Jon Rumens, Author at FocusMe

6 Productivity Tips for Working from Home

Jon Rumens — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:23:03 +0000

Working from Home Tips to increase productivity

Working from home can be challenging: you might find yourself distracted by household tasks that need your attention, by your family or roommates, and you might even find you are working extra hours because you can’t focus during working hours.

If that sounds like you, it’s important that you find ways to stay productive and create a work-life balance that will positively affect your overall health. Read our tips on how to be productive when working at home:

1. Develop a schedule that works with your productivity levels

Developing a working schedule that is unique to you will help you maintain that work-life balance that you always wanted. The key here is to work on a schedule that suits you and the way you work.

A lot of the time we see tips such as work as if you are in the office, however, we don’t agree with that. We all know things have changed, so working remotely should give employees the flexibility to work when they feel productive. Pay attention to the times you feel the most productive and develop a modern-day working schedule that will set guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day.

For example, you might have a Zoom meeting with someone overseas and your schedule might need to be adjusted. When that happens, be sure to wrap up earlier than usual or sleep in a bit the next morning to make up for it.

If you are not able to have that flexibility in your line of work, then try to create a schedule based on your working hours. Set clear objectives and add tasks to your schedule depending on your productivity levels. Again, the mission here is to notice how your brain likes to work.

For instance, if you have a 9 am Zoom call every morning, don’t set a hard task right after the call. Instead, add the small task of taking down notes based on the call you just had, and slowly that will get you in the zone. Notice how you feel every day and based on your energy levels, create a schedule for the day that is doable.

Pro tip: Share or talk about your schedule with your family. That way you set boundaries in your home and can make it clear that during the hours you are working, you are not to be disturbed.

2. As soon as work is finished, step away

One of the hardest issues to get over when working from home is inactivity. Working remotely involves a lot of sitting in front of your computer for hours and hours on end until tasks are done.

If you make sure you have something else to do after work, then that will give you a source of motivation to finish up and get going. A lot of people working from home have become used to work always being there, so making sure you have a reason to step away every evening is important.

We are suggesting making some kind of plans right after work to give you that initial push. So, once you get used to this routine, then you can make sure that as soon as work is finished you get up and step away from any screens.

Go take a shower, start cooking, go for a walk, or go outside in nature and enjoy the fresh air and the sounds of birds to help lower your stress levels and relax.

3. Have a realistic to-do list while working from home

Take a few minutes every day before you start work to write down a to-do list with tasks that you can accomplish that day. Start small and use these daily points to slowly build up to a larger goal.

When creating to-do lists, a lot of us simply write down a list of final goals, for example, Schedule this week’s Email campaigns. But what steps would you need to take to schedule the email campaigns? You would need to write the email copy, create graphics, check the audience, check analytics, and check the best times to schedule the email. These are the tasks you should be adding to your to-do list.

Pro tip: Enabling yourself to achieve small goals each day could help you complete your work tasks without even realising. The sense of completing these achievable tasks in your list will also keep you motivated.

4. Track your time

If you struggle with time management, tracking your time can be a great technique to get you to focus on one task at a time. It can be easy to lose track of time when working remotely – you might get up to make a cup of tea and lose half an hour, just like that.

So, get your cup of tea, water, and snacks ready and set a timer for yourself. For example, set a timer for one or two hours to complete a task and then also set time to take a 20-minute break.

Pro tip: If you feel like you need that extra push and feel of urgency, set a timer on a clock that is visible in your peripheral. We know this sounds like a stressful way to go about it but trust us, working under self-inflicted pressure and seeing the time pass so quickly will only motivate you and help you achieve your goals in no time.

5. Avoid all digital interruptions!

If you work from home and especially work from your computer and mobile, limiting digital distraction might seem nearly impossible. FocusMe was created by Jon, a master procrastinator who wanted to take matters into his own hands. He created an app that would not only help him focus while working remotely but also block or limit digital distractions.

Our website blocker is fully customisable to block, limit or ration the use of distracting websites and apps. That way you can continue working on your computer without getting notifications from other platforms or being distracted by incoming personal emails.

With just a push of a button, what seemed impossible can now be easily controlled. Reclaim your focus by downloading your free trial today.

6. Try a fake commute

Before the pandemic, most of us used to wake up way earlier to commute to work and although we might have now gained some extra sleep and time to make breakfast in the morning, that sleepy commute was a great way to slowly get the brain gears working.

So, fake it till you make it! Fake a commute to your home office and give your brain that much-needed time in the morning to wake up and start thinking of what you want to achieve in the day.

Get up, get dressed and go for a walk. Whether it’s a short stroll or a long walk to grab some coffee, a jaunt to the nearest bakery or a run in the rain, it will help you clear your head and get ready for the day.

Read how FocusMe has helped our customers who work fr om home.

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ADHD-Friendly Ways to get Organised

Jon Rumens — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:00:14 +0000

Living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be challenging: daily activities can be a struggle to complete, and it can be hard to stay focused and manage distractions, making everything a bit overwhelming. Learn in the following article ADHD-friendly ways to get organised.

Although ADHD can be a very unique disorder from person to person, commonly those with ADHD struggle with hyperactivity and difficulty paying attention. Fortunately, medical advancements in understanding ADHD have led to effective strategies for managing its day-to-day challenges.

Whether you are a professional, a student or a working from-home parent with ADHD, adopting ADHD-friendly organisational tips can significantly enhance your productivity and daily life. Read our tips about ADHD-friendly ways to get organised:

Break down your tasks into smaller, manageable chunks

The key to completing your tasks is to break them down into smaller, manageable bits. Prioritise your daily tasks and break them down into only a few each day, not a million tasks that will most definitely overwhelm you.

For example, don’t add the task read through all your unread emails today, break it down into a smaller step that is more achievable, read through 10 unread emails today, 10 tomorrow, and so on. You can further break down your tasks into personal and work-related tasks and the ones that are top priority.

This approach prevents burnout and fosters a sense of accomplishment that will motivate you even more.

Use a content blocker to limit digital distractions

In our digital-driven world, distractions are just a click away, making it particularly challenging for those with ADHD. Customisable content blockers, like FocusMe, are invaluable tools for creating a distraction-free environment before you take on your daily tasks.

On days that you know you will have a list of tasks to complete, before anything else, we would suggest you disconnect from the digital world. By limiting access to distracting apps and websites, you get to maintain your focus on the task at hand.

Block, limit, or ration yourself off certain apps, websites, social media platforms, games, and more. Set time limits that only allow you to open your email a certain number of times per day or use our forced mode to say goodbye to scrolling altogether.

Our users have praised our tool for its flexibility and effectiveness:

“Probably the best software I’ve purchased. If you want to have more control over your digital environment, get FocusMe. Seriously, it’s the best app out there. It can do anything you want it to with unlimited customizability and if setup properly is nearly impossible to workaround. The value added to your life and mental well-being is worth 50x the asking price.”

Strategically schedule your time

As we mentioned previously, your tasks need to be manageable, so instead of attempting to conquer your entire to-do list in one go, allocate specific times for each task.

Organisational apps and calendars can help you schedule these tasks. Set reminders for short periods of time to address certain tasks and break up your day with clear time blocks for those specific chores.

Use sticky notes

We know sticky notes are not the most aesthetically pleasing options, but their use can keep you on track when you find yourself sidetracked. There is no shame in recognising that you need all types of reminders – what is important is to make organising as easy as possible.

Use them to mark where you left off or to remind yourself of the next steps. This is such a simple tactic that also reduces your cognitive load of having to remember.

Reflect on your day

At the end of the day, either when you are in bed or when you are relaxing on the sofa, make a mental rewind of your day. Reflect on the tasks accomplished, congratulate yourself and take note of any pending tasks.

This practice not only helps you plan the next day and organise your tasks but also provides you with a moment to acknowledge your progress and efforts. We hope

Remember, small progress is still progress!

Download the free trial and see the difference our website blocker can make!

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Top Tips on how to Study Smarter, Not Longer

Jon Rumens — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 10:03:24 +0000

Study Smarter, Not Longer: 5 Essential Tips to Enhance Your Learning Experience

Many students invest countless hours in studying, only to find that their efforts don’t yield the expected results, highlighting the importance of learning how to study smarter.

The path to effective studying isn’t always straightforward, and while individuals have unique learning processes that might work for them, there are many methods that you can use to enhance your studying.

Here are 5 tips on how to study smarter, not longer without sacrificing hours or compromising your mental well-being:

#1: Prioritise self-care

Before diving into intense studying sessions or facing upcoming exams, prioritise yourself.

Sleep and nutritious food are essential for your brain, so sleep and eat well before you start studying. Ensure to fuel up with a balanced nutritious meal and stock up on snacks that are good for brain power like walnuts, which are excellent sources of protein, and brain-boosting dark chocolate.

Additionally, make sure you take short breaks, stay hydrated, and move your body – follow a 10-minute stretching or yoga YouTube video.

Prioritising and looking after yourself before and while studying will only increase your energy levels, enhance your focus and attention span, and help you better absorb all the information.

#2: Lose the screens

Studies have indicated that it’s harder to remember what you’ve read when reading from a screen, rather than a book or piece of paper.

We know that times have changed and in many ways studying from devices can be more accessible, however, when possible, it could be best to avoid screens altogether.

Furthermore, studying on a laptop often invites other distractions, disrupting your academic focus and studying routine. Consider taking notes down or printing out online materials to give your eyes a break from screens.

If avoiding screens isn’t possible, then use web blockers to eliminate distractions completely and enable uninterrupted study sessions. With our web blocker, you can block, limit, or ration any websites and apps, or use our force mode to shut off the entire internet during your studying sessions.

#3: Talk out loud

By articulating information aloud, you engage better with your notes, and talking out loud enhances memory retention.

