For many people, life was so hard before this pandemic.
My heart breaks imagining the stress, dismay, and anxiety that some are feeling right now. I’ve received notes from single moms losing jobs, folks battling illness (physical, mental, emotional) while navigating all this, physicians in the frontlines fearful even as they make deep sacrifices to keep our communities healthy and people who are just straight anxious about everything.
Now, many people are feeling understandably alone and afraid.
Remember, we are in this together. In San Jose, we just received the order to shelter in place. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be researching resources available for people seeking help. Please message me if you have suggestions.
In the meantime, here are some ways you can help small businesses in your local area:
I’m 100% certain that if we pull together as a global family, we’ll make it through. In fact, I believe that within this crisis lies an opportunity for us to grow stronger, wiser, and more resilient as a result.
With so much ❤️
Wandia
A huge part of being human is the emotional turbulence we all face from time to time, from exciting emotional highs to those unbearable low moments. A recent gallup poll showed that a whopping 55% of people in the US experienced stress on a daily basis. If not dealt with aggressively, these stresses can lead to despair, dejection and despondence.
As someone who has suffered from a bout of stress that left me feeling depleted and depressed, I know that every person going through this is trapped in a tragic cycle of self-blame, self-pity and a lack of will to live life fully.
I came to the realization that the most significant step you can take towards recovery is changing your internal dialogue. Most depressed people will beat themselves up with a myriad of questions in a bid to understand why they are going through such an experience. If we flip the script on the questions we ask ourselves, we have a much higher probability of thriving through it.
Why me?
Think of the challenge as a setup rather than a set back.
Invariably we all must suffer some hardships in life. Instead of falling into the abyss of self-pity and despair, ask how this hardship will help you grow. Rather than asking the question ‘what did I do to deserve this?’ get excited and ask ‘what I’m I being prepared for?’
Why now?
Just as opportunity and good fortune meets us unexpectedly, so can calamity and misfortune. Life is known to throw complications our way when we least expect them. Timing does not matter. Always be prepared to hold the bull by its horns.
Remember, how you react to what life throws your way makes all the difference in determining whether your problems will overcome you or you will overcome them. Determination and perseverance is key if you are to defeat hopelessness and depression. With every obstacle you overcome, you are better prepared to take on more domain.
Ignoring problems doesn’t make them go away. It just makes them fester and grow into bigger, messier problems. Face the problem, learn what it has to teach, grow from it and turn that adversity into a positive benefit. The hard things in life are most definitely the best teachers. In every adversity is the seed of an equal or greater benefit. We just have to open our minds and open our hearts to see what we are being taught.
Where do I go from here?
Some calamities like the loss of a loved can leave one feeling too lost to move on with life. Understandably, some people are unable to pick themselves up. Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl reminds us that even in the midst of the most unimaginable horror and daily pain, we can opt not to stay trapped in hurt and loss. By focusing on something worth living for, we can find a way out of the most harrowing turmoils. As devastating as they can seem, often life’s tragedies can bring our biggest breakthroughs.
While psychology is not my field of expertise, my own life experiences led me to share my thoughts on this issue which affects us all. I would like to share these tips as a summary of how to fight the stress and fear which can ultimately lead to despair, dejection and despondence:
In conclusion, when you find yourself overwhelmed, gripped by guilt, lost and confused, stressed and challenged, choose faith over fear.
Both are figments of our imagination. While either can drive you forward, fear often paralyzes, prevents you from taking action and leaves a trail of pain. Faith let’s you live with expectancy and work with a wide open heart. Isn’t that so much more fun?
Time is precious.
You don’t have enough time to do everything in the world. Spend your time on the things that matter.
Time is perishable, irreversible, and irreplaceable – once passed it cannot be recovered. You can not save it or turn the clock back. Take care of it. It is valuable, expensive and priceless. Choose wisely what you do with it.
No one can manage time, but simple tweaks to the way you do things can make a huge difference in your life and work.
Bestselling author, entrepreneur, and angel investor Tim Ferris states ‘Not-to-do’ lists are often more effective than to-do lists for upgrading performance. In his not-to-do list, Ferris states:
1. Do not answer calls from unrecognized phone numbers
2. Do not e-mail first thing in the morning or last thing at night
3. Do not agree to meetings or calls with no clear agenda or end-time
4. Do not let people ramble
5. Do not carry a cell phone 24/7
6. Do not work more to fix overwhelm — prioritize
7. Do not check e-mail constantly — “batch” and check at set times only
8. Do not over-communicate with low-profit, high-maintenance customers
9. Do not expect work to fill a void that non-work relationships and activities should
Web designer and author Paul Jarvis shares a great list of personal choices that have allowed him to complete his work more efficiently and effectively. A few highlights:
Unsubscribe from newsletters that don’t compel you to read them immediately.
Use one program at a time.
