Reaching out for a bit of advice or recommendations.

I do full time university, few sidehustles and then proper projects that I dive into deeper on my own (I'm a physical product/industrial designer).

It's all becoming a little too overwhelming and lacks proper structure (I also have ADHD ofc), also feels like the lack of proper structuring of my work is the reason why I sometimes feel demotivated to pick up unfinished projects as the first few hours is usually to figure out where I left off and what was the main focus for the next work session.

Things that I quite like and have worked for me so far, but they are still not there yet to be my daily helper tools:

• "Do-book" I just put a bunch of checkboxes of what I have to do and try to come back to the little notebook every once in a while to check off what I've done (But there are times when I forget about it for a whole week or more)
• Post-its with small checkboxes regarding present task/project at hand (these I glue on my laptop by keyboard and so far love the most, they're always in front of me and I just seem to acknowledge/respect those tasks more for some reason) -
• I have calendar for University, which is synced with my courses (I absolutely love that it's there and I can always look at it to know what I have in schedule for next days/week)

What a dream version of me would love to adapt, but I seem to struggle really hard with:

• Calendar!! (I tried to make my google calendar for the next week or two, but I can't seem to structure it in a way that I follow the schedule)
• Respecting time slots (When I work, it happens way too often that I work beyond what I planned for in my mini schedule and just get sucked into the task - sometimes it's great, sometimes it's an obstacle)
• Committing to a platform for organizing documentation of my work/projects (I have bunch of stuff in notes on my laptop, lengthy documentations in google docs, some materials like presentations in folders on laptop)

Overall I'm happy about any tips or software that can be used to help bring order to this chaos. I have been thinking if Notion is a decent tool to keep everything in order and keep expanding, but quite unsure. (Don't want to pick up another software that I will use only when I remember about it)

I used to be very productive. But then I got in a relationship where I did everything for the both of us for a couple years. At the time it was a heavy weight that made me into an anxious person that couldn’t keep up. I didn’t like who I became. Don’t need a preaching, my lesson has been learned.

It’s been about a year since the break up and I’m still not productive at all anymore. I’ll get some spurts of productivity but I quickly revert back to doing nothing. It’s making me depressed. I miss my spark.

I’ve tried regular lists, putting up lists in strategic places, reminder alarms… I don’t have the discipline and my motivation comes in waves. I feel a weight of shame for not being productive. I was raised with productivity as value. You gotta keep moving in life. But I am stuck.

I need an app that can count how many times I perform a task beyond the target amount. Example: I want to read to my toddler at least 1 book per day but ideally more. I want to be able to input the total number of books and have stats like total per week/month, average... Other nice-to-have features include a log history of when I input what, a secondary goal like once a day but also x times a month, and a way to quickly see the total on each day. Any suggestion is much appreciated!

I have been feeling this recently as i spend a lot of time with indoors so i feel like missing out on outdoor activities so i would like to know if others are in the same boat as well? I have been feeling my life in a box staying in but if i go out i can not finish my tasks

I recently came across an interesting idea that got me thinking.

Discipline is making yourself do something. Motivation is wanting to do it. Obsession is feeling like you can’t stop thinking about it or doing it.

The interesting part is that what looks like incredible discipline from the outside might actually have started as an obsession. Someone gets deeply interested in fitness, a skill, or building something, spends countless hours on it, and eventually it becomes part of their identity. Years later, what remains looks like consistency and discipline, even though it may have started with an intense period of obsession.

It also made me wonder whether we sometimes try too hard to be balanced when we discover something we’re genuinely passionate about. Maybe those periods of intense interest can help us build skills and habits that stay with us long after the initial excitement fades.
Obviously, obsession can be destructive when it’s directed toward unhealthy things, and motivation alone isn’t enough to sustain everything.

What do you think? Have you ever been so obsessed with something that it eventually became a permanent part of your life? And do you think long term discipline often starts with obsession, or can discipline be built without it?

Any free android app suggestions for medicine tracker with stock tracker that looks like loop cause the calendar is clear but can login through google so that if my phone takes my last breath, my data is safe?