Some of us even do this without even thinking: how many times have you found yourself repeating out loud something that you’ve just read?

This is because we pay more attention to what we say, so next time you are studying, try writing your notes down and talking out loud.

#4: Say no to multitasking

Contrary to popular belief, if you want to study smarter and not longer, then you should banish multitasking from your routine.

When multitasking and juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, our brains switch rapidly between them, resulting in cognitive strain.

Avoid the temptation to multitask, especially when you are studying online. A quick search for content related to your studies can lead to aimless internet surfing and this takes its toll on your productivity and well-being.

#5: Embrace FocusMe

Encourage smarter studying habits with FocusMe, a tool designed to help students improve their productivity.

By offering a 30% educational discount, FocusMe offers students that first step to better time management and empowers them to create an environment free from digital distractions.

Unlock your full potential and take advantage of your educational discount here or you can also click the download button below to access the free trial

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Goal-Setting 2023: Is Skipping New Year’s Resolutions A Big Mistake?

Jon Rumens — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 07:00:17 +0000

Well, there went your hopes for New Year’s Resolutions…

Nearly two weeks gone by already since people all over the world and vowed to never do “THIS” again… or to finally get down to doing “THAT”…

And no doubt after a couple weeks, the gyms are already emptying out again… as life transformation hopefuls everywhere start to get more “realistic.” Typical, right?

On the other hand, it’s possible you didn’t set a New Year’s resolutions this year at all.

With a growing cynicism around new year’s resolutions failure rates, many of us just shrug them off as an exercise in futility. And then plenty just procrastinate until January slips off into the distance and yet another chance at life renewal passes by…

But Look, January Isn’t Over Yet!

And if there’s one thing the cynics DO get right about New Year’s Resolutions, it’s this – there’s no magic power tied to the specific date of January 1st. So if you’re kicking yourself already, wondering if you should have jumped on the self-improvement train before it was gone, it’s not too late to set goals for 2023 at all.

Here’s something to keep in mind.

All these studies regarding the resolution failure rate are all over the place! They make great headlines, but do a quick Google search and you immediately see articles from various sources claiming anything from around 40% all the way up to 80% of people fail their resolutions.

Perhaps a more important question is this: how often do people fail their attempts at life change OTHER times of the year? I think we all know the answer — a lot, right?

Because change is ALWAYS a challenge.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should stop trying to improve your life.

So Are There Actual Benefits To Setting Goals Around The New Year?

Or is this custom just as silly as hoping the Easter bunny drops off colored eggs in April?

LiveScience writes: “A 2002 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that those who made a New Year’s resolution were 44% more likely to succeed in that goal after six months than those who did not make a resolution but were interested in changing a problem later.” So yes, embracing the tradition of renewal pinned to the start of the New Year may actually be a great way to get your life on track, no matter what the cynics say.

Reporters love a controversial headline. But mentioning high failure rates of resolutions without mentioning the higher failure rates of goals in other times of the year paints an incomplete picture.

Everything about the world we evolved in moves in cycles.

So whether or not the exact date of January 1st “means anything,” per se, syncing yourself up with cycles aligns perfectly with the human tendency to follow seasons of birth, death, and renewal as we move through life. Instead of getting cynical about it, why not embrace the fact that this is how human individuals and societies have functioned as long as we’ve existed?

By taking it seriously, you can leverage it as a source of motivation and enthusiasm, an opportunity to think about how things went last year and set out some ways you want to improve coming into 2023 (even if it’s not the 1st anymore).

Add in the power of rituals and placebos to change your results in life, across the board, and there’s really no reason NOT to take the tradition very seriously.

Also, keep this in mind…

Starting Late Offers A Chance To Avoid Common Resolution Mistakes

Instead of beating yourself up for procrastination, let’s look at the bright side.

Many 2023 goal-setters have already begun to give up and fail…

But by starting now, you have an opportunity to sit down and get more intentional – rather than just making a knee-jerk resolution because it seems culturally appropriate or because a couple of your friends thought it would be a good idea.

Some of the common mistakes people make in their resolutions include:

Being Too Ambitious (Or Too Conservative) With Your Goals – Overly-ambitious or unrealistic goals can create excitement, but it’s also a great way to set yourself up for failure. On the other hand, goals that are too small and easy can feel pointless. Some experts will warn you away from audacious goals completely, but think about it this way: not quite reaching something huge is a whole lot better than crushing it at something insignificant. You may very well end up a lot further ahead in life by “failing” at the former. Plus, if you consider the let-down many high achievers report when they do get to their own finish line, it doesn’t hurt to always leave yourself something to strive for. My advice? Set goals that light your fire but then break these bigger goals down into milestones so you can create a little momentum starting out and yet still have something left over to work towards.
Failing To Engage In Systems Thinking – Another pitfall when people strive for change, regardless of the time of year, is their goals are focused more on outcomes than the system or process that produces said outcome. Yes, failing to plan or create a roadmap that gets you from A to Z is a great way to strike out with your new year’s resolutions in 2023. Whether you’re trying to achieve something or stop doing something, define exactly what that looks like, and then define exact steps that will get you there. Finally, define times when you will implement these steps. The process of change doesn’t happen with good intentions alone — you need ACTION. (Read my “27 Mind Hacks” article for how-to advice on systemizing behavioral change.)

Leaning On The Social Media Brownie Points – Of course, this is a huge problem in today’s attention-addicted social media society. Perhaps you’ve been told you need to hold yourself accountable to a goal or behavioral change by leaning on support from the community and making a big announcement. But this article from Psychology Today tells us people who publicly share their goals are less likely to follow through on them (and getting compliments on progress makes it even worse!). Why? It’s possible you get an emotional reward from a social media announcement (“Hey, look at me and how driven and disciplined I am”), and this may dampen the allure of actually working toward that goal and achieving it. So forget the social media brownie points, or at least save them until you’ve actually earned them!
Not Getting Specific Enough With Your New Year’s Resolutions – Again, it’s about setting clear, measurable goals – not making some broad, vague intention. “I will lose X pounds in X months” is way more powerful than “I will get slim again.” Write down exactly what you want to accomplish, and if possible, attach it to a specific time-frame or deadline so there’s zero question at all when you finally hit your target. Some other examples include “I will increase sales revenue by X in the first 3 months of 2023,” or “I will put $X in a savings account every single month in 2023.” (Here’s another article on how to create clearly defined goals.)
Trying To Do Too Many Things At Once – Finally, don’t fall for the trap of shooting for too many big changes at once. Sure, we’d all like to quit drinking, cut down to a 6-pack, seduce an attractive new lover, and build a successful million dollar per year business… all in 2023, please… but let’s pace ourselves here. In his article, “The Scientific Argument For Mastering One Thing At A Time,” James Clear makes a convincing, research-backed argument that even ultra-specific, time-sensitive goals work best when you stick with just one or two. If there are other areas of your life you want to improve in the meanwhile, keep your efforts in these areas small and manageable (perhaps by using the “Tiny Habit” method). You’ve only got to slay one big dragon at a time to create radical life momentum as the years go by. Alternatively, break your year up and focus your entire energy on different pursuits at different times.

Listen, Only YOU Can Decide To Be More Proactive This Year!

The difference between people who succeed at improving their lives…

…Versus those who don’t…

…Often comes down to the power of self-belief. As Henry Ford put it, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

And what could be more self-defeating than deciding you won’t even try? Just because some article on the internet told you that you’ve only got a 30%, 20%, or 10% chance of success?

After all, they give us a similar line about the business failure rate, and yet there are entrepreneurs all over the world who build their fortunes in business regardless – just like Ford did.

So my advice?

It’s still January and you’ve still got a whole year ahead of you. If you don’t believe there’s any magic in new year’s resolutions, what’s the harm in convincing yourself that there is?

The only thing worse than failing at a well-intended behavioral change…

…Is failing to even try.

Are You Using FocusMe To Defeat Digital Distractions And Achieve Laser Focus?

Click the button to learn more about how this attention-saving software can help you implement practical behavioral change in 2023 and beyond!

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How to Get Work Done (Even When You’re Not in the Mood)

Jon Rumens — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 16:00:19 +0000

It’s easy to think of procrastination as something directly related to your IDENTITY especially when you are working on something and you are not in the mood to do it.

“I’m a procrastinator.”

“I can’t stick with a schedule.”

“It’s just who I am.”

But procrastination is often more related to MOOD than personality. And if you struggle to stick to a schedule or find yourself losing the discipline to stick with a project before it’s done…

…Or even get it started at all…

…A Key Area To Look Is Your “Mood Management” Skillset.

We all have bad days.

We all have times where we don’t “feel like” working.

But the high achievers, the most productive folks among us, get things done day in and day out. Rain or shine. No matter what’s going on in their lives or the greater world around them.

Think of it this way.

If your grandmother passed away this morning, how much work do you think you’d get done? How difficult would it be to stick with your schedule if you found out you had a chronic illness (even if there were no physical effects yet)?

Do you see how staying on task has a lot to do with how you FEEL?

Given that life will always have its ups and downs and our moods will go up and down with it…

Here Are Some Tips Entrepreneurs And Online Workers Can Use To Stay On Track Even When They “Don’t Feel Like It.”

Mood Cure #1: Master The Art Of State Change

Mastering your mind state is key to gaining more control over your mood swings, so bad days or bad moods don’t throw you off.

We all work with our own unique emotional landscape; however, there are many predictable ways to put yourself in a better mood instantly that work for most people Even when you don’t know what the source of your emotional sticking point is yet.

For example:

Listen to music that you love. You may want to keep a playlist on hand just for these moments.
Take a break. Sometimes if you’re not feeling the work, all you need is a little time away. Come back when you’re “feeling it” more.
Call a friend or accountability partner. Or call a client or colleague and talk about the project a bit.
Keep a file of motivational videos/audios on hand.
Practice meditation, breathing exercises, or gratitude to get more control over your mind and emotions. You can then turn to these whenever you need to!
Take a cold shower.
Jump up and down, shout, act crazy. Yes, I’m serious. Tony Robbins emphasizes this type of state change, especially at his wildly popular seminars, where he gets thousands of attendees to do this at once.

