Productivity, discipline and time management

[Ransom]

So I've got a ton of responsibilities I don't want from caregiving on top of my part-time job, and from lack of discipline or emotional energy I'm not hitting my word counts, exercising or eating as healthily as I should. That's the main reason why my apnea training went to hell, rather than lack of time.

That's why I'm in awe of pros like Raina who can juggle events, writing and publishing, helping the community here and so much more. If I tried reaching that level of productivity, I'd be working 36 hours a day!

I know the old saying that we all have just 24, so I'm looking for advice from everyone (especially busy pros and full-time jobbers) -- what're your strategies and hacks to staying productive and working towards your goals, even if you might not feel like it?

Thanks in advance!

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

There are 168 hours in a week.

After my part time job, full time college, writing, sleeping, and eating I have about 24 hours left in my day that frequently gets absorbed by a combination of video games, errands, chores, and social media. I'm sharing this before a half hour drive home from the college because I want to try and help.

I struggle with this too. I have tons of things I care about doing. I've had to put my writing on hold for periods of time to work on homework. I find that self discipline is the key. I know an article I can share, but I need to get home to find it.

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[AniaR]

I just did a blog on this topic :) My secret to how I do it all!

http://rainamermaid.weebly.com/blog/balancing-your-mer-biz-with-real-life

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

I found the Article.

http://www.uncommonhelp.me/articles/self-discipline-techniques/

I know that my advice might be something to ignore, but I have to remind myself that I can't do everything I want to. I feel like someone can tell you how they do things, they can sell you a book, and hand you the instructions and everything. However, nothing a person tells you or gives you can truly be helpful without the self discipline to just do it.

I believe Sensei Wu from LEGO Ninjago said it best. "Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today."

I believe that article does a good job of explaining self-discipline.

The mark of mastery in something does not come from the instructions you follow and books you read. Those things are tools that are only helpful if the person using those tool perseveres through discomfort to hone their own talents.

Another Cliché bit of advice "Practice makes Perfect."

[Ransom]

Thanks Dylan and Raina! I don't mean to sound like a serial complainer, but on a bad day caregiving can take a LOT out of me. Long-term illness will tear your family apart if you let it, and that's what nearly happened to me. I may not be alone in this, but people who should know better being nasty to me is very discouraging. It's gotten better now though.

The challenge seems to be to 'unstick' your mind from those troubles and just keep showing up.

Easier said than, though. Sometimes all I want to do after one of them is stagger home and sleep forever... and that's after nearly an entire day has been spent. That said, I do get some days to myself, and I guess it's down to me to make them as productive as possible.

[Slim]

You are not alone Ransom on this. Your first paragraph is what I've been dealing with all this year. Once people get to know me on a personal level, they seem to be shock about the amount of chain I got tackled to me helping out taking care of my gram.


Thanks Dylan and Raina! I don't mean to sound like a serial complainer, but on a bad day caregiving can take a LOT out of me. Long-term illness will tear your family apart if you let it, and that's what nearly happened to me. I may not be alone in this, but people who should know better being nasty to me is very discouraging. It's gotten better now though.

The challenge seems to be to 'unstick' your mind from those troubles and just keep showing up.

Easier said than, though. Sometimes all I want to do after one of them is stagger home and sleep forever... and that's after nearly an entire day has been spent. That said, I do get some days to myself, and I guess it's down to me to make them as productive as possible.

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

Thanks Dylan and Raina! I don't mean to sound like a serial complainer, but on a bad day caregiving can take a LOT out of me. Long-term illness will tear your family apart if you let it, and that's what nearly happened to me. I may not be alone in this, but people who should know better being nasty to me is very discouraging. It's gotten better now though.

The challenge seems to be to 'unstick' your mind from those troubles and just keep showing up.

Easier said than, though. Sometimes all I want to do after one of them is stagger home and sleep forever... and that's after nearly an entire day has been spent. That said, I do get some days to myself, and I guess it's down to me to make them as productive as possible.
I'm happy I could help. I know I'm hot-headed and impulsive with a tinge of rebelliousness. However, I never say or do what I do because I'm trying to pick on someone or pick a fight. I have my reasons for many things I say and do.

