If you have a hard time getting to the things that matter (especially while caring for young children), time blocking* is crucial to focus up in order to be productive. Here’s what works best for me.
*Time blocking is a productivity technique for personal time management where a period of time—typically a day or week—is divided into smaller segments or blocks for specific tasks or to-dos. It integrates the function of a calendar with that of a to-do list.
STEP 1 — TURN OFF PHONE
Digital distraction is the number one productivity killer for me. Turn off your phone and zero in on what needs to get done.
- Research shows on average, people spend about 44% of their waking hours looking at a screen.
- Worldwide, people spend about 6 hours and 58 minutes on their screens on a daily basis.
STEP 2 — CHOOSE 1-3 TASKS
I try to concentrate on 1 to 3 extra (in additional to daily) tasks per day, it feels manageable and keeps me from spiralling into a state of overwhelm.
- Research shows when overwhelmed we freeze (part of the fight/flight/freeze response) due to a flood of cortisol, anxiety builds, and serotonin—one of the main chemicals involved in alleviating and preventing feelings of depression and anxiety—begins to deplete.
STEP 3 — MINIMIZE THE REST
After you narrow down the task(s), close or minimize tabs (real or mental) that aren’t relevant to getting them done.
- Research shows that when people have a manageable number of tabs— which is different for everyone—they felt in control and more productive. However, when the number of tabs exceeded a particular person's “tipping point”, they were more likely to feel negative emotions such as stress or shame.
STEP 4 — TIDY WORKSPACE
If needed and time allows, quickly clean and/or organize the space around wherever you find yourself needing to get something done.
- Research shows disorganization and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains. Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.
STEP 5 — TIMED FOCUS
If you have a longer stretch of time to work with, put a timer on for a particular timeframe (e.g. 20m on 5m off, repeat as needed). Put your earbuds in and play some focus music if it helps.
- Research shows using computer assisted protected time to do focused work reported increased energy, eagerness to work and less difficulty in detaching from work.
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