Mood Cure #2: Establish Work Patterns To Create Unstoppable Momentum

Implementing work rituals that you go through every time you sit down to focus can help to create a mood-setting pattern that you can turn on even when you don’t feel like doing anything.

By putting your “work brain” on autopilot as much as possible, it’s easier to “tune out” of everyday noise and fire it up for action when enthusiasm for action is low.

There are a lot of tricks here to help you leverage rituals to “just get going.”

One little habit to kickstart momentum makes it easier to jump right into work (even when you don’t want to).

Sit down, open a file, set a clock for 5 minutes, and then just start… doing. Make it as mindless as possible. Again, the trick is to do it everyday so it becomes a ritual.

Once you do get going, you’re thinking about the work more than your worries and you sort of lose yourself.

I know one guy who only holds himself to doing 2 hours of work every day. He doesn’t even take one day off! 2 hours is a low enough bar that he can always motivate himself. And it establishes a momentum he never loses with a day off.

Some days he puts in twice that time, or takes off on a work marathon. But either way, he puts in his two hours, and his pattern is a procrastination killer that very rarely lets him down.

Ritual in action!

Mood Cure #3: Find Other Ways To Invigorate Yourself With Movement

Tony’s method is about EXTREME movements…

..But moving on a more basic level deserves special mention too because it has such a powerful effect on your emotional landscape. Yes, move, move, move, and move some more!

I highly recommend just taking a break when you’re down sometimes and just doing something to get your blood pumping. Do some jumping jacks, a set of pushups, or put on your running shoes and go for a jog.

If your schedule is flexible, stop work and go to the gym. It can radically change your day!

And if physical exercise is a part of your daily routine, that will spill over into your daily mood as well.

Pick something simple and mindless and start there.

Simply sitting in front of a computer all day doesn’t exactly put you in peak state.

Mood Cure #4: Delegate Tasks You Don't Enjoy

Often “not being in the mood” is just about boredom.

And a low level of enthusiasm for the work.

Even if that’s not the source of your low enthusiasm on this particular day, well, it’s still MUCH easier to “break out of” a bad mood if you can get motivated enough to sit down and get the ball rolling. And that will happen a lot easier when you actually LIKE the work.

On the other hand, it can be pretty hard to motivate yourself if your day is bogged down with trivial tasks you hate.

In “The Four-Hour Workweek,” Tim Ferris popularized the idea of outsourcing lower level tasks online. Thanks to online technology, specialization, and geo-arbitrage it can be pretty cost-effective these days (even if you’re an employee yourself).

Check out platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to find quality help at an affordable rate.

Hand off your most uninspiring work. Focus only on what really invigorates and inspires you.

Setting yourself up for the most enjoyable work makes it easier to escape into a state of flow.

Mood Cure #5: Or Just Change Your Environment

Sometimes this can be as simple as packing up your bag and heading to another room, or a coffee shop down the road.

Just for the change of scenery.

It might involve moving to a new house! Or hey, a new country!

But you should also just control your current work environment as much as possible. Is anything in your environment creating emotional friction between you and your work? Is anything about your work environment irritating you?

People barging in? Put a lock on the door and set rules with family and friends about your work-time.

Traffic noises? Get some noise-canceling headphones.

Office feel stuffy? Open the windows, scatter plants across the room, and hang some beautiful pictures of scenes that inspire you.

Get a more comfortable office chair if that’s what it takes. Your comfort and satisfaction while working is paramount!

Mood Cure #6: Eat Some Ice Cream.

I mean, who can eat ice cream without ending up in a better mood, right?

I’m half kidding here.

And be careful… Because too much sugar can actually have a negative effect on mood and energy.

But the point is sometimes a small treat is a great way to perk yourself up. You could even use it as a reward for finishing the first hour or two of work if you’re really struggling to start.

For some people a “treat” might be a massage. Or a spin down a country road in their car or motorcycle.

You can even treat these mood-boosting “treats” as rewards by making yourself accomplish a little bit of work first.

Have fun with it. Work doesn’t always have to be so serious!

Mood Cure #7: But... Control Your Vices Too

People who struggle with low energy, poor mood, and chronic procrastination are often caught in negative cycles that are affecting their mood (maybe more than they’d care to acknowledge).

For example, alcohol.

This one is really common because in our society we don’t really think of it as a drug.

But it certainly is one and even known to be a depressant. So, if you binge drink a lot, it might help to pay attention to how it’s affecting your mood and your energy levels. You may very well notice a strong correlation between the weekend highs and a low that stretches from Sunday, perhaps all the way to Tuesday or Wednesday, with some early week procrastination problems.

This doesn’t just apply to alcohol — it just makes a great example because it’s a very common vice.

Excess caffeine, tobacco, or sugar intake can also make you irritable. Even food, especially carbs or sugar, consumed in excess may leave you sluggish and down.

C’mon… We know this stuff ALREADY, right? I accept that.

However, if you’re finding yourself in lethargic, crabby moods, it might be time to ask yourself if you’ve been listening to the “things you know.”

Or just “knowing” them.

Mood Cure #8: Listen To What Your Body Tells You

As the alcohol example might suggest, your moods are often closely tied to your physiology.

If you find yourself irritable, tired, or depressed… Maybe your body is telling you something. And maybe you should listen?

Sometimes it’s not eating, for example.

I’m a big believer in the powerful effects of fasting. But you may find that eating your first meal too late in the day results in you starting to get moody around noon. In a situation like this, you might find a decent meal is all it takes to brighten the day again. If so, reconsider your fasting hours or the breadth of your eating window.

Lack of sleep is another common culprit, especially in our hustle culture. Take a nap! A quick 30 minutes may be all it takes to get you up and at em’ again.

Monitor your sleep patterns over all. Modern society tells us that it’s natural to wake up early to an alarm every single day. And staying up late into the night, our houses lit up with artificial light.

Hint… it’s not!

If sleep seems to be a problem, try maintaining a more regular, earlier bedtime. If your schedule affords it, try doing away with the alarm completely and sleeping with your curtain open. Let the sun wake you instead of that blaring, unnatural alarm clock.

I use this sunrise alarm clock to wake up naturally everyday by 6:15!

Exposing yourself to that natural sunlight during the day (and perhaps wearing blue-light blocking glasses at night) is another great way to normalize your sleep patterns.

Mood Cure #9: Study Up On Stoic Philosophy

There’s a lot we can learn from the Stoics, but one of the most powerful lessons when it comes to working through life’s drearier moments is the acceptance that life doesn’t always need to be perfect.

As much as we like to think of ourselves as unique and “special,” no human is deserving of a “perfect life” that is somehow always comfortable and fun.

And it’s unreasonable to expect one.

Marcus Aurelius said:

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?’”

Stoic philosophy teaches us that always expecting life to be amazing and thrilling is irrational and unrealistic. By accepting that sometimes things will be uncomfortable, and being willing to face that discomfort and work in spite of it, we build much healthier, more logical patterns of thought for work and life.

Rational Emotive Therapy teaches very similar principles. Here’s an article we wrote about this idea here.

Mood Cure #10: Visualize Your Goals

One powerful way to work in spite of a bad mood is to think of the bigger picture.

WHY are you working?

What are you working TOWARDS?

Is it money? A better lifestyle? More freedom? A greater cause?

Sit back and check in with your bigger goals and you can often tap back into that motivation to power through your darker moments.

Whatever you think about vision boards and their ability to create reality, it’s hard to deny they are a great mood lifter!

Mood Cure #11: Think Of Yourself As A Craftsman

If you’re always just working for the next payday and don’t really CARE about what you’re doing, it’s much less fulfilling.

But by thinking of yourself as a craftsman you can make the work itself become a reward.

This isn’t about the end result of your goal. You may be a web designer, for example. But have you made it a mission to be THE BEST WEB DESIGNER POSSIBLE?

Do you love the CRAFT of web design? And if not, can you learn to?

If you constantly find yourself working for clients, you may find yourself uninspired by the work. But think of what THEY’RE trying to accomplish with the website you create. How does it SERVE the world? If it really just doesn’t, you might consider focusing on a different type of client…

How can you constantly IMPROVE on what you do?

The deeper you dig into any topic or skill set on earth, the more fascinating it becomes. So I encourage you to dig as deep into your work as you can. The better you get at something, the more you learn about it, the more INTERESTING it becomes.

And you create that dynamic with your work where you can get LOST in it…

Fall in love with “deep work.”

When you have that type of relationship with your craft, all it takes is sitting down and firing up your table saw, picking up your paintbrush, or in this scenario, opening up Photoshop…

…And the entire physical world (and all its concerns) fade away. You may have to face them again later, but your work can always be a place to disappear for a while.

Mood Cure #12: Don’t Beat Up On Yourself!

Of course, one of the most vicious traps with procrastination is our tendency to be hard on yourself when you procrastinate…

…Thus making it even HARDER to work. And creating a self-perpetuating cycle.

Big trap!

So learning to forgive yourself and accept your own flaws and mistakes (as cheesy as it might sound) really is a big part of keeping yourself in a healthy enough state to get things done too.

Mood Cure #13: Make Sure To "Celebrate Your Wins"

One of the best things about learning to work when you’re “not in the mood” is this…

…Once you DO sit down and actually get something done, it’s a great little reward to yourself. And as you defy your procrastination, defy your mood, and defy the notion that life always has to be “comfortable”…

…You get small little wins.

And these wins build positive emotions. That build on themselves to eliminate the power procrastination holds on your life and your psyche.