So Imma take the IELTS exam next month, which means that I will have to sit for 3 hours straight staring at a computer screen.

I just want a kinda HACK, if there is anyof course, to gimme max focus and productivity in that 3 hours. Would energy drinks work ?

So I have a lot of things that catch my time and attention and I feel kinda lost when it comes to find the time to do it all. Things are studying a language, go to do swimming, to do streaming, visiting my family, seeing some friends.

Nowadays it's becoming more challenging because of my job (7 days at home and 7 at work).

The big issue is that I'm not happy with scheduling every single day in my calendar :/ I know it's counterintuitive, but I rather have flexibility. I know I should study two hours at least every other day. Same with swimming.

I'm kinda lost guys... Every advice is very welcome!

Hi, I’m 25F I’ve been working for 6 years now

A bit of context: past 6 years were very challenging.
I recently left a job in July that I really liked because I got super overwhelmed. When I lost my father instead of healing I started working more and more to divert my attention.
That benefit me as well as I got promotions and good reputation. It felt nice, productive and amazing. But I couldn’t sit ideal.

I started feeling extremely tired earlier this year during this period I decided to quit my job which was getting way too overwhelmed as I got another one lined up. New job didn’t worked out, old one gone and I lost also of great opportunities in between these three months. Now I’m grieving those opportunities and not even feeling productive.

I know I’ll work hard and will get opportunities again but those opportunities were amazing that I missed due to me resting and recovering.
How do I feel more productive now?
Has anyone lost amazing opportunities and got something better than them?

When you’re just starting something (piano, weight lifting, marketing etc…) you don’t know how to optimize it, you’re gonna be wildly inefficient.

lets use weight lifting as the example here: you'll do way too many sets, not enough sets, 4 exercises that hit shoulders when you only needed 1 or two… When you’re a beginner, instead of spending 90% of your time brainstorming how to optimize this skill, JUST GET THE REPS IN, YOU LEARN FAR MORE FROM ACTION THAN FROM THINKING.

Maximize before you optimize, combine the physical work with the mental work. (keeping with the same weight lifting analogy): go to the gym 5+ days a week, 1+ hours a session, and watch tons of videos, take in tons of info on the topic… and then after awhile of maximizing like that, then you’ll know how to optimize… you’ll know what exercises are the most efficient for each muscle group and you’ll be able to put in the optimal amount of effort to grow 2 muscle groups in like 25 mins.

You can apply this EVERYWHERE. When you’re just starting out, just do a shit ton, your only goal should be showing up.

Me and my friends are making an AI personal assistant and we wanted to ask people what tedious task you would want a personal assistant to do for you

First of all this is kind of a vent post too. I just feel really lost and I don't know what to do. I thought uni life would be much better than this but it's just miserable

I am doing a degree I don't enjoy. I will be changing majors next year. For that I have to re take uni entrance exams. Still haven't really started studying for those, also am not doing very well with my degree either because I feel like it's a waste of time. Consumes most of my day as I have morning and evening classes, therefore I don't have any free time - however I must get decently good grades to get an scolarship so I can afford changing majors in the first place. I have to cook and buy stuff now that I live alone so even less time. I haven't been able to go out with friends yet while they are having fun and going out partying every other week.

I mean it's my fault, I chose this, but I didn't think it would be this brutal. I feel isolated, completely inhuman and specially I feel pathetic. I used to be a good student but I can't keep up now, since I have no motivation to even go to class. I don't know how to organize myself with so little time.

I tried everything, I studied until late, spent every day at the library, bought caffeine pills to be able to stay awake on 4hrs of sleep and I can't keep up anymore. My brain is mush and doesn't work. I feel desperate. Everyone else in my class seems to be doing fine so why is it so hard for me? I feel stupid and useless.

Basically how do you manage time with shitty uni schedules without losing your mind?

