the pandemic hits are likely to still be things that we enjoy. Of course, a lot of those things we can’t do right now, but be sure to think about the things that you enjoyed and still can do. Again, while this is not a direct productivity tip, doing things you enjoy will help you be productive when you have to.

As I know this is a difficult time for all of us and we can look forward to better times ahead. While we don’t know what the future will look like and we never do exactly, we can still work towards being our most productive self. I hope that you are well as you read this and hope that you stay well. Thanks for reading!

Time to hit the Reset Button

We have been in a very crazy time as we all know. Everything is being disrupted, everyone’s life is affected one way or another. While creating a whole bunch of new issues, this crisis is also bringing old and existing issues to the surface. It is creating tension in all kinds of areas and there is a huge amount of unintended consequences. With all of that being said, I want to talk about what we can consider going forward. While I know the core focus of this blog has been time management and specifically how to handle it with ADHD and other similar issues. I will definitely expand more on that in the future going forward. However, for now, as the entire world’s eyes are on this crisis, I will continue my focus on that and how we can still maximize our productivity during this time. 

This post is going to be focused a little more on what we can do now and getting out of this. Also, this post will be not be a numbered post as you are used to, it will be more of a journal entry. I am pretty sure all of us had things about our lives that we wanted to change and improve before all of this happened. I know it may be easier to think about the world before this when we could go places, see people in person, and do all kinds of fun activities that were amazing. We may have forgotten all of the little things and perhaps bigger things that we struggled with then. When this is all over and when we are back to a “new normal” and even much later when this is five, ten, twenty, etc years ago, live won’t be perfect then either. This is just a much crazier time for everyone and it may be bringing out the worst in us. I see more hate on Facebook than ever before, but it was certainly there a year ago also. I say all of this to say that while so many things are cancelled and postponed, improving ourselves and making the most of our time shouldn’t be.

With so much more disruption we all have more opportunity to think about what we want to change and what we don’t like. As the world is turned upside down, it is a great time to re-evaluate everything that we are doing how our lives are going. We might as well take advantage of the opportunity as we are being forced into it anyway. There are a lot of areas in our lives that we can review, whether it’s a large or small decisions. Our goals have undoubtedly changed, but it is definitely a good idea to set new ones. Despite uncertainty in so many areas, there are things we can do for certain. We can still make schedules, time budgets, and goals. We can still clean our homes, read books, develop healthy and productive habits. While we shouldn’t be unrealistically optimistic, we can still have hope for our future and do things now that will make the future brighter. We don’t know how long it will be until we get to “normal” and also with so much talks of a “new normal” we know it will be different. As we all approach a new normal, let it be a normal that is filled with productive habits and things that are make our lives and those around us better. People need us to be at our best now more than ever. I understand that isn’t easy and may not be possible right now according to your situation. However, we can be the best and most productive that we can possibly be at the moment. Now is the perfect time to hit the reset button on our lives. That will be a different story for each person. Thanks again for reading whether you are reading this for the first time or have been a reader for months even years. Stay well!

Spring Cleaning when Locked In

As you are aware, it has been a crazy time for everyone. We have all been trying to navigate a very unique and unpredictable situation. As I know this has been a heavy time for all of us. Right now, whether you are in a hard hit area or not, whether you are affected much or not, we don’t know how long it’s going to last like this. Since it is something that we have very little control over, might as well give it a rest. What I am not saying is to ignore what is going on, but also it is important that we do unplug a bit. If you are in a position that you have a lot of free time, this will be helpful. Even if you are still working Your regular schedule, you likely still have more free time than you would normally. I want to this to be a lighter post so here are just a few ideas to still “celebrate” spring cleaning while locked in. In fact, if you are healthy and locked in, this could be the best spring cleaning you have ever had, it can be the spring cleaning of a lifetime.

1. Start with the room you spend the most time in. This could be your bedroom, living room, or a room you do your work in. The room you are in the most while inside should be clean to have the biggest impact.

2. Keep moving at it. Cleaning, organizing, rearranging, and throwing stuff out will improve your mood. This will create momentum and you will get more accomplished.

3. Expand to the rest of your home. Spring cleaning is always a good regular process each year. However, this year, you may opportunity to make a much larger dent into the things you want to accomplish and organize.

4. Expand beyond physical stuff. Not only should you clean your home, but you can also make new goals, schedules, time budgets, financial budgets, etc. Take advantage of the disruption to work towards future goals, especially now that the world is going to look differently than before.