In fact, I take a few minutes at the end of each day to write down my “wins” for that day.

And it’s amazing how much momentum this builds over the course of the week.

Of course, if I wait until the end of the week (or Monday morning) to try to remember what I accomplished, I only come up with a few items. But when I make it a point to write them down every single day, I usually end up with over 20 big wins per week…

Which drives up my confidence and boosts my motivation by allowing to start my day just a little more charged up!

Are You Ready To Work Your Way Into A Better Mood?

FocusMe is a great way to start building those small wins by creating “rules” for the way you work online.

Learn more about how you can use it to defeat procrastination and online distraction today.

The post How to Get Work Done (Even When You’re Not in the Mood) appeared first on FocusMe.

New Year’s Resolutions (bad) vs Goals (good)

Jon Rumens — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 10:00:13 +0000

How many of your New Year's Resolutions have you achieved?

hears crickets

That's what we thought...

Now, here's a method for setting goals that actually works:

As you may have gathered from the title of this article, at FocusMe we are not ashamed to admit our lack of neutrality in the New Year’s Resolutions vs Goals discussion.

We’ve got an opinion.

And we aren’t afraid to share it.

New Year’s Resolutions Suck!

So why do we continue to make them?

A quick scan of the history books (AKA a single Google search) tells us that setting airy yet aspirational goals at the turn of the calendar year has been a popular activity since sometime between the dawn of civilization and the early 19th century, depending on your preference in specialist.

Despite that yawning gap in potential periods of origin and the added billions of resolutions that going by the earlier date would add to the tally, one thing we can say with certainty is that only around 45 of all the New Year’s Resolutions ever made have actually been achieved.

And all of those were made by the most determined, intelligent and single-minded person in history – Elon Musk.

Obviously that’s a joke.

He’s really no better than you or me.

But he probably does set goals and then lay out a framework for how to achieve them.

In fact, if he’s anything like he’s made out to be, he was probably already making detailed plans about how to become Emperor of Mars at age 5.

Now, just to be clear, becoming a billionaire doesn’t alleviate stress or guarantee you more free time, and it’s really bad for the planet, so while we encourage you to aim high, let’s keep it realistic.

Here’s how:

Block out the noise

Before you even get around to setting any goals, it’s crucial that you filter out all wispy day dreams and peripheral aspirations.

What is it that you really need?

And no, it’s not a romantic partner, a new car or to quit Facebook.

It’s true that these types of things may form part of your goals or even become the ultimate aim, but they tell you nothing about what you actually need to live a richer life.

Love, the ability to move around safely and the need to escape the endless scroll on the other hand…

Now, these are things that we all need.

Notice the difference between the first list and the second?

Lovers, cars and wanting to do your part to stop Mark Zuckerberg from developing an actual formula for mind control are all good and well, but they are just one potential way to solve deeper needs.

If you can’t define your needs and the prioritize them, you’ll never be able to set clear goals for how to meet them.

And just in case the implied part wasn’t clear, chasing stuff for the sake of it doesn’t bring happiness or feed motivation.

The best way to get something done is to have a good reason to want to do so.

That’s why with this method of problem solving we start by identifying our underlying needs before even attempting to set any goals or, dare I say it, make any resolutions.

Using needs to identify goals

Of course, a need on it’s own is no more use to you than last year’s wishy washy New Year’s resolution to stop supporting Jeff Bezos’s space habit even if it meant paying a little more at local businesses.

But identifying what we really need – the thing(s) that would truly enrich our lives – gives us a foundation with which to begin setting the right goals.

It can also help us to do something else important.

It can help us to realize that we don’t always require the things we thought we wanted in order to fulfill our deeper needs, or that perhaps there is different route to fulfilling those needs.

Say you’re thinking of setting a classic resolution:

You want to go the gym at least 4 days a week and lose X amount of weight in 2022.

Those are pretty clearly defined, sensible goals, right?

Sure, but even though they might help you to fulfill your fundamental need for good health, they may are not the only way to do it.

What about all the other ways you can get in shape and improve your mental and physical health?

Never heard of anti-gravity yoga and water walking?

Maybe the reason you never stick to the gym is because it just isn’t your thing?

After all, we all know what they say about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results…

So surely we’re better off just throwing a load of different stuff at the wall and hoping something sticks?

In other words, once you’ve identified your needs the next step is to spend some time working out how they might be fulfilled.

This means coming up with some kind of selection process to help you determine the most promising routes to success, or even a single goal that you believe will get you there.

Yet even having a clear goal leaves you a long way off from actually getting anything done.

Which is kind of the point of this article and our entire business.

Which leads us to…

Download this article as a PDF

The importance of setting micro goals

Having a grand ambition or making a potentially life changing resolution feels fantastic!

They can give our lives a real sense of purpose and meaning.

But they can also be the cause a unique kind of gnawing dread.

The fear of failure.

We all face it in some way or another on a daily basis.

But when it comes to imagining big, important or long-awaited moments, this feeling can become particularly acute.

What if you actually went after your dreams and didn’t realize them?

What would you have left?

This is doubtless an unnerving thought experiment, but in truth it’s not one we need to make.

Your big goals are achievable!

You just need to break them down into smaller micro-goals that seem closer and easier to accomplish.

This is how you create your framework for success.

One step at a time.

With realistic mini-objectives that give you something to grasp on to RIGHT NOW and help you to visualize a clear path towards your ultimate ambition.

That’s it.

A simple three step process:

1) Identify your needs
2) Work out how you can meet them
3) Use micro-goals to help you get there

Our challenge to you for 2022 is put this process to the test.

To try something different.

And to never make another New Year’s Resolution.

Download this article as a PDF

Let FocusMe give you a helping hand

Let’s not sugarcoat it.

Even with a foolproof process, staying on track to achieve your goals can still be hard work.

That’s where a productivity app like FocusMe comes in.

If you struggle to maintain your concentration because of social media, gaming, news or any other form of digital distraction, these are the guardrails you need.

The app employs powerful code that forces you to stay within the digital boundaries you set for yourself.

If you’re serious about improving your productivity, this is the tool that will help you to do it. Don’t take our word for it though.

Check out reliable third-party reviews by our many satisfied users to see what this one-of-a-kind tool can do for you.

If you’re ready to get serious about beating your gaming addiction, simply click the big shiny button below and we’ll guide you every step of the way!

The post New Year’s Resolutions (bad) vs Goals (good) appeared first on FocusMe.

What Is A Focus App And Do I Need One?

Jon Rumens — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:02:57 +0000

In the war against digital distraction, we need all the help we can get! Are focus apps the silver bullet? Maybe, but not all of them are created equal...

In many ways, the digital revolution is just getting started, yet it is already reshaping our lives as much as the birth of agriculture or the industrial revolution. Our technologies are the stuff of science fiction, and not always in a good way. Writer’s like HG Wells, George Orwell, Isaac Asimov and others foresaw many of the pitfalls that we are encountering on our never-ending march towards some kind of technological singularity.

One of them was the potential for technology to be used as a tool for mass distraction. Kind of like a modern-day digital Roman colosseum. While most futurists pondering such topics tended to concern themselves with the ability of governments to control people and enforce authoritarian rule (which is certainly happening in many parts of the world), some also predicted the rise of corporate giants that would compete for our money, data and, above all, our attention.

In 2020, roughly $587 billion was spent on advertising worldwide, while countless billions more go into developing technologies meant to attract our attention and keep it for as long as possible. Since you’re reading an article about focus apps, it’s probably fair to assume you don’t possess that single-minded zealotry about productivity and growth that is the hallmark of all space cowboys – rest assured, that’s a good thing. It also means that, alas, like the rest of us, you have to navigate the treacherous waters of digital distraction on your quest for optimum productivity.

So, back to the question at hand, can a focus app tip the scales in your favour?

Fighting fire with fire

There are many tactics you can employ in the war on digital distraction. In fact, we write about them all the time here at FocusMe.

All of them have their place and they are generally best used in conjunction for optimum results, but as the saying goes, you don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Or more accurately, and just to squeeze in one last war analogy, when you have an intercontinental ICBM heading your way, a missile defence system would come in far more handy than a book about self-discipline (which is also important, of course.)

In other words, what technology taketh away, it can bestow upon us once again. As the name suggests, focus apps are designed precisely to combat the kinds of digital distractions that inhibit our productivity and lock us into unhealthy and even addictive digital habits.

While all focus apps have a similar goal, they go about achieving it in drastically different ways and vary greatly in terms of sophistication. From playful mobile apps that make use of variations of the Pomodoro technique along with games and gimmicks to website blockers, task management apps and fully-featured productivity powerhouses that make it nigh on impossible for you to break free from the digital guardrails that you set for yourself.

What kind of focus app is right for me?

As the creator of a program that falls into that final category (maybe even the only one that truly does) and someone who has tried out many other focus apps before I devised FocusMe, I have seen it all and I certainly believe that, like all industries, there is a need and a space for different models.

After all, each of us is different and some of us require or prefer a sterner hand than others. If you’re lucky enough to be naturally on the ball, a friendly reminder or some occasional motivation in the form of a positive affirmation is enough to keep you on track, while website blockers will certainly help some of the people some of the time, but for most of us, digital distraction is a cunning foe.

I spent years of my life battling unhealthy digital habits to no avail. Over a decade ago, shortly after I landed my first ‘dream’ remote programming gig, I found out the hard way that freedom wasn’t always what it appeared to be.

I was drowning in deadlines and spending tens or even hundreds of valuable hours each month on multiplayer video games and the endless scroll of social media. Something had to give. Of course, not everyone has the capabilities nor the interest to build their own digital focus tool, and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure mine would work until I nervously tried it for the first time.

What started as a personal browser extension soon morphed into a fully-featured focus app that can keep even the craftiest pair of hands out of the digital cookie jar.

