🕐 The "One Window, One Focus" Rule
At any given moment, my browser is usually an overstuffed closet of open tabs. So, to keep myself focused, I open a separate browser window and only keep the tabs I need for that specific task. Then, I timebox it. I tell myself, "You only have 45 minutes to work on this before moving on."
And if I find myself stuck on something too long? I drop it and move on. No forcing it, no banging my head against the keyboard. Somehow, when I revisit it later, it magically makes more sense. I don’t know why. It just works.
📝 My To-Do List is My Lifeline
A to-do list isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. But not just any to-do list. Mine is structured by priority:
- High Priority: Must get done today, no matter what.
- Medium Priority: Would be nice to finish today, but not the end of the world if I don’t.
- Low
Priority: Future me can worry about this.
When my brain starts wandering, I check my list and go, "Oh right, I actually need to do this first." Instant reality check.
🕵️ The "Catch Myself in the Act" Move
Whenever I suddenly realize I’ve drifted into a new task, I pause and backtrack. I ask myself:
"Wait. What was I actually
supposed to be doing?"
If the answer is "something important that’s now three layers of distraction deep," I stop and refocus. If not, I let myself continue down the rabbit hole guilt-free.
To keep distractions in check, I use a "Check This Out Later" list. Whenever I stumble upon something cool (a tool, article, tutorial, design inspo), I dump it into a Notion doc and promise myself I’ll revisit it later.
Do I always go back to it? Eh. 👀 But at least it keeps me from spiraling mid-task.
⌛ Fake Deadlines Are My Best Friend
The only thing that actually makes me finish a task? A deadline.
Even if no one is waiting for it, I set an artificial one for myself.
If I tell myself, "I need to finish this by 3 PM," it tricks my brain into prioritizing it. Bonus points if I write it down because what’s written feels real.