I understand what it's like to struggle and not want to wake up. Living with ADHD and Bipolar my world has become a living hell at times. Depression made me not want to go to bed. Mania made me think I could do things I couldn't.

It was a long discussion, but my first Mertailor tail was bought while I was in a manic episode. Do not get me wrong. I do not regret for a second that I spent the money that I did. I was going to spend the money sooner or later. The mania just magnified my impulse to spend in a time that I should have been getting used to the community instead. Mania can be prolonged anger, a grandiose facade, major impulses, and the worst part of mania is that it feels good like a drug.

The ADHD makes it difficult for me to eat my favorite food, sweets, and not have trouble concentrating later. No matter how hard I try. My over abundance of energy plus mania at times makes it near impossible to sleep without my meds treating the symptoms.

It's my life, and the disorders I live with every day of my life is my burden. My mom always told me that I have to find it in me to keep going. It's not impossible that suicide could have been a very real problem if I did not have my Guinea Pig, Shadow, and cat, Rocky, living in my heart. Shadow past away while I was away at the beach when I was in 6th grade. The beach the following day was incredibly dark, not just because it was over cast. Shadow was the one that got through my bipolar in such a way that she may have fundamentally changed my future for the better. Rocky past away 3 days before Hurricane Irma. He had a heart attack that caused massive body failures. I would be in serious depression right now if Ezie, Rocky's best friend, didn't pick me as her person. Ezie is by my side at the end of every night helping me to get peaceful rest.

In depression, I don't want to do anything. In mania, I'm irrational and rash. With ADHD, it can be difficult to sit behind the computer and write. Somehow, it's my job to overcome my brain to do what needs to be done.

I'm not very good at self discipline. My room is often a mess, keeping things clean is a struggle because I can never stay focused on a task for extended periods of time, I fall behind on homework, I stay up too late instead of getting sleep. In many many ways I'm a total failure. Heck, I can't even remember to put perishables back in the fridge. Still, I never, never stop trying.

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[AniaR]

My mom suddenly died this year, and then my friend went missing and was found dead too. I have 3 chronic illnesses as well. it has been a SHITTY year for me, so I hear you on the struggle!!!

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

My mom suddenly died this year, and then my friend went missing and was found dead too. I have 3 chronic illnesses as well. it has been a SHITTY year for me, so I hear you on the struggle!!!
I'm so sorry for your loss.

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[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171026/0967fd94fce7a27d987e9f3ebc2aefb3.jpg

My mom gave me this bracelet. The white represents the high points in life with water from the Himalayas, and it has salt from the dead sea in the black to represent the low points in life.

It's a visual reminder of life's ups and downs. It reminds me that bad times will pass.

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[Ransom]

Really sorry to hear about your loss, Raina! I truly hope her soul is at peace, and I know I'd be most grateful for a child who brings so much joy to others.

A wise friend once said to me: "Your only real work will be done early in the morning or late at night. Everything in between is just firefighting."

Dang, the guy had a point -- though overdo this and you'll burn out, as Raina's article warns.

That's why I'm aiming for a rise-early, get-it-done-first approach. Whether it's writing, exercise or some other thing that'll get me to a long-term goal -- I do it first and fight my fires in peace.

That's my ideal and it's far from being realised. Thanks for the encouragement, and all the best Slim and Dylan!

I'm not one to compare my sufferings to Vietnam POWs like Admiral James Stockdale, but his Stockdale Paradox has always stayed with me. It goes like this -- that you must face up to the situation realistically and face the problem, however bad it may be. At the same time, you can't afford to lose a resilient optimism that gives you an ironclad conviction that you will prevail in the end.

Short version - "I'm in a tough spot, but I'll get through it."

Hope this helps, guys. Stay strong, and keep moving towards your dreams however you can.

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

A wise friend once said to me: "Your only real work will be done early in the morning or late at night. Everything in between is just firefighting."

Dang, the guy had a point -- though overdo this and you'll burn out, as Raina's article warns.

That's why I'm aiming for a rise-early, get-it-done-first approach. Whether it's writing, exercise or some other thing that'll get me to a long-term goal -- I do it first and fight my fires in peace.

Thanks for the encouragement, and all the best Slim and Dylan!

Short version - "I'm in a tough spot, but I'll get through it."


