I keep to-do lists, use project management calendars, write out notes, use Evernote, label my emails according to subject and star them in order of importance. I know what needs to be done, but sometimes it’s still hard to focus.
I’m becoming aware of my productivity “black holes” and the results aren’t too promising. I’ve reduced the amount of television that I’m watching. I use to do nothing but watch TV in my free time, but now I only watch what I have recorded on my TiVo. That only equates to about 2-3hrs a night and most of the time I have a second screen in front of me (phone or laptop) trying to get my list of things to do, accomplished.
A large drain on my time is spent sitting on Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately, I can’t give those up as easily as I can reduce television consumption. The bulk of my income is dependent on scanning what’s happening online and responding to it. A bigger chunk of it is coming up with online content for clients. I might be surfing along, see something completely unrelated and chase after that for 5-10 minutes. Each little spurt of distraction can add up. I end up spending longer online which results in even more distractions… it’s a vicious cycle.
Regaining productivity is a slow process for me, but I’m finding little ways here and there to regain life and get shit done. A lot of it for me is to be aware of what I’m doing and ask myself, “Is this going to benefit me and my career in some way?” If the answer is no, I quickly get back on task.
My mind is a constant dialogue of thoughts. I’ve greatly increased my thought process and creativity through floating and Alpha Brain. I’ve even fallen off track with that lately. Perhaps my focus will be restored with a nice long session in a float tank. I definitely need to get back in the gym, that was a great release for me.
Am I alone in this issue? What are some of your methods for staying on task?