3 Strategies to Maintain Focus and Productivity During Crises

The COVID-19 pandemic is fundamentally a health crisis; if you or your family members fall ill, recovery becomes the top priority.

However, this pandemic has triggered numerous other challenges for many, as financial difficulties have affected numerous individuals due to job losses or financial setbacks.

Furthermore, social distancing and increasing anxiety pose challenges. They can lead to heightened stress, anxiety, and depression. Remote work also brings hurdles due to various factors like inadequate technology, blending professional and personal lives, or the lack of a suitable work environment.

Managing through an enduring health and financial crisis isn't a walk in the park, but learning to adapt and navigate these challenges is key.

Many who've faced similar challenges advise: Be ultra-productive if you're working. Get everything done within your work hours, leaving time for pending tasks and interactions. Here's what you should do:

• Set Priorities: When working, identify priorities and tackle essential tasks first.
• Focus: Direct your attention entirely on the task at hand, completing it efficiently without distractions.
• Avoid Burnout: Put in the necessary effort to complete tasks, then take a break from work to recharge your energy and reassess your top priorities.

Despite this being an ideal routine, many fall into a cycle of wasting many hours browsing the internet immediately after waking up. Balancing children, breakfast, and frequent email checks often lead to distraction. Even during their working hours, they drift back to social media, leading to hours slipping by without achieving much.

Trying to concentrate at work while constant distractions interrupt you creates delays and stress, as unfinished tasks lead to self-criticism and a sense of failure.

How to Maintain Focus During Crises?

If you find yourself engaging in any of these behaviors, take these steps: Clear your mind first—essential for any strategy to work. Then, follow these two steps.

First, forgive yourself, avoid self-criticism, and address yourself with positive affirmations. This crisis is among the toughest, leading to a mix of successes and setbacks—normal in such challenging times.

Secondly, focus on the present and let go of the past. Dwelling on past events or obsessing about the future can trigger depression.

Now, here are effective ways to prioritize, focus, and avoid exhaustion:

1. Create a Morning Routine

An off start can impact your entire day. For this, boost your morning productivity by implementing these tips:

1.1. Review Your Goals

Read your daily goals aloud to clarify and reinforce your focus on accomplishing them.

1.2. Assess Your Mental State

Feeling off early in the morning could impact your daily goals negatively. However, if you can't improve your mood much, try at least to momentarily set aside any troubling thoughts.

1.3. Ponder Whether You Can Handle Tough Tasks

Studies show affirming your capability increases success. For instance, ask yourself, “Will I finish preparing the presentation today?” and confidently respond, “Yes.”

1.4. Ask Yourself How Today Can Top Yesterday

Pick one thing to improve on.

1.5. Start with the Most Crucial Tasks

Identify the most crucial task for the day and begin working on it first.

2. Manage Your Time

Set aside dedicated time to focus on activities one by one, excluding other tasks. You can achieve this by following these three tips:

• Work intensely on a task for 20 to 90 minutes, then take a break.
• Execute the previous step four times in a row, resting for 6 minutes between sessions. Consider each set of four as a completed cycle.
• Combat distractions by listing them. Note anything disrupting focus and keep working. Distractions are like calm winds before a storm; avoid them as much as possible to maintain focus and productivity by sticking to time commitments and avoiding task-switching.

3. Avoid Overworking at any Cost

Some people push themselves too hard, trying to fix everything. However, you don't need to address everything at once, overcome the pandemic, or make significant strides in your financial situation.

While commendable, preserving energy for the long run is crucial. This involves taking timely breaks from work and engaging in enjoyable activities such as reading, playing, or watching TV. It's key to sustain momentum without pushing yourself beyond your limits.

Understanding when to rest and when to exert peak effort is crucial. For healthcare workers, they must work honestly because many lives depend on them. However, for those trying to do too much at once, depleted energy leads to helplessness. Set boundaries and allocate personal time for sustained support.