11 Productivity Tips for Being Your Best Self During COVID-19
First of all, my heart goes out to our families with children with schools shut down, our seniors in assisted living, our neighbors at the hospitals, our local businesses struggling and anyone impacted by this pandemic.
We are all experiencing a pattern change and disruption in our daily lives. And before I share my top 11 productivity tips, a brief moment of gratitude...
I want to acknowledge and thank all of the brave small businesses, Emergency Room, Medical Doctors, Nurses and Medical Communities that are keeping their doors and operations OPEN during this novel COVID-19.
I also want to thank first-responders and even our grocery store and supply chain people that keep our stores open and stocked.
You all are amazing!
And thank you to our educators who are working through social distancing and social learning. This is heavy stuff and hard stuff and you're doing it. So thank you. And big thank you to everyone who is leaning in during these hard times to support each other.
Okay, back to the tips.
Despite social distancing and settling into a possible “new norm” and way of living and being both personally and professionally...if you’re struggling with the amount of “noise” still coming at you - you’re not alone.
We may NOT have control over the pandemic, the news or what’s happening all around us... We DO have control of our own productivity and daily routines.
If you're feeling a bit off-task these days (and who isn't feeling a little off their game?)...
Here are my Top 11 productivity, life and leadership hacks and tips to help you manage your stress, anxiety and daily performance so you can stay focused and productive so you can keep being your BEST SELF even during this pandemic:
Set an intention for the day - this can be what you want the day to look like, how you want to show up, what you hope to accomplish, an outcome you hope to achieve or even 1 word like: calm, peace, focused.
Identify your top 2-3 top priorities that must happen. Now is not the time for perfectionism, keeping a mile-long list and being the hero. Please give yourself compassion and focus on the top 2-3 things that need to happen. It may just be 1 thing. What’s your 1 goal today? Write it down in your journal, sticky note, planner, whatever system works for you.
Time-box. Consider using the Pomodoro technique. Set a timer. Focus on that one task for a set period of time. Once the timer goes off, that’s it. Come back to it later or tomorrow.
Take something off your list. Now is not the time to play super hero. Look at your list of to-do’s for work and life. Prioritize your top 3 things. Can it be handled now? Is it easy? Ok, great - do it. If not, focus on your top 3 things. From there, what can be delegated or moved to tomorrow? Does it need to happen now, this week, or later? Look at what's essential and not so much. Can you take something off? Keep prioritizing and looking for the wins in your day and weekly schedule.
Practice mindfulness - notice what’s coming up for you and stay mindful of the 1 task at hand.
Bookend your day with gratitude. What are you grateful for today? Start your day with 2-3 things you’re grateful for. And then wrap your day in gratitude. What are 2-3 things that went well today? What are you most grateful for? Notice the little things and keep perspective of how lucky and blessed we are to have each other, our health, and our communities right now.
Take mini-breaks like an athlete. You wouldn’t exercise for 3 hours without a break, so why would you do that to your brain? Take a tea/coffee/water break. Take a brisk 5 minute walk. Text a friend or loved one. Listen to a favorite song. Meditate for five minutes. Set a timer and do 3 minutes of sit-ups or jumping jacks to get the blood pumping. Roll-out your yoga mat and stretch it out for 5 minutes. By taking a break, you’ll come back refreshed and even more focused.
Practice compassion. We’re living in a new “normal.” Give yourself compassion, loosen your expectations of yourself and others. Are you “shoulding” on yourself??! Notice if/when you’re judging yourself or others. Keep an open mind through all of this. We truly are living in unparalleled times. You just don’t know what someone else might be going through. Release judgement, let go of unrealistic expectations for yourself and others and give yourself a break. You are doing your best. We all are. Keep showing up.
Take it in chunks. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed right now. So what to do when you feel anxiety creeping in? Easy tiger. Deep breaths. Take things in bite-sized chunks. Ask yourself: What can I do? What’s 1 little thing that would be helpful right now? Do I need to make a list? Do I need to take a quick break? Call or text a loved one? Do I need to buckle down and focus? Do I need a little support or help? It’s okay to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need (people are not mind-readers!) - reach out and connect with: your friends, your network, your partner, your family, etc. Do what you can, but also know that it’s okay to ask for help or someone to talk to. And when you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath and focus on: One. Thing. At. A. Time.
Have a little fun. Bring back playtime from being a kid. Is there a hobby or area of your life that could use a little attention? Maybe you’ve been meaning to read that book, ride your bike, work on a pet project, or listen to an uplifting podcast. Or maybe it’s connecting virtually and reaching out to a friend. I’ve seen so many people take their coffee and happy hour dates to a virtual platform like Zoom or Google Hangout! Or maybe it’s catching up on an online course. Or finding an old hobby or activity you used to love. Or moving your body - going for a brisk walk. What sparks joy for you? If you’re not sure...maybe this is the time to reflect - what sounds fun? See how you can bring back a little fun into your day. Laugh, watch a funny puppy or cat video. Laughter and play are the little joys in life. Keep bringing fun back into your day, especially right now.
Give back. My spouse and I have donated time, money and resources during COVID-19. It feels good to give back to others. I’m also giving back through guided-meditations right now in my network and communities. Ask yourself during this time: what gifts of time, talent, money, resources can I share? Little acts of kindness and giving back can make a big impact. What’s 1 thing you can do to help your neighbors and community? We’re all in this together. Just like bad news can spread, so too can good things.
I hope these ideas spark something for you.
Stay well, calm, focused and productive - even during times of unknown and stress. You can get through this.
Please reach out if there is anything I can do to help you during COVID-19. If you want to talk about how to implement these strategies into your life, schedule a complimentary power session with me. I’ve opened additional complimentary time in my schedule due to the crisis we are all facing.
Connect with me here. I’d love to hear from you.