It still has a limit of creating 2 routines at max at a time. But I love the playlist vibe where I can just add small tasks and I know beforehand how long this session would take

No worrying about remembering small details of next tasks or anything like that. Simple hand holding

it does sound weird, but it has helped me manage repetitive task-sessions - like stuff I do once I wrap up my office work, once I get up in morning, post lunch meds, etc

Just don't wanna be limited to 2 routines at max 😢

I saw similar questions, but were posted 5yrs ago - maybe we have good alternatives now

A few things that can make a real difference:
Make starting ridiculously easy. Don’t aim to finish the whole task. Just take the first tiny step.
Use body doubling. Work alongside someone, even virtually. You don’t need to talk. Just having someone else working can help you stay accountable.
Set concrete goals. Replace “get work done” with “finish these two tasks.” Focus on what you complete, not just how long you sit at your desk.
Create external accountability. Share your goals with someone and report back on what you actually finished.
Remove distractions before starting. Put your phone away, block distracting websites, and take breaks without scrolling.
Build a routine, not a panic cycle. Set aside time for important tasks before deadlines become urgent. Don’t depend on stress to get things done.
Take care of the basics. Consistent sleep, exercise, and a suitable work environment matter more than constantly searching for the perfect productivity hack.
One important thing to remember: struggling to start doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lazy. If it’s persistent and seriously affecting your life, consider whether anxiety,, or an underlying attention difficulty could be contributing.
The goal isn’t to force yourself to work harder. It’s to build a system that makes starting easier, even when you don’t feel motivated.

I’ve been thinking about the difference between studying for long hours and studying with complete focus.

There’s this concept called attention residue when you switch from one task to another, part of your attention stays stuck on the previous task. Constantly checking your phone, switching tabs, or interrupting your work might mean you’re spending hours studying without ever being fully focused.
It makes me wonder whether the real advantage of top students isn’t necessarily the number of hours they study, but how deeply they can concentrate during those hours.
What do you think?

Is intense, uninterrupted focus more valuable than simply putting in more hours?

Have you noticed a difference in your results when you study without distractions?

How long can you realistically maintain deep focus before your concentration starts dropping?

I’d be interested to hear people’s actual experiences, especially those who’ve consistently performed well academically or professionally.

I've been unemployed for a while now. Unemployment itself is like a ghost that haunts me everyday, but paired with productiviy issues that stem from struggles with mental health issues like ADHD, it has become a whole another monster.

This year has gone by with me not doing anything actually meaningful to tackle this and I feel like shit because of it. Now, less than 2 months away i've decided enough is enough, it's time to lock in and start putting up the work towards employment.

Then I go and sit in from of my laptop, resolved, and not even an hour into it, my energy dilutes. No matter how many binaural beats, brown noise, pomodoros and spreadsheets I try, there's a core issue: I don't actually know what to do and where to start.

There's so much to do I can't wrap my head around it. Tons of sites, tailoring my resume, trying to do courses, certifications, projects, leverage AI, doing this for hours everyday, I just can't, it's like a boss fight I can't beat. And I becomes a cycle; sit down, attempt do something, feel overwhelmed, turn off my laptop, rot or do something else, feel like shit once more, rise and repeat.

I wonder if anyone has this problem and how do you manage?

I train in a small home gym and it’s honestly my favorite part of the day. A while back I started putting a self-improvement audiobook on during sessions, and it’s become the main way I get through these books.

Headphones in, book on. Between sets I’m just focused on whatever idea the author is explaining, and the rest periods feel shorter because my head is somewhere useful.

What surprised me is how much of it sticks. I retain just as much as when I sit down and read the physical book. Sometimes a line hits me mid-set and I end up thinking about it for the rest of the workout. Then I pick one idea from the session and try it that same day, which is why it actually changes things for me.

Does anyone else attach learning to a habit they already have? What’s your pairing, and what’s the last book that actually changed something for you?

how do i stop using ai chatbots and stop reading ai overview, theyre so addictive, like they validate your responses rather than emotionless answers you get from articles, and they can answer very niche questions in seconds, eg 'if electrons were balls would the no touching zone in the middle of the atom be the same width as electrons?', also sometimes i use the ais even for questions ik the answer to simply bc i seek validation

I work two jobs. 8am-4pm at job A and 6:30pm-11pm at job B. I live 30 minutes away from my jobs so I technically could go home but gas is expensive. Not really sure what to do with my time?