Today, FocusMe has literally changed the lives of hundreds or even thousands of people. I make that claim in full confidence that our hundreds of 5-star reviews on Trust Pilot and other review websites back me up! I would never discourage someone from trying another tool, but if you’re looking for the most powerful productivity app around, look no further.

Download this article as a PDF

How does it work?

FocusMe offers all of the helpful features you’ll find in other popular focus apps and plant more that simply aren’t available anywhere else. Here are some of the ways that using it can help you to take back your time and level up your productivity:

Block yourself from using social media, problem websites and web browsers or even the entire internet.
Limit yourself or entirely remove your ability to use problem apps, games (incl. Steam and other platforms) Windows 10 store apps and just about anything else you might need it to.
Force yourself to take breaks from any of your devices and problem apps or websites for hours, days, weeks or even years if necessary.
Learn to stop ‘multitasking’ and develop the kind of focus and good habits that bring measurable, tangible rewards.
Use tools like ‘launch limits’ that enable you to limit the number of times that you can open your email each day.
Use the Pomodoro feature to increase your natural self-discipline.
Prevent yourself from going online or accessing problem sites and apps in specific locations, thereby creating true distraction-free zones where you can finally focus on what’s actually important.
Block your computer and other devices at night or during other times when you’re better of without it.
Put parental controls in place that protect your kids from more than just digital distractions!
Avoid the nuclear option of deleting your social media accounts and losing treasured memories and contacts by forcing yourself (and eventually learning) to use them responsibly.
Sync your schedule and productivity plans between devices in order to remove the temptation and justification to open your phone.

The post What Is A Focus App And Do I Need One? appeared first on FocusMe.

Discipline Vs Freedom: 7 Ways To Win the Battle For Your Time When You Work Online

Jon Rumens — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:02:19 +0000

Today’s hard-charging entrepreneurs and personal development gurus…

…They’re all about SELF-DISCIPLINE.

Jocko Willink (not a cheesy guru type at all, to be fair) even wrote a book called “Discipline Equals Freedom.” It’s an amazing read, of course, and quite on target. You can’t expect to get far in this world if you don’t develop some level of ability to sit your tail in a chair and just get things done.

Day in and day out.

Well, today I have a confession to make. It might come as a bit of a shock considering I created the most powerful procrastination-beating app on the web (or maybe not, if you really think about it…).

But here it is.

Sometimes I feel like the self-discipline line of hustle culture is a little bit too nailed to the wall.

I Mean Do You Really WANT To Be A Discipline Machine?

After working with thousands of remote workers and online business-folk over the years to beat digital distraction and focus better, I’ve come to realize the struggle between discipline and freedom goes super DEEP. Especially with people like us who’ve purposely chosen to work remotely.

After all, the whole IDEA of becoming a copywriter, a web designer, a software engineer, an online product creator, a blogger…

…Whatever…

…Was to create more freedom in the first place!

And so it’s a cold bucket of water in the face when you realize you actually need MORE discipline to make the whole “mobile lifestyle” thing a reality.

So you implement a laundry list of productivity tricks in an attempt to get it all on track. But you can’t help but fight yourself! Pushing back on these changes (good ole’ “Monkey Mind” in action).

Because bottom line: That freedom “value” is strong within you.

You don’t just think freedom is a “nice idea.” It’s one of the most important priorities you have!

And you probably don’t WANT to let it go, right?

So the question becomes…

How Can You Embrace Self-Discipline While STILL Allowing Room For Spontaneity?

This is the point where those infomercial-type guys would lie to you.

And tell you that, yes, you can have the best of ALL possible worlds.

You can live as free as you’d like, they’d say, wandering around the planet like a beach bum, your hair messed up and your dirty toes poking out at the world. Slosh through mai tais on the beach while closing deals and the money keeps coming in like clockwork…

I won’t feed you that line, I promise.

The truth is that (unless you’re extremely talented and extremely lucky), you probably can’t have it all. There is, however, some room to strike a balance.

And after all these years growing FocusMe to what it is today…

…I’ve stumbled across a few invaluable tricks that allow me to maintain a sense of freedom and spontaneity (even if just a sense of it) while still making the magic happen.

I’ll tell you about 7 of my favorite ways to give yourself that permission in just a moment…

But first let’s get something out of the way.

A Warning About The Psychology Of Procrastination

And How Reframing “Work” In Your Mind Frees You From Your Mental Traps

Before we get into these 7 tricks of work freedom…

…I’d feel a bit irresponsible if I didn’t address the psychology of procrastination first (as it pertains to the desire for “freedom”).

Because just telling a procrastinator they can be as spontaneous as they want with no filter at all… Well, in some ways that’s like telling someone with a history of alcohol abuse that, sure, they can just have “one” drink whenever they want.

After all, experts say one drink is good for you.

Obviously that’s problematic.

So let’s peel back the psychology of procrastination for a sec. And see if we can determine where your hunger for freedom comes in.

Because fair upfront warning here.

Your hunger for freedom may be a big reason you procrastinate in the first place!

Fortunately there are some proven strategies for weakening its grip on your thought processes.

Procrastination As Discomfort Avoidance (And How To Fix It)

Have you ever heard of Rational Emotive Therapy?

(Or its more recent offshoot, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?)

REBT was created by a cranky old man named Albert Ellis as recently as the 1950s. But the foundational principles of REBT go back a lot longer than that.

In fact, Ellis developed this branch of psychology from age-old principles of Asian, Greek, and Roman philosophy before going on to turn it into one of the most successful forms of psychotherapy known to man.

In the “EFTP Psychotherapy Guidebook,” Milos Lazarevic and Vladimir Djuric write, “In general REBT is arguably one of the most investigated theories in the field of psychotherapy and a large amount of clinical experience and a substantial body of modern psychological research have validated and substantiated many of REBTs theoretical assumptions on personality and psychotherapy.”

I’ve often heard it said that REBT is more research-backed and evidence-based than any other form of psychotherapy.

Point being, this isn’t just theory here!

According to Healthline, REBT is particularly effective with a wide range of what we generally think of as psychological disorders, like depression, anxiety, phobias, rage, guilt, aggression, sleep problems, eating disorders, and more.

And yes, it helps with addiction and alcoholism too (bringing our previous analogy into a clearer perspective).

Plus REBT has also been known to help with PROCRASTINATION!

Here’s How REBT Gets You Out Of The Freedom Trap

We often think of these types of conditions as problems with your brain. Or something in your innate nature.

Like people with depression who try to medicate their way out of it instead of addressing lifestyle causes that likely contribute. Or addiction recovery programs that teach their “patients” that they have a disease they can never really be cured of.

And procrastinators who just assume it’s a part of their nature that’ll never change.

(Some of these statements are controversial, I know, but REBT has had great success in practice.)

One of the core tenets of REBT is that your self-sabotaging emotions are instead caused by irrational beliefs you hold in your mind. While emotion can be analyzed as a chemical response, the way you STRUCTURE your thoughts, i.e. the things you tell yourself, are what trigger the emotions you feel to begin with.

And emotions are hard to fight, so they lead to repeating behaviors you don’t want. Even when you intend the opposite.

REBT teaches you to work on the belief, or the thought first. And then the emotion will correct itself.

Where Does "Freedom" Come In?

A major source of procrastination is an innate desire to rebel against the discomfort of having to do something against your will.

REBT has a term for this inability to handle discomfort. They call it “low frustration tolerance” — an alternative name that might click with us freedom-seekers is “short-term hedonism.”

And often that’s all it really is when you tell yourself something limits your freedom.

You get a new job or start a new business, and at first, you’re killing it. But after some time goes by, you secretly start to resent the work. You resent the clients hitting you up with their demands. You resent your boss. You resent your co-workers. You resent even the very thought of clocking in.

Because in your mind, you believe, “Well, I SHOULD be able to do whatever I want to do.”

“No one SHOULD have control over my time and focus but me.”

And because these work demands require what feels like a limitation on freedom, you rebel against them and fall off the rails. And start procrastinating.

Because work is uncomfortable and your brain doesn’t like discomfort. Until everyone gets burnt out on your behavior, and even if they keep you around, the work relationships deteriorate and your results suffer.

Rational Emotive Therapy teaches you that you can control your feelings by controlling how you frame work in your mind.

All You Have To Do Is Change The Way You “Talk To Yourself” About Work

The actual words you use when you “talk to yourself” CREATE the feelings you have. By rewording those thoughts intentionally you can change the way you feel.

So while I still think you CAN entertain some of your hunger for freedom, it also helps to redefine the idea stuck in your head that says work somehow imposes upon freedom. Or that it isn’t “fair” to have to work because it feels uncomfortable.

You feel bad when you say to yourself:

“I hate this because it makes me feel uncomfortable and trapped.”

Statements Albert Ellise might prescribe include (yes, for when you talk to yourself):

“My work actually CREATES freedom because it provides the income to take uninterrupted time off work and do the things I actually want to do in life. By focusing more now I can buy more free time later.”

Or even questioning your feeling that you “deserve” to not have your freedom imposed upon. Or that you “deserve” to never feel uncomfortable.

Albet Ellis would have you tell yourself:

“Who am I to deserve to never feel uncomfortable? No human in the history of the world has been able to completely escape discomfort… So of course I’ll be uncomfortable sometimes, and that’s fine.”

And:

“Who am I to deserve to feel completely free of work or any responsibilities at all times? No one in the history of the world has ever been so free, so what makes me so special? Since there’s no reason I should be free of all restrictions and limitations, I can just accept that this is part of life.”

If any of this sounds confusing, over-simplistic, or airy, I get it. Rational Emotive Therapy is a fascinating field of thought, and you could spend years digging into it. But it’s well worth the journey if you want to break your stickiest mental traps.

Start learning more here.

