There are a lot of distraction to stay focused and be productive today.<p>Some tends to "cheat" with smart-drugs like Modafinil to be on top of performance.<p>What's your tip to avoid this non-productiveness?
Having enough sleep so that you wake up refreshed helps. Imagine trying to develop the next google/facebook/whatever with lots of toxic chemicals floating in your brain!<p>Drink some of water when you wake up to hydrate yourself. We often mistake thirst for a desire to eat or restlessness. So eating or moving around often does not fix it. Keep a bottle of water nearby always.<p>Exercise also provides a great start to your day but o ly if you are well rested.<p>If there are lots of ideas circling in you head, it is time to pull them out and put them all on a list. Then prioritize what you need to do first. This removes mental clutter and give you room to work. It helps a lot if the last thing you the at the end of the day is to plan for the one thing you will do next day. This way you will wake up knowing how your day is going to be. This avoids decision fatigue early in the day. The todo should ideally be one or two and no more than three.<p>If you still find yourself distracted, it is because of some uneasiness that stems inside you. Find its source. Maybe the task you are supposed to be doing is vague or daunting, or you do not believe what you are doing is the best approach. Or the project is not what you expected it to be and you would rather spend your efforts on something more deserving. Whatever it is, identifying it is half the problem. Even a single step in the direction of fixing it can give you hope and energy to chug forward.<p>Meditation is also recommended as a great way to practice focus and introspection but I have not made a habit of it yet. Maybe soon.
When I'm determined to do something I believe making a list is the most effective way to get work done. If I can make a concise, well-divided list of tasks I want to complete for the day I almost always complete it before the day's up. I personally just use a notebook and pen and write the list everyday. There are times when a list item is way beyond the scope of what you originally imagined and that's okay. Do what you think is a good amount for the day (sometimes nothing), and continue it the next day (split up into smaller tasks).<p>In addition, there are other 30 minute work 'sprints' to keep you focused (I don't know these 'gimmicks' but they seem to be very effective for many).
* Write out your task explicitly. Break things down into steps explicitly<p>* Write out the "why" of the task to help you efficiently resolve ambiguities.<p>* If it is a complex task, take some time to just spend writing down and resolving ambiguities explicitly.<p>* Pair program, or at least work alongside others who are working.<p>* Get 9 hours of sleep on a regular schedule.<p>* Exercise for 30 minutes in the morning or when you feel frazzled.<p>* If feeling frazzled, meditate. Sit down comfortably and focus on your breath and nothing else. When you notice yourself thinking about something else, gently guide your mind back to your breath.<p>* Block distracting websites using <a href="https://selfcontrolapp.com/" rel="nofollow">https://selfcontrolapp.com/</a> or <a href="https://freedom.to/" rel="nofollow">https://freedom.to/</a>
"Eat the Frog First"<p>Knock out the most daunting/hardest/most stressful task first. For me that usually involves phone calls (yay social anxiety). First thing I do every morning is make sure all my phone correspondence is taken care of, that way I don't keep putting it off all day.<p>For general focus trouble - meditation works wonders. After getting the basics down you will be able to clear unwanted thoughts from your brain as easy as you swipe-up to close iphone apps.<p>Also this is personal so YMMV, but I realized my morning coffee was more habit than useful. Since I started skipping my morning cup I'm less jittery, less tired after noon, and the one cup I do drink makes a much bigger difference.
What about actually just remaining committed to one thing, that type of focus? I feel like a different person every day / week. As if my brain just completely resets and everything I thought I planned last week now seems foreign and I start all over again.<p>That type of focus, not energy / fatigue related focus, I struggle with.
I don't find modafinil (or the non-prescription adrafinil) to help with focus, per se, but nooopept certainly does. Beyond that, I say embrace the distraction and indulge in it fully, then pretty soon it loses its luster and it's easier to get back on track later.
Chanting, self-reflection and developing my inner purpose.<p>With chanting comes the wisdom to exercise, have enough sleep and live a healthy, lifestyle while also being able to declutter my mind and build my inner core energy.<p>That for me has been the single most defining activity that has transformed my life. I work full-time, I do household chores and I continue to work on my startup and when many asked how I've been able to do it, it all starts with chanting.