Turn off notifications while working.
Take a break when you’re frustrated.
Follow fewer people on social media.
Limit the amount of media consumed throughout the day.
Work at your peak time.
AppSumo founder (and employee #30 at Facebook and #4 at Mint) Noah Kagan states, “Do 3 essential tasks every day.”
To stay productive, he creates a list of all his tasks in a text file and focuses on getting 3 of the most important ones done every day. You can get a lot done with a single-minded focus. We often need to do phone calls and fulfill other interruptive or urgent tasks, but everyone can benefit from windows of non-stimulation.
Ruthless prioritization can help you free up your time and energy. It’s also important to know which activities should not be optimized, such as spending time with loved ones, laughing until his stomach hurts, and walking in the woods.
To maximize your productivity, shift from being reactionary to proactive.
How do you keep up your productivity and creativity?
In a fast-paced world filled with endless distractions, staying productive and nurturing your creativity can be quite a challenge. Whether you’re a writer, an artist, an entrepreneur, or anyone striving to achieve greatness, finding ways to enhance your output is crucial. Fortunately, successful creatives have shared their strategies for maintaining productivity and fostering creativity. In this blog, we’ll explore seven smart and witty tips that can help you cut through the clutter and unlock your full potential.
Wandering aimlessly through your day is a recipe for unproductivity. Instead, kick-start your week by outlining the most important tasks you need to accomplish. Each evening, review your priorities for the following day. By setting clear goals, you’ll stay focused and motivated, increasing the chances of achieving meaningful progress.
Taking time to reflect on your accomplishments is vital. Each week, carve out a moment to appreciate what you’ve achieved. Celebrate your successes, learn from any setbacks, and make adjustments to your approach if necessary. This habit keeps you accountable and provides the necessary perspective to refine your strategies for future endeavors.
Ah, distractions—the silent productivity killers. To harness your creativity and maintain your flow, create a distraction-free environment. Clear your workspace, silence your phone, and resist the urge to check social media or engage in idle chatter constantly. By minimizing distractions, you can fully immerse yourself in the task at hand, unlocking a new level of productivity.
Mornings set the tone for the rest of the day. Successful creatives understand the power of a well-structured morning routine. You can awaken your body, mind, and creative spirit by incorporating activities like yoga, meditation, or exercise. A solid foundation in the morning can equip you with the focus, energy, and emotional stability needed to tackle any challenges that come your way.
While planning and contemplation are important, they should never paralyze you. Avoid getting stuck in analysis paralysis, and remember that action begets inspiration. Sometimes, the best ideas emerge when you’re in motion. So, get moving, dive into your work, and embrace the momentum that comes from taking massive action. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve when you refuse to stand still.
Creativity thrives in an environment that nurtures both the mind and the senses. Plants not only add aesthetic appeal to your workspace but also help improve air quality and overall well-being. Studies have shown that having plants in your office can reduce stress, enhance mood, and increase productivity. So, bring a touch of nature into your workspace and let your ideas bloom.
Difficult days happen to all of us. However, succumbing to the allure of procrastination during rough patches can hinder your progress. Successful creatives understand the importance of commitment. Even on challenging days, push through and maintain your focus. You’ll develop resilience and ultimately achieve your goals by staying dedicated to your tasks.
Productivity and creativity are like dance partners, each supporting and enhancing the other. By implementing these smart and witty tips from successful creatives, you can cut through the clutter, stay on track, and unleash your full potential. Remember to start with a success plan, eliminate distractions, nurture yourself with a morning routine, take massive action, bring nature into your workspace, and commit to your tasks. Embrace these strategies, and you’ll find yourself on a fulfilling journey of productivity and creativity.
Get ready to thrive like never before!
Follow these tips to cut the clutter and help breed productivity.
Follow these tips to help breed productivity.
1. Keep 3 lists: Your top priority daily tasks, hopeful tasks, and anytime tasks.
2. Capture: Write things down right as you think of them. Get them out of your head.
3. Keep a calendar: Stay on top of what you’re going to do & when you’re going to do it.
4. Use one to-do list: Get your to-do list out of your email and 100 slips of paper. Keep all of your tasks in one place.
5. Simplify: Clear old files regularly. Start with your inbox. Clean up your desktop. Uninstall old programs.
6. Designate days for tasks: Do certain things on specific days to stay on track.
7. Do a weekly review: Review your plans weekly to ensure that you are in working order.
8. Keep a digital notepad handy: You never know when inspiration will strike! Evernote is free and goes both on your desktop and mobile phone.
Use these tips to make sure time doesn’t get away from you.
1. Have a Plan (and stick to it) Make a personal daily schedule. Don’t check your phone as soon as you wake up or let other people’s emergencies run your day. Avoid unscheduled phone calls. Check emails at pre-determined times. Keep a notepad and pencil nearby. Jot down projects or ideas that spring to mind so they don’t distract you and hijack your plan.