Meanwhile, I did promise, so…

Here Are 7 Freedom Tricks For Embracing A Flexible Lifestyle When Working Online

Freedom Trick #1: Keep A Flexible Weekly Schedule

Just because you’re learning to reframe your desire to be free…

…Doesn’t mean some of the aspects of living spontaneously aren’t worth enjoying. So I’ll just say this.

While it works well for some people, there’s no law on the books that says you HAVE to work the same days every week. And of course, you don’t have to work full weeks at all.

There are some real freedom-friendly benefits to living on your toes too.

Again, isn’t this why most of us decided to work for ourselves anyhow?

If you can afford it in your job or business, for example, work for three days really hard one week, and then take the rest of the week off. Work a week straight (if nothing else is really going on anyways) to buy some time for a longer break in the future. Mix it up to roll with the punches in life — or just to keep things interesting.

I even know some guys who work every single day for a while (against all advice to the contrary). Because they know a week will come where they just want to break loose and put it all aside.

Kind of like banking up your time off until you need it…

Another cool idea would be to travel around the world or country, working for a few days at a time at every destination before hitting the road again. Believe it or not, yes, some people do pull this off and build successful businesses in the process.

Not everyone can do stuff like this, of course.

But in a few other professions it’s the norm. Consider oil workers — some work for three whole months straight and then take three months off. Wilderness firefighters. Alaskan fisherman. And hey, if a guy can pull nets from the water with frozen fingers for weeks on end, why can’t a knowledge worker bring a little bit of this element to work in order to take longer breaks?

Even as the founder of a growing software company, I try to finish my weeks on Thursday. Hey, I still struggle to make it happen every week, but it’s sure worth trying. The point is it’s all up to you!

Freedom Trick #2: You Don’t HAVE to Work Specific Hours Either

It flies against everything time management experts tell you. And I’m probably contradicting advice I myself have given a million times.

But there’s a certain “freedom” magic retained when your days start as a blank slate.

Meaning, you commit to getting X many hours in (let’s say 6, so we can put some numbers to this) by the end of the day, and you will. And you have your 6 top things you absolutely need to get done.

However, there’s no perimeter staking your schedule to the ground.

And other than meetings, most of your work isn’t attached to specific times.

Maybe you have a rough schedule from 8 am to 3 pm, and during those hours you usually knock out your day before enjoying the afternoon and evening.

But one day you’re just not feeling it. So you decide to jump and head out for an adventure. Hey, sometimes a creative brain NEEDS that (and the work often comes out shoddy if you power through those moments).

Go for a hike, hit the gym, take a friend up on an offer to meet for lunch. Come back and finish up your last few hours in the early evening this time.

If you have this kind of control over your schedule, why not use it?

Freedom Trick #3: Build the Right Systems To Step Away More Often

You’ll probably never reach a point where your business is completely hands-off.

Unless, I suppose, you grow a large enough team to completely step outside and treat it like an asset (“Built to Sell,” anyone?).

That doesn’t mean you don’t stand to benefit from smart systems — even in your job, if you’re a freelancer or employee.

Work ON your business, not in it, as they say.

- - If you’re a freelancer, outsource your cold emails or hire a researcher.
  - Automate client appointment bookings with Calendly.
  - Some entrepreneurs hire someone to handle their email management (no different than a secretary, really).
  - Are you losing your days to marketing processes that would be handed off to a pro?
  - Can you record and use a transcription service instead of taking notes on important videos?
  - What else can you SYSTEMIZE?

Break down everything you do on a daily basis, and then hunt down software tools or dependable services to make it easier.

Even when scaling is not your aim, the more you outsource or automate pesky things that take up unnecessary time and energy, the more you profit in flexibility and freedom.

Freedom Trick #4: Put Together A Robust “Mobile Work Kit”

You’re probably more productive with a regular home office and a set routine, but spontaneous and freedom-lusting folks like you should at least have the OPTION to move around sometimes. To stuff your office in a backpack and hit the road when the mood strikes.

With the right “toolkit,” you can pack up the bag, jump in the car, and take off on a whim. Not the most efficient use of time, but sometimes it’s the best use of your LIFE.

This might be as simple as driving down to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant for the morning to change your scenery. Or taking a serious road trip and renting a hotel room by the ocean another town over. Maybe flying somewhere for a real vacation (you ARE taking vacations, right?).

What you DON’T want is to get to your destination and realize you can’t get your work done because you can’t get a good internet connection, because you don’t have access to the right files, because you left your good headphones at the house, or because you bought a lousy laptop that sucks to work on.

Put together a “bug out” bag — not for when Armageddon hits but just so you can disappear whenever you feel like it and not fall too far off the work wagon.

What Tools Keep You More Productive On The Go?

Some ideas to consider include:

- - A portable laptop stand, an external keyboard, and an external mouse (just for a more comfy setup in coffee shops).
  - A portable wifi device (if you’re really serious about staying on the move, consider getting more than one for backup).
  - A hi-speed laptop charger.
  - A backup laptop power bank (you could get a power inverter to charge in the car if you plan to be camping or off-roading).
  - Robust tablet computer. Sometimes it’s nice to just be able to check in to work, edit docs, or send emails without pulling everything out. Tablets make that much easier.
  - A good backpack and some organizers for all your cords and chargers. You’ll feel a lot less chaotic on the move if everything in your work arsenal has a “home” in a well-organized backpack. Don’t run yourself ragged constantly guessing where to find the things you need.
  - A high-end headset and mic. Don’t get caught up in a coffee shop or noisy environment unable to have an important conversation. Of course it’s best if you can do these in a hotel room or at home, but flexibility is a strength when you work online.
  - Google Fi and a compatible phone. These days you can get one phone and travel most places in the world without interrupting your service. Google Fi is probably the best option if you don’t mind being stuck with a compatible phone.

Spontaneity Trick #5: Turn Your Phone Into A Work Device

This deserves some special mention outside of your mobile work kit because it can play such an integral role in your everyday business if you do it properly.

Gary Vaynerchuck often says your phone should make you money, not take your money. Spot on!

And hey, I know you probably can’t run your entire business from your phone. But you CAN set your phone up to at least handle some of your workload.

What’s stopping you from parking on the beach and batching your most phone-friendly tasks into an hour or two of work? These tasks need to get done, but maybe they don’t need to get done from the house.

Some Phone-Friendly Tasks You Can Get Done From Anywhere?

- - Manage your daily emails.
  - Conduct research via online articles, Kindle books, or YouTube videos.
  - Edit Google Docs.
  - Brainstorm, take notes, or even scratch pieces of content out in a notes app.
  - Speak your thoughts into a recording app.
  - Post on social media.
  - Conduct Skype or Zoom meetings from the comfy, warm seat of your car.
  - Book meetings and set up reminders in your Calendar.
  - Plan your week, month, or year.
  - Brainstorm your systems improvements.

If you get really good at this, you’ll learn you can get a lot of work done on your computer. I’ll be honest, you might see the costs of mobile data go up if, for example, you’re listening to Youtube videos to study for projects or sharpen skills away from the computer.

But imagine the freedom of knocking out a couple hours of work as you walk across town to the barber shop or to do a little shopping. Getting exercise while still knocking items off your work to-do list.

All these technologies are commonplace these days. So instead of doing what most people do — complaining about how they invade our lives or, even worse, wasting all your down moments chatting on Facebook, embrace this stuff to get more work done from more places.

Warning: Your phone is definitely a pit of distraction, so make sure to streamline it if you don’t already. Delete apps that are likely to drag you off course, or consider using FocusMe to lock yourself out.

Freedom Trick #6: Get Things Done Without Any Digital Tech At All

- - Bring a notebook along and you can sit anywhere, set aside the phone completely, and still create content, map out website designs, brainstorm business strategies, whatever… The best material often comes out this way. You might find the pen and paper and a lovely setting really helps you break through creative blocks. Entire articles or even sales pages just spill out in one sitting sometimes when you step away from the screen. Daunting biz obstacles that have been wearing you down can melt away in the blink of an eye.
  - Carrying a smaller notebook in your pocket on long walks and hikes is another great way to brainstorm new ideas for business or for content. And a handy way to multipurpose your time in the gym.
  - Record interviews with clients and other important business contacts. Listen to them on an mp3 player from anywhere. Pack your ipod with business podcasts so you can study anywhere.
  - Sometimes I go sit down at the bay across town and listen to this stuff while taking in the view.
  - In “Million Dollar Productivity,” Kevin J. Anderson even talks about writing books while hiking! He uses Dragon Naturally Speaking software and a headset that records as he goes. The files can be uploaded later and transcribed by Dragon, even sent to an editor to be cleaned up before the next redraft. Of course, a nice recorder paired with a transcribing service can get you halfway there.

Freedom Trick #7: Practice Extreme Focus When It’s Finally Time To Work

If you want more breathing room to wander about the world (or just your local town) sometimes, make sure you’re ultra-productive when you do sit down to work.

Because the best way to gain more free hours?

Do more with the time you’re switched on, something the average worker fails miserably at. A study of nearly 2,000 UK office workers found the average person did less than 3 hours of actual hours of work every day…

What in the world? Why??

Because most people just aren’t efficient on the job. They take twice as much time to do something because they’re multitasking. They’re constantly pulled away from work tasks by distractions, some of which eat up hours at a time.

But imagine if you could get 5 or 6 hours of ACTUAL efficient work done every single day. This might seem minor in the context of an 8-hour workday. But if most people REALLY do less than 3 hours of work, you could be working twice as fast as everyone else…

…And still take more time off!

That’s the real power of using software like FocusMe to get more out of the time you work. It helps create tunnel vision to hurtle towards your goals.

FocusMe introduces a lot of ways to fix that problem.