I understand this post is not for everyone at this time for what may be obvious reasons. If you are finding yourself with extra time and are well, and those close to you are well as well, this could become a great opportunity to engage yourself and perhaps your family to do get some serious cleaning done. I want to thank you for reading and hope that you are well as you read this. If you are not in a position to engage in spring cleaning, perhaps it is something you can consider when you are doing better.

Remaining Productive in a Turbulent Environment

As you know as a citizen of this planet, we are in the midst of a major health crisis. Everyone is being affected somehow one way or another. My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those who are facing the worst case scenario, death of their loved ones or near death yourself. My thoughts and prayers also go out to those facing job losses, having any case of the virus (even if mild), and any other adverse affects due to this situation. I say all that to say this is indeed a turbulent time for everyone, even for those who are not affected as intensely. If you are healthy and still have a job like myself, you have a lot to be grateful for. You can develop a new appreciation for what you do have. However, this doesn’t mean you stop striving for maximum productivity and towards your goals. Your goals will be altered for sure, and it is wise to take it a little slower if possible. Hearing about the virus and it’s impacts are a drain on everyone, including those that are not impacted directly by it. Best case scenario is that our schedules have been disrupted and we merely know people who have been affected by this situation. Regardless of where you fall on this continuum, here a few tips on how to stay the most productive as possible. If you are battling the illness yourself right now or dealing with grief, then it is best to save this post for a later time.

1. Make revised goals, schedules, time budgets, etc. When your schedule is disrupted, it is wise to adjust accordingly. Trying to accomplish what you were going to accomplish before the disruption is unrealistic. Totally giving up on your goals is unwise also.

2. Make the most of your moments. Everything may be different, but that doesn't mean you still can't do things you enjoy. If you find yourself without much free time, then still make time to do things you want to do, even if it's just for a little.

3. Stay structured. Structure is key to your success, in a normal time and a crazy time. When you are not able to have a normal routine and you have a lot more free time, it is essential to build a structure that sets you up for success.

4. Keep moving. There are going to be crazy times in all of our lives. Things won't go as planned. While what is going on right now is an extreme situation, this is definitely a great time to understand the value of perseverance and flexibility.

Thanks again for reading. I hope that you are well as you read this. Stay well as you go about this next week.

Why Slowing Down is Necessary

It has been a very crazy time for all of us. This goes far beyond a number on a report. I know that you as my reader, have very likely been impacted either Covid-19 or the effects it has on the world. Since our lives have been so crazy, I wanted to touch upon something that would be essential right now for all of us. Whether you were very busy and now have almost nothing to do or you are busier than you have ever been, this will be helpful to remember. If you are the former, you are being forced to slow down and it may not be your choice. In fact, maybe this was the only way your life can slow down. If you are so busy that you can't even hear yourself think, it will be beneficial to understand the importance of slowing down. Perhaps you are on the front lines of this crisis or an essential worker working more than ever, all that may be possible right now is a 5 minute break to think to yourself. When you are extremely busy, it is best to just do what you can as long as it is something. Here are reasons why we should slow down.

1. You need to take breaks. There are all kinds of breaks we can take. We should not just keep going non-stop, this will lead to burn out. We need to stop, relax, and do things that we enjoy and that energize us. 

2. You can get back on track. The longer you stay too busy, the more likely you to get off track. That is the case for me for sure. Slowing down is a great opportunity to get caught up with what we need to do

3. You may find something that you enjoy and energizes you. Allowing yourself to slow down gives you the opportunity to find new things that you may enjoy doing.

4. It is better for your own health and well-being. You will be healthier and happier when you are not always rushing. Slowing down is necessary and will even increase your productivity when done right.

I understand that this is a difficult time so I thank you for taking your time to read this. I hope all the best for each of you and look forward to brighter times ahead.

Navigating a Radically Different Schedule

Hello all, I hope you are well as you read this. As we know, it’s been another crazy week with COVID-19 and many more cases have been discovered. My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who has been impacted in any way by this disease. I know that even if our lives haven’t been impacted in a major way, we are still being inconvenienced and not able to do certain things that we could do before. While it can be difficult to navigate a lifestyle and schedule that may be very different. While I have been focusing on ADHD specifically, this is a situation that is happening to everyone and affects everyone. Pretty much no matter where you are in the world, your life as changed to some extent. Here a few more ways to stay productive in a situation like this.