2. Plan ahead. Look at your calendar the night before, 15 minutes before you leave work, or first thing in the morning. Write down your top 3 high-impact tasks, so you don’t wander aimlessly taking care of trivial matters.
3. Prioritize, don’t procrastinate. Do your important work first. What will make the most impact? Start with that.
4. Work when you’re most productive. If you’re most productive at 5 AM, schedule your most important work for that time.
5. Set time boundaries for online use. Set specific times when you’ll be available to chat or check websites.
6. Challenge and reward yourself. Set a goal that’s difficult, but not impossible, then reward yourself.
7. Take sprints. Set a timer. When your timer is ticking, focus and work in sprint mode.
8. Schedule fun time. Take time to do the things you enjoy. All work no play makes cranky, uncreative people.
9. Unplug and work on battery power. Create a sense of urgency to get things done by working on battery power, where time is limited.
10. Batch errands: Maximize efficiency & minimize time wasted on tedious errands by doing as many as you can at one time. For example, keep a shopping list and get everything you need on one trip just like you save laundry loads until you have enough articles to wash.
12 Powerful Tips to Help You Boost Your Productivity
If you work from home, you know that the dream of flexibility can quickly turn into a nightmare of distraction and an unhealthy work-life balance. Beat procrastination and stop succumbing to sometimes subtle obstacles that hinder your progress. When you’ve really got to get things done, here are some incredible productivity tips to help you stay on top of it!
Set aside a space. Create a designated space, preferably a room to be your workspace. That way, when you enter it, you know consciously what you’re there to do: go to work. Set your home office up in an area that will be away from the distractions of home. Set boundaries for those around you as well. Schedule your work time and make sure the kids and spouse know that you are unavailable for playing, chores, etc. during this time.
Invest in a good chair. Get a mesh backed or leather chair to support your back. It’s worth spending some money on.
Start the day properly. Take a shower, get dressed and have a good breakfast before you get down to work. This will help you get into the right mindset for work and create mental space between work/life.
Create productivity boosting rituals. Eat healthy. Keep nourishing snacks close. Have a pint of water by your desk all the time. Try and work up to drinking a few pints a day, if you don’t already. Keep your work area tidy – clutter free spaces make your day more productive. Create a schedule and give yourself a daily signal it’s time to start working.
Highlight your accomplishments. Surround yourself with the things you’ve done — diplomas, important photographs, and other reminders of your success.
Keep a notepad and pencil nearby. Jot down ideas for blog posts, projects, anything that springs to mind. Then have a pin board to stick them on. Look at it twice a week to refresh your mind of things that could be done sometime. Some of the best work you’ll ever do will come from random bits of inspiration.
Keep three lists. The first list has 3 things you will do today. The second is things you’d like to get done, but aren’t essential. The third is things that need to be done at some point. That way, you don’t waste your day twiddling your thumbs.
Don’t stop working if it’s a hard day. There’ll be times when you haven’t got any ideas, or just don’t feel productive. Train yourself to do some work anyway. It’s a short fall from “It’s just not happening at the moment” to “It’s a bit tough, I’ll stop for the day”. Next thing you know, you never seem to get anything done. If you need to, change your environment. Get out but don’t quit. Go to a coffee shop, the beach, anywhere you can get good work done for change. Carry sound canceling headphones to avoid distractions and lousy cafe playlists that run in loops.
Work in productive blocks of time. You can do 5 hours, in four blocks of an hour, with a 10 minute gap between each. For every hour you work, take a 10-minute break. If you do more than that, your attention might start to wander, you’ll be restless and your work won’t have it’s normal level of quality. Give yourself breaks. Your mind time to digest what it’s just done, then come back. You’ll improve the quality of what you produce a hundredfold.
Make time for people. When people ask, give them what you can. Respond in some way to every email. Say thank you a lot. Set online times to connect and engagement in a little chit chat. This will fuel you and keep you from feeling isolated.
Separate work and personal life. Don’t get sucked into working around the clock. If you are done for the day, don’t go back. Had a great new idea? Fantastic, write down the basics in a reminder note, and let it go. Use a separate phone for work and leisure.
Know when to stop. Set defined times when you’re going to work, and then when it passes, stop. Schedule your work, if possible, around your natural peak times – morning, noon, night. You can have a bit of leeway here, but make sure that you don’t end up letting work run your life.
Get sufficient sleep so you can function more effectively. Limit daytime napping if you don’t fall asleep until late at night. Cut out the caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Exercise regularly. And keep screens — televisions, smartphones and tablets — out of the bedroom if possible, and stop using them an hour or two before bedtime. The light they emit and the stimulation they provide may contribute to sleep problems.
You can’t function effectively if you are stretched too thin and tired.