- - Work in focused blocks using FocusMe’s distraction-blockers, so you can hold off the distractions and hone right in on what needs to get done when you sit in your chair.
  - Use our handy online usage stats to get an accurate view of how much you’re actually doing everyday.
  - Confine yourself with computer restrictions that don’t let you do any work outside of a 6-hour period. According to Parkinson’s Law, work always swells to fill up the time you give it. So if you force yourself to get your workday done within a certain time-frame, you’ll be forced to come up with ingenious ways to get it done faster. Sure, that goes against what I said about not working to a set schedule, but remember, different things work best for different people.
  - Set up a pattern of work and rest blocks using the Pomodoro timer, so you can get up early and crush more out in 6 hours than most people do in 10, then take the rest of the day off.

These things are what helped me finally achieve my 4-day weeks even while running a software company! It’s why I created FocusMe in the first place…

Of course you can start embracing deep work principles now if you really try, but FocusMe does it a whole lot better. Go here if you’d like to try it out for yourself (free trials available)

What It Really Comes Down To Is “Permission”

Yes, you absolutely should implement strategies in your life to become more productive. But you don’t have to implement it all. Sometimes you just need to give that freedom-loving side of you a little permission to breathe too.

As long as you do have an efficient relationship with your work, what can it hurt?

After all, is moving faster always the best use of your time on Earth?

Or can you accept that freedom is important too? Can you keep your schedule open-ended and flexible enough that when you do sit down to work you can be 100% present and focused on what’s right in front of you?

As long as you’re disciplined and focused in the most important ways — like sticking your nose straight to the grindstone when it’s go-time, you can afford to be more care-free and spontaneous in others.

Which is the type of life you meant to live from the beginning of all this…

Consider this. There are probably millions of people all over the planet living in the most remote places, running businesses from tropical islands and quiet mountaintops. Surely you can enjoy some of that yourself from time to time.

Now get to work.

The post Discipline Vs Freedom: 7 Ways To Win the Battle For Your Time When You Work Online appeared first on FocusMe.

5 Easy And Effective Ways To Regulate Screen Time

Jon Rumens — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 08:00:20 +0000

Screen time has become a dirty phrase, but it doesn't have to be this way...

There are easy and effective ways to regulate your and your children's screen time.

How much screen time is too much?

Unless you’re planning on joining an Amish community, recreating Robinson Crusoe or otherwise totally disconnecting from the 21st century, having to spend at least some time in front of screens is fact of life – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a good film or a sneaky round of Candy Crush from time to time?

In that sense, the most sensible question to ask is how much screen time is too much?

As most of us already know, the answer to this question is different depending on who you are.

Most experts agree that children under 5 should be exposed to screens as little as possible, and only for educational purposes.

For older children and adults, there are no set guidelines.

Nevertheless, based on the fact that we now know that excessive screen time can lead to weight gain & obesity, sleep problems, chronic neck and back problems, mental health issues such as depression & anxiety, as well as decreases in many metrics of cognitive performance, reducing it wherever possible seems to be the most prudent choice.

Fortunately, cutting down the amount of time you spend in front of screens is not only relatively simple, it also opens up plenty of other options for having fun and has a wide array of secondary benefits.

Here are six ideas for how to better regulate your screen time:

1. Develop your relationship with nature

If you’re trying to reduce your screen time, there is no better way to do it than to head to a place where there are no charging stations and signal is limited or even non-existent.

Yes, the great outdoors is calling your name!

Not only do most of us spend too much time in front of screens, we’re also severely nature deprived.

It may have taken thousands of years and paradigm shifting agricultural, industrial and technological revolutions for us to finally wake up to this fact, but science has now conclusively proven what our ancestors always knew:

Nurturing our connection with the natural world is key to our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

It’s probably a sign of the dysfunction in our society and the modern condition that we have taken to calling this a ‘dose’ of nature, but that doesn’t diminish the effectiveness of the prescription.

This is just as true (if not more so), for children.

We owe it to younger generations to not only reduce the potential damage done by our over reliance on technology, but also to provide them with the opportunity to connect with nature and understand its intrinsic value – both in terms of our survival as a species and the many wonderful benefits it can provide to us as individuals.

2. Do more exercise and take up low-tech hobbies

Once again, this solution offers benefits far beyond reducing screen time. Next time you’re lazing around and feel yourself reaching for your phone or the remote control for your 8k Smart OLED TV, just don’t.

Instead, why not get up off the couch and do a little exercise?

Sure, you’ve been swearing you’ll do just that every day for years and sometimes you even follow through, but it has never quite turned into a habit… But whose fault is that?

It’s quite simple really.

Use a sticky note to remind yourself to exercise before you start playing, watching or reading.

Ask a family member or friend to help you stay accountable, or be that person for your kids.

Use a focus app to lock yourself out of certain devices or apps at specific times of day and set concrete limits on your children’s tech usage.

Basically, do whatever it takes to help yourself integrate this new behavior into your routine.

If you already feel like you do enough exercise, take up a new (or old, depending on how you look at it) low-tech hobby such as painting, gardening, building models or playing board games.

The truth is that are infinite enjoyable and educational activities that don’t involve screens, meaning the only excuse for spending too much time looking at one is what you might call a good old fashioned lack of discipline.

Download this article as a PDF

3. Reduce your screen time at work whenever possible

The average adult in a developed country or who has consistent access to technology will spend somewhere between 6-19 hours of their day in front of a screen, depending on which studies you want to believe.

Both the upper and lower ends of those estimates can probably be discounted right off the bat, but one thing that is just about certain is that if you’re spending too much time in front of a screen, your work is probably the main culprit.

Unfortunately, screen time at work is also by far the hardest to avoid.

That said, it’s normally possible to at least reduce it a little bit without compromising your ability to fulfill your responsibilities.

There are plenty of tasks that don’t require the use of a screen. These include brainstorming (which can be done outdoors or in a conference room), delivering important messages in person (also a way to team build) and many others.

If your job absolutely requires you to be in front of a screen at all times (or even if it doesn’t), it may be worthwhile to speak to your boss about creating a space and/or time where people can get away from the screens for a while – be it to meditate, socialize or simply disconnect for a few minutes.

There is now ample evidence that taking breaks and reducing screen time at work improves overall productivity and employees’ subjective sense of well-being, meaning this idea makes good business sense as well.

Download this article as a PDF

4. Leave your devices at home whenever possible

It’s a common refrain that our technology is an extension of ourselves. This is certainly true to some degree, but it’s also a dangerous way to think.

At the end of the day, nothing bad will happen if you leave your devices at home.

Sure, there are exceptions to every rule. Nobody is suggesting that you leave your phone at home when you’re expecting a call about how your grandma’s open heart surgery went or while your kids are away at primitive survival camp learning how to make flint weapons and identify the difference between toxic and edible fungi.

The rest of the time, you’ll likely be better off without the distraction of a screen.

You may feel somewhat ‘naked’ the first few times you leave the house without your constant source of low-level electromagnetic poison, but you’ll soon start feel much better without it and will likely realize that most things you do on devices can wait until later.

In short, this is your chance to really stop and smell the roses rather than take a picture of them!

5. Don't spend family time or date night in front of a screen

It doesn’t matter how much your kids want to see the new Marvel movie (of course, you only watch that ‘garbage’ for them, right!) or how intellectually superior watching art nouveau films in converted churches filled with other hipsters makes you feel, screen time is not quality time!

By all means, enjoy some streaming with your partner after the kids go to bed once in a while and humor the little ones by joining them for a few rounds of zombie slaying every now and again, but try to avoid the trap of spending all your shared time in front screens.

As we discussed above, you likely already have to try hard to avoid screen time at work, so choosing to spend your leisure time in front of one is somewhat counterproductive.

Choosing to spend your quality time with family and friends doing some of the non-screen related activities mentioned in other parts of this article will not only help you to avoid excessive screen time, but also allow you to build deeper connections with the people you care about.

Now, who doesn’t need more of that?

Download this article as a PDF

Getting the 'right' kind of screen time

Realistically, there is only so much screen time you can cut out if you want to remain connected and productive in the modern world. Yet the type of screen time you’re getting also matters. If digital distractions such as social media, gaming or watching videos are getting in the way of your productivity, they’re increasing your overall screen time.

That’s where a productivity app like FocusMe comes in. If you struggle to maintain your concentration while working in front of a screen, this is the guardrail you need. It’s simple, really, the app employs powerful code that forces you to stay within the digital boundaries you set for yourself.

If you’re serious about improving your productivity, this is the tool that will help you to do it. Don’t take our word for it though. Check out reliable third-party reviews by our many satisfied users to see what FocusMe can do for you. If you’re ready to get serious about beating your gaming addiction, simply click the big shiny button below and we’ll guide you every step of the way!

The post 5 Easy And Effective Ways To Regulate Screen Time appeared first on FocusMe.

Fight Procrastination Day 2021

Jon Rumens — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 09:00:38 +0000

Fight Procrastination Day 2021: Just another silly made up awareness day or a genuine opportunity for self-improvement? The choice is yours...

Yes, there’s a “day” for everything now. In fact, on most days of the year there are several holidays or awareness days going on, depending on where you live or which blogs you read. Today (06 September 2021) is Fight Procrastination Day. It’s also Labor Day in the United States and it’s territories (which always falls on the first Monday of September), as well as Read A Book Day.

It’s probably fair to assume that you’re supposed to read the book after you’re done celebrating the achievements of the proletariat and fighting procrastination. More likely, nobody is coordinating these things and we’re on our own.

So, the decision is yours. Choose to take notice of the reminder that procrastination is something worth fighting, or don’t. Perhaps you don’t procrastinate? Although, you might be surprised at the varied and subtle forms this irksome little habit takes. Perhaps thinking that a day about procrastination doesn’t apply to you is the ultimate form of procrastination? Maybe you’re just putting off dealing with your habit of putting things off?

So, are you a procrastinator?