Something I’ve been trying to remind myself of:
Don’t think about everything you have to do. Just sit down and decide what you’re going to work on for the next 1–2 hours. Write it down, identify what usually distracts you, and get started.
A few things that might help:

Stop waiting for motivation. Set a small target and start. The hardest part is often getting yourself to begin.

Make starting the goal. Don’t worry about finishing everything or doing it perfectly. Just starting is a win.

Remove distractions beforehand. Make it harder to waste time and easier to do the work.

Stop relying on your future self. Future you isn’t magically going to be more disciplined. The only person who can act is you, right now.

Be conscious of time. There’s always more work to do, and the time you spend delaying is time you can’t get back.

Recognize your excuses. When you catch yourself
delaying, ask whether there’s a genuine reason or whether you’re just avoiding the discomfort of starting.
One thing I especially like is ending the day with a simple question: Did I show up and start?
You don’t have to win the entire day at once. You just have to break the inertia.
Start first. Figure out the rest along the way.

Hi, so to explain: 

-Monday to Friday (during school hours, ie free periods) I’m pretty good at staying productive, doing my revision, all my work etc. with no real major problems. 

-However, after school on Friday to Sunday evening I always end up just. Totally losing it, I spend every Friday evening bawling my eyes out bc of how lonely I feel and just generally feeling incredibly depressed, and then that depression tbh follows into Saturday and Sunday. I just get so so bad at functioning, I’m totally grey and down and tired and also incredibly sleepy which I kinda always am tbh but moreso even, like I’ll sleep for 9-10 hours straight and then 6 hours later take a nap. I barely get up or brush my teeth or eat properly or function and basically u get the idea. Idk I get super depressed and feel far more acutely lonely and shit 

-For what it’s worth I’m generally the same amount of lonely on schooldays too, maybe a little less cause I sometimes make small talk with acquaintances but still 

-Anyway then Monday I go back to normal or something ig 

-It’s gotten worse over time pretty quickly, at first it was just Friday evening, then it got to Saturday and then till Sunday Afternoon and now it’s all of Sunday 

-Anyway I figure I should probably fix it now before it ends up going into Monday or something, it honestly has in terms of diet and exercise (I don’t workout anymore apart from walking/cardio and my diet is…. well. honestly shit. It used to be so good and now it’s really bad so) 

-if you’ve read to the end of this post then tysmm :D have a cookie !! 🍪 ^_^ ya honestly idk what to do or what’s going on so any advice would be really appreciated !! 

Hi everyone! We usually think of multitasking as something bad that ruins our focus and drains energy. But if you have noticed there are several things we do simultaneously and get things done.

For example, things we may not like to do (like dishwashing) are better done with music. We don’t need to focus on dishes, we just have to wash them. This technique might be used also to do boring things, like reports or something. You just turn on some game, where you don’t have to make a move every second, and just play while doing your things.

Do you use such hacks and what are your thoughts?

When I'm at a movie theater I can sit through a 3 hours movie without even glancing at my phone. When I'm at work, I can stare at the wall for 20-30 minutes at a time as I wait for a customer to get there. If I'm doing my homework at a library, I can do it with no breaks for hours. However, the second I get home and try to watch a show on my computer, or even just a video essay/normal commentary video on my phone, I'm immediately switching tabs to scroll on some form of short form content.

How do I get this to stop! It's awful, I always crave stimulation when I'm at home and if I'm trying to do hw it just gets worse as the second I struggle, I reach for me phone; if I'm not doing my work at a library.

Any tips on how to get off my phone? I've tried the screen limits and it doesn't work for me. Should I just power it off? Then I get nervous that smo is going to call me and I'll miss it. I need some guidance!!

I wanted to be able to scroll through CT scans next to my notes, but Onenote only allows inserting individual images next to each other rather than an individual scrollable window.

Sitting instead of standing

A worker does the same task on a stool instead of standing all day. Same output, less fatigue.