1. Go for a walk if it’s nice. One good thing about the timing of this virus is that nicer weather is coming. On a nice day a walk around your neighborhood to get outside and clear your head. If you have a balcony, patio, porch, you can sit outside as well. Getting fresh air will make you feel better and make you more productive when you are doing what you need to do inside. If you are sick, stay inside and get your rest.

2. Make new goals. If you made goals for 2020, you may need to change them or make new goals. This can giver you a fresh start. If you haven’t made goals for the year (or whatever time period you choose, I normally go for quarterly), then you may want to make new goals. This may also be a good opportunity to switch to what could be a more effective goal setting and evaluating method.

3. Make new time management strategies. I have mentioned before a few times that it is good to make changed and adjustments to your time management methods. This could how your make a schedule, time budget, or how you track your time. When something changes, it may be appropriate to make a new schedule.

4. Do your best to stay well. You are most productive when you are well. So I’ll point out the obvious, if you don’t have to go somewhere, don’t. That way you maximize your chances of staying well and keeping others well. While there are a lot of things that we will be able to do when this is all over, now is the time to focus on the stuff that you haven’t been able to get to because you were so busy during your normal life (of course provided that your life is different as most all).

I hope you are staying well and still being able to maximize your productivity. I also want to give a special shout out to Alex Gillan, a good friend for over a decade as well as faithful and dedicated reader off this blog. Thanks for being a great friend and reader of the blog. I also want to thank everyone else who has been reading my blog every week. 

Maximizing Productivity while in Quarantine

This is a very difficult time for everyone, at best maybe you have some cancelled events and have less social interaction. On the other hand, people are losing money, jobs, their minds, and even their lives. Right now the top priority for everyone should be staying well themselves and avoid spreading COVID-19 to those around you. This is however (unless you are sick, then getting rest is most important) not a reason to stop pursuing your goals and maximizing your productivity. While our lives all looks very differently now, there is still a lot we can focus on and do to get to a better place in our lives when things are back up and running again. The focus for this post will what you can do when you are in quarantine. Even with such a big disruption to our lives, we can still work towards our future. An obvious disclaimer to this is that if your life is threatened by COVID-19 (or anything else for that matter), my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

1. Find a new hobby. While everything is serious, make sometime to do something new that you might enjoy to lighten your mood and help you get through it. There is plenty of things you can learn how to do, but also there is a great amount of TV shows, movies, books, etc. to take part in as well. 

2. Get caught up. If you are behind on your to do list, this can be an excellent time to catch up on those things. There are things that have been on my to do list for years that I have doing now that there is some extra time.

3. Relax and slow down. Again this only applies if you have extra free time and are well, but take time to slow down and relax. Live life at a slower pace for a while. While you may be used to running around extremely busy, this may be an opportunity to welcome the change.

4. Stay connected. Technology today allows us to connect in many ways that we couldn’t previously. While I know our smart phones may keep us from interacting face to face when we were able to see people in person, they as well as other technology can keep us connected when we should not be interacting with others in person. Do a video chat, call, group messages, texts, etc. will keep you connected. It won’t replace the real thing but is better than nothing. This also works in terms of work when you can’t go to the office, you can still get more done than you thought you can this way.

I do want to reiterate that while this situation is very challenging for everyone, there are some ways to help mitigate the negative impacts of all of this. Thank you again for reading my post. Stay well and healthy. 

How to Stay Productive During a World-Wide Crisis

I have decided to take a short hiatus from this blog. I haven’t made a new post in an over a month and I am ready to get back into it now. Not only am I ready to get back in with the posts, but back on track with everything else with Time is Me. As you may certainly know, the world is a very different place today than just a month ago when I wrote my last post. The spread of Covid-19 (a.k.a novel coronavirus), crash of the economic markets, toilet paper shortages, etc. have made for a very real cause for concern. Whether you believe people are panicking too much or not taking it serious enough, that is a topic for elsewhere. I will come back in from the hiatus with topics related to how to be productive in a situation like this, as right now everyone is affected by this. 

But first to an update on what I have been doing the last month, I went to California for the first time five weeks ago for the Startup Global conference in Redwood City and Podcast Movement Evolutions in Los Angeles. I met a lot of cool people and saw a lot of beautiful scenery and had a lot of fun as well. All of which I couldn’t do if it had been this week. I took time to process the information that I had learned over the next several weeks and have a lot in the works that I will get into later posts. However, with being said, I will leave you with a few tips on how to stay productive despite what is going on. 