Thank you.

I wish Bipolar and ADHD was an issue where you are at risk of burning out, but the thing about chronic disorders and health problems is that you can't give up even when you feel burnt out. I wholeheartedly believe that you don't want to overwork yourself into feeling overwhelmed, but at the same time, you can't stop when you are at your lows. It's very easy for low points to snowball into something even more difficult to overcome.

The other challenge of the mental disorders is that there is never peace for fighting fires. After all, a mental disorder affects every moment of your life. It never rests, so you never get a break from it.

I think that self discipline is the key to creating your talent and being successful. Sometimes you don't get to choose when you work. Even if it's just struggling, the real accomplishments come when you reach that point of nearly feeling burnt out. "Just do it." and "Never give up." are my mottos. Because I might feel burnt out is just an excuse to give up. However, knowing when to walk away is equally important.

Regardless, I feel like trying to pick when you work is a failing endeavor.

[Mermaid Kane]

Thank you.

I wish Bipolar and ADHD was an issue where you are at risk of burning out, but the thing about chronic disorders and health problems is that you can't give up even when you feel burnt out. I wholeheartedly believe that you don't want to overwork yourself into feeling overwhelmed, but at the same time, you can't stop when you are at your lows. It's very easy for low points to snowball into something even more difficult to overcome.

Ugh, agreed. I hate being ADHD and bipolar. It really, really sucks. Plus pills we've tried either don't work, or make me very ill and lose the will to eat.

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

Ugh, agreed. I hate being ADHD and bipolar. It really, really sucks. Plus pills we've tried either don't work, or make me very ill and lose the will to eat.
I find that my cat or pets in my life help the most, but I am lucky enough to have found a balance of medication.

I still have problems, but the severity is minimized.

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[AniaR]

I have ADHD and Dyspraxia! it's frustrating

[Ransom]

Getting things done is hard, even if you're completely healthy. If any mers out there have productivity systems to recommend, I'd love to hear them!

I'm thinking of David Allen's Getting Things Done, or Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog :)

[Merman Dylan Zalrian]

Getting things done is hard, even if you're completely healthy. If any mers out there have productivity systems to recommend, I'd love to hear them!

I'm thinking of David Allen's Getting Things Done, or Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog :)
It may sound crazy, but music is my go to for when I'm writing. I use music with different feeling to not only remember stuff, but it also helps break through my emotional state and focus on writing the emotions of the story.

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[Mermaid Kane]

It may sound crazy, but music is my go to for when I'm writing. I use music with different feeling to not only remember stuff, but it also helps break through my emotional state and focus on writing the emotions of the story.

THIS THIS THIS! Its a total game changer for me.

[Mermaid Alea]

I'm glad I found this topic and I enjoyed reading Raina's article! I am struggling with all of these things currently. :( This has just been a really rough year...

[AniaR]

I'm glad it helped you. I am planning on more articles in the future!

[Ransom]

Hey Alea, I know the feeling. Sometimes it's finding out what works best for us... and maximising our willpower through breaks rather than digging when there's nothing left.

[vordt]

Howdy! Staying productive throughout the day is important for several reasons. Firstly, productivity enables us to accomplish our goals and make progress in both personal and professional endeavors. It allows us to maximize our time, energy, and resources, leading to a greater sense of fulfillment and achievement. Additionally, staying productive helps us maintain focus, develop discipline, and cultivate effective time management skills, all of which are crucial for success in various aspects of life. Furthermore, productivity often contributes to reduced stress levels and improved overall well-being, as it provides a sense of purpose, satisfaction, and control over our actions.
As for me, in order to increase productivity (https://progresspresso.com/category/productivity/) you should visit the Progresspresso website, where you will find a lot of useful information on how to stay productive and achieve your goals. I hope my answer helps you!

[Mermaid Coralia]

I made sure to set small, achievable goals and stuck to them with a proper schedule. I even used the Pomodoro Technique, working in focused intervals with short breaks. Really helped with discipline and maintaining energy levels.

When I started to feel too tired from work, I just started to use AI for some of my tasks, like email writing and asking it to organize my work schedule, and it helped me to save some time. I am using Special Character AI (https://specialassistant.org/), which you can download from their site. I am sure it will help you with some tasks.