Like with most things, we probably all fall somewhere on a spectrum when it comes to procrastination. In fact, according to accountability coaches Ali Schiller and Marissa Boisvert, there are four “Procrastinator Archetypes” – The Performer, the Self-deprecator, the Overbooker and the Novelty seeker.

In other words, we may even mix and match varying levels of all of these charcaters to create our own unique blend of procrastination. Even if it’s not one of your main “issues” (let’s be honest, we all have at least a couple), it may be worth taking a few minutes to consider if there are ways that procrastination stops you from performing to your maximum.

What are the four Procrastinator archetypes?

While you may not find these archetypes listed in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (AKA the “bible” of psychiatry and psychology), they can certainly be a useful tool to help you to identify habits or tendencies that may be holding you back from reaching peak productivity.

The Performer

This is the person that claims to work best under pressure. No doubt, many of us do get some of our best work done when we’re under the gun. However, that doesn’t mean we’re not putting ourselves through unnecessary stress.

This archetype is also associated with perfectionism. After all, putting something off until the last minute means you have no choice but to do it quickly rather agonising over every little detail and decision.

How to fight this kind of procrastination:

If you’re a performer your biggest problem is not that you don’t get things done (although this probably does happen occasionally as you can’t always beat the clock), it’s always getting started at the last minute. An easy way to combat this habit is to set yourself a start date for big projects or a start time for smaller tasks. Making lists and using a calendar is extremely helpful as well!

The Self-deprecator

This kind of procrastinator often calls themself lazy or not capable/qualified. In fact, they’re normally the opposite of those things. These might seem like a convenient excuse, but really we’re often just denying the truth, that we’re tired or overworked.

According to Schiller and Boisvert, this kind of procrastination is most common amongst males, as we tend to believe that admitting we’re tired is a form of weakness and often struggle to admit when we’re struggling.

How to fight this kind of procrastination:

Easy, take a break. What’s that? You don’t have time for resting? Sounds like you’re procrastinating over something important (run down batteries always have to be recharged).

Be compassionate with yourself and make the time. Getting enough rest has consistently been linked with increases in productivity. Ultimately, putting things off in the short term (for the right reasons) can actually lead to you getting even more done in the long run.

The Overbooker

As you may have already guessed, this procrastination archetype is centered around being “too busy” rather than classical delaying tactics or unrealistic expectations. But let’s be honest, who of us isn’t busy? If you have a job, a family and a hobby or two (so basically all of us), then it’s highly likely you’re up to your eyeballs most days.

It’s when being busy becomes an excuse for avoiding tasks that it becomes a form of procrastination. If you often find yourself saying that you have more important things to do or that there aren’t enough hours in the day, you’re probably procrastinating.

How to fight this kind of procrastination:

Often, overbookers aren’t even avoiding actual tasks. It’s often more a case of putting off having an important conversation, exercising or even dealing with their feelings about something. In that sense, best way to overcome this kind of procrastination is to do a little introspection. Is there something you’re avoiding? If so, why? Remember, simply believing that something doesn’t exist or can be put off indefinitely doesn’t make it true.

The Novelty Seeker

Ever heard of shiny object syndrome? As the name suggests, it’s the tendency to always chase the latest and greatest. This is often a sign of intelligence and an attribute shared by many successful entrepreneurs. However, it can also be a form of procrastination.

While we all evolved to get excited about novelty (it’s how we learn – just watch how babies and children are constantly looking for new things to explore), jumping from one task or project to the next without seeing the previous one(s) through to completion might be a sign that you’re kicking the can.

How to fight this kind of procrastination:

While the performer struggles to get started, the novelty seeker struggles to finish things off. Fortunately, the solution to this is simple.

Forbid yourself from starting a new project while you still have one or more other things on the go. You can assist yourself further by using sticky notes or some other form of physical reminder that you can put up in your office or around your home to help you hold yourself accountable.

Fight procrastination with FocusMe

The above archetypes are a useful tool for analysing if and how you are decreasing your productivity by putting things off and making excuses. They even offer some useful ideas for how to fight procrastination. However, what they don’t do is provide any real-world support in your battle against dilly-dallying. They rely totally on you improving your self-discipline or becoming more conscious of your behaviour, which, let’s be honest, are the problems in the first place.

The most pervasive promoter of procrastination around today must surely be digital distraction. Checking your phone every few minutes or wasting valuable work time on gaming may be a sign of tech addiction, yet it’s just as likely that you’re using it as strategy to avoid getting things done. Fortunately, there’s an app for that. In fact, there are actually many focus apps and programs out there that claim to help you improve your productivity by limiting digital distractions. The truth is, most of them are easy to ignore or get around. Not FocusMe.

What makes FocusMe different?

It’s simple, really. Unlike other focus apps that simply encourage you to concentrate or use easy-to-beat mechanisms to lock you out, FocusMe employs powerful code that forces you to stay within the digital boundaries you set for yourself. As a programmer who could easily wiggle my way out of any and all productivity apps available (paid or not), I decided to build the real thing. The result: The most powerful digital focus tool available today.

If you’re serious about beating digital distractions and improving your productivity, look no further. Don’t take my word for it though. Check out third-party reviews by our many satisfied users to see what FocusMe can do for you. When you’re ready to get serious, simply click the big shiny button below!

The post Fight Procrastination Day 2021 appeared first on FocusMe.

Jon Rumens, Author at FocusMe

6 Productivity Tips for Working from Home

Working from Home Tips to increase productivity

1. Develop a schedule that works with your productivity levels

2. As soon as work is finished, step away

3. Have a realistic to-do list while working from home

4. Track your time

5. Avoid all digital interruptions!

With just a push of a button, what seemed impossible can now be easily controlled. Reclaim your focus by downloading your free trial today.

6. Try a fake commute

ADHD-Friendly Ways to get Organised

Break down your tasks into smaller, manageable chunks

Use a content blocker to limit digital distractions

Strategically schedule your time

Use sticky notes

Reflect on your day

Remember, small progress is still progress!

Download the free trial and see the difference our website blocker can make!

Top Tips on how to Study Smarter, Not Longer

Study Smarter, Not Longer: 5 Essential Tips to Enhance Your Learning Experience

#1: Prioritise self-care

#2: Lose the screens

#3: Talk out loud

#4: Say no to multitasking

#5: Embrace FocusMe

Unlock your full potential and take advantage of your educational discount here or you can also click the download button below to access the free trial

Goal-Setting 2023: Is Skipping New Year’s Resolutions A Big Mistake?

But Look, January Isn’t Over Yet!

So Are There Actual Benefits To Setting Goals Around The New Year?

Starting Late Offers A Chance To Avoid Common Resolution Mistakes

Listen, Only YOU Can Decide To Be More Proactive This Year!

Are You Using FocusMe To Defeat Digital Distractions And Achieve Laser Focus?

How to Get Work Done (Even When You’re Not in the Mood)

…A Key Area To Look Is Your “Mood Management” Skillset.

Here Are Some Tips Entrepreneurs And Online Workers Can Use To Stay On Track Even When They “Don’t Feel Like It.”

Mood Cure #1: Master The Art Of State Change

Mood Cure #2: Establish Work Patterns To Create Unstoppable Momentum

Mood Cure #3: Find Other Ways To Invigorate Yourself With Movement

Mood Cure #4: Delegate Tasks You Don't Enjoy

Mood Cure #5: Or Just Change Your Environment

Mood Cure #6: Eat Some Ice Cream.

Mood Cure #7: But... Control Your Vices Too

Mood Cure #8: Listen To What Your Body Tells You

Mood Cure #9: Study Up On Stoic Philosophy

Mood Cure #10: Visualize Your Goals

Mood Cure #11: Think Of Yourself As A Craftsman

Mood Cure #12: Don’t Beat Up On Yourself!

Mood Cure #13: Make Sure To "Celebrate Your Wins"

Are You Ready To Work Your Way Into A Better Mood?

New Year’s Resolutions (bad) vs Goals (good)

How many of your New Year's Resolutions have you achieved? *hears crickets* That's what we thought... Now, here's a method for setting goals that actually works:

Block out the noise

Using needs to identify goals

Download this article as a PDF

The importance of setting micro goals

Download this article as a PDF

Let FocusMe give you a helping hand

What Is A Focus App And Do I Need One?

In the war against digital distraction, we need all the help we can get! Are focus apps the silver bullet? Maybe, but not all of them are created equal...

Fighting fire with fire

What kind of focus app is right for me?

Download this article as a PDF

How does it work?

Discipline Vs Freedom: 7 Ways To Win the Battle For Your Time When You Work Online

I Mean Do You Really WANT To Be A Discipline Machine?

How Can You Embrace Self-Discipline While STILL Allowing Room For Spontaneity?

A Warning About The Psychology Of Procrastination

And How Reframing “Work” In Your Mind Frees You From Your Mental Traps

Procrastination As Discomfort Avoidance (And How To Fix It)

Here’s How REBT Gets You Out Of The Freedom Trap

Where Does "Freedom" Come In?

All You Have To Do Is Change The Way You “Talk To Yourself” About Work

Here Are 7 Freedom Tricks For Embracing A Flexible Lifestyle When Working Online

Freedom Trick #1: Keep A Flexible Weekly Schedule

Freedom Trick #2: You Don’t HAVE to Work Specific Hours Either

Freedom Trick #3: Build the Right Systems To Step Away More Often

Freedom Trick #4: Put Together A Robust “Mobile Work Kit”

What Tools Keep You More Productive On The Go?

Spontaneity Trick #5: Turn Your Phone Into A Work Device

Some Phone-Friendly Tasks You Can Get Done From Anywhere?

How many of your New Year's Resolutions have you achieved?

hears crickets

That's what we thought...

Now, here's a method for setting goals that actually works:

Screen time has become a dirty phrase, but it doesn't have to be this way...

There are easy and effective ways to regulate your and your children's screen time.