1. Stay on track. The number one thing I can suggest is to stay on track as much as you can. Any aspect of your life that can stay the same and keeps your sense of identity will keep you stable and focused. Many people one way or another are having the floor taken out from under your feet. In times like that, whatever you can grab on to will help you to keep going. A ton of things are getting cancelled, postponed, etc, but remember there are a lot of things that you can still do.

2. Embrace the change. If you were stuck in a rut before, all of this forced change will create an opportunity for you to get out of the rut you were in. All kinds of changes will come at all times in your life, and although now may be much more than usual, it is a good time to to embrace the opportunity that although it may be uncomfortable and scary now, maybe when it’s all said and done in a while you may end up better after all. 

3. Take advantage of all of the unexpected free time. I have mentioned a few times that taking a break is essential to your health, wellness, and productivity. Of course every individual’s situation is very different, so this may not even apply to you at all. However, if you are do have more free time and are not affected as negatively, you may have more bandwidth for things that you didn’t before. Of course, if you do struggle with ADHD, you must resist the temptation to get the most updated information.

4. If you do get sick. If you get sick with Covid-19, or any other illness for that matter, now more than ever it is the best and most productive thing to get rest. Get the rest you need so you can be up and running as soon as possible. Two years ago, I was sick with three different illnesses at the same time in the same week, in fact, it was this week. I wrote a post about how you can recover from being sick, link below

https://www.timeisme.com/blog/2018/3/19/how-to-recover-back-to-productivity-after-being-sick

It is a very crazy time we are in currently. Being productive and moving forward with your goals is always important. How we do that now will be different than before. We are all figuring things out. Thank you for reading this blog, and I hope you stay well.

Late on Purpose or by Accident

Are you frequently late? If not, congrats! You can skip this post. For the rest of us we may be late from time to time, or all the time. I’ve been late several times in my life. As the time management expert here, I know that sounds bad. Remember, I have ADHD! So, let me break down the difference between being late on purpose or by accident. Spoiler alert, I have definitely done both. Honestly, most of you have done both, there are very few people who are punctual to every single thing they do in their life. So what is the difference you may ask? I’m guessing you are thinking that those who late by accident don’t mean harm and those who are late on purpose are just self-absorbed jerks. OK, you are not entirely wrong there, but let me break this down a bit more to explore the motivation (or lack of) behind your lateness.

Let me start with late by accident. The person who is late by accident is the person who is usually always late. Like I said earlier, this person usually doesn’t mean harm. It is not that they don’t value your time by making you wait. It is just that they don’t value their own time! That’s not always the case, especially if you have ADHD. There are many reasons someone can run late. A chronically late person just has a different mindset. They are more optimistic about their time. They will say they left the house before 10 minutes they leave and then blame phantom traffic. Speaking of traffic, they will think about how it normally may take 30 minutes but not take into account about how much worse traffic can be at certain times of the day, or if there’s an accident. It could really end up taking 55 minutes but he or she has 30 minutes in his or her mind and hence end up being 25 minutes late, and possibly even longer because they probably didn’t leave on time. I also want to note that a person who is always late, doesn’t mean that they are irresponsible. It is just a different way of thinking. I have been here several times. When I have too much going on, I tend to run late. 

Now, let me discuss about being late on person. Before you begin throwing stones, let me give a few examples when being intentionally late isn’t being a jerk. Say you have a meeting that is regularly scheduled at 7:30 PM, but doesn’t normally start until around 7:45 PM, then showing up at 7:35 or 7:40 is technically late but also technically early. Especially if you have a lot to do, why show up on time if it’s not going to be started yet anyway. Of course, every situation is different. If going somewhere early leaves an important impression as it may, it won’t hurt to be early. In fact, I would say it’s honorable to strive to be on time or even early to everything. However, it may always not be necessary. If you do struggle getting to places on time, you may want start by picking and choosing which commitments are most important to be on time for. I also want to point out situations that are out of your control. When this is the case, even the most puntual people are late. 

This may be one of my controversial posts and I am open to ideas, thoughts, and suggestions. If I did want to sum all of this up, I would say it is best summed up that if you are never or rarely late, keep doing what you are doing. If you are only late sometimes, just make sure you are only late when it doesn’t really matter or make a difference. If you are always late, you have work to do, but if you can first start by being on time to the most important commitments, then you are making progress. I have pondered over this concept several times and wondered why I was late to things or not and what goes behind it. I am striving to be on time and as close as possible to as many things as I can. It still doesn’t always work out but at least I have made progress and will continue to make progress. The first step to improving is acknowledging your need to improve.