Productivity Archives - Play. Work. Repeat.

Welcome to 2020, friends! Self-care comes in many forms. While there are many factors outside of my control, here are some of the ways I am setting myself up for a less stressful year.

::1:: Decluttering. The great purge is upon us, people! Toys, clothes, baby items — so much of it is being donated or trashed entirely. Why I thought it was a good idea to hold onto that sweater from college, or those baby clothes with stains on them, is beyond me. The madness stops now!

::2:: Time management, especially at work. It’s so easy to get distracted at the office, and I often find myself staying late as a result of all those unexpected interruptions. In order to maximize my time in the office, and *hopefully* turn off more at night, I’m going to try this Pomodoro Method – block out chunks of uninterrupted time on my calendar and avoid distractions at all cost.

::3:: Schedule more playdates. This is less of a de-stresser and more of a challenge. I’m an introvert, and notoriously the worst at scheduling playdates for my son. He’s an only child, so these interactions are important, but I find the anxiety of reaching out to moms to set up these playdates overwhelming at times. It’s time for me to step up for my kid and help him nurture and expand an already wonderful support system of great friends.

::4:: Take the time to learn new things. Podcasts, e-learning certificates, books…anything that I can realistically make time for in my schedule.

::5:: More exercising, less sugar/booze. I have veered far from the path to healthy living, and I’m FEELING every ounce of it. My clothes are tight, my energy is all but gone and it’s affecting my skin. My intention is to do something active — take a walk, use the Peloton currently collecting dust, run around the yard with wee man — at least 3-4 times a week. It doesn’t have to be a formal form of exercise, it just has to be SOMETHING…and I’m holding myself to that goal with my Apple Watch (I hate when it’s disappointed in me!).

And you know that Disney review I never finished here? It will be done by 2021!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Email hostage

I have two quirks when it comes to email. The first is when someone emails me (without having called or stopped by my office) and asks me to call them. Yes, thank you for proving how important you are. The second, of which I have no one but myself to blame, is an incessant need to be caught up on unread email.

To see a bold number in parentheses next to “Inbox” is like someone chewing Doritos with their mouth wide open within smacking distance from you. It drives me bonkers. At my last company, a senior executive used to send me an email and time my response for fun. I believe 2 minutes 20 seconds was his longest wait time. Yes, I have a problem.

FOMO? Maybe. A constant concern that I’m needed urgently? Likely in my own head. A detriment to whatever I am working on at the time? DEFINITELY! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been distracted during the day due to an incoming email. It inevitably leads to doing a whole lot of little things, with my to-do list for the day still outstanding. Not exactly helping me check off that productivity box each day.

What’s worse? As I eluded to in the story above about the little joke this co-worker liked to play on me, I’ve set a precedent. 3 am email replies? Check. Working through the night before a holiday on a perceived media concern? Whelp, 2017 Thanksgiving is a blur. It’s unhealthy, not motivating, unappreciated…and, now, expected.

One of the hats I wear as a marketing executive is to handle the communications for my company, which includes media relations. The turnaround time is usually immediate, so there is part of me that will always need to be connected. But I’m a mom, wife, daughter and friend…FIRST. I need to make sure those roles have their uninterrupted time and place as well. And everyone has my cell phone number — if it’s an emergency, work will call.

In the end, I recognized I had a problem and did some digging as to how I could curb my little obsession. If you’re like me and looking for a resolution, you may find some inspiration in this Daily Muse article. One of their tips is to turn off push notifications on your phone, which I will admit recently worked for me while I was on vacation. I would only check email a few times a day, which was easier to manage when they weren’t popping up on my lock screen or being pushed to my iWatch. Out of sight, out of mind. The trick is to applying it to daily life whenever possible…not just special occasions.

There are other tools I’ve been using to help increase productivity and avoid distraction — like the Panda Planner I discovered this year — but I’m taking this new mindset one day at a time. Hopefully, one day soon, I will no longer be held hostage to the unread emails in my inbox. Until then, I’ll see you on email.

F5 :: FIVE FOR FRIDAY {01.03.20}

The Inbox Hostage Crisis