In a 24-hour period last week I had two clients not show up for their Zoom appointments. This isn’t a regular occurrence. The first emailed later stating, “… I don’t even know what day it is because they’ve all started to blur into one. “ The second, shared waking up that morning thinking it was a totally different day of the week.
I might be annoyed, if I didn’t totally get where they were coming from. Days can’t help but run together when external and internal structures that typically support our work worlds fall away.
Some people like my husband are super disciplined. After a few days of sleeping in a bit, he imported much of his regular work routine into our current stay-at-home reality, sans dress clothes and commute. I am infinitely impressed with his almost seamless adjustment to running his busy practice from our kitchen table.
Then there are those who are struggling a bit more.
That includes people like me and maybe you. Even though we regularly work from home the structure of our days has been upended by stay-at-home orders. I typically anchor my work-at-home days by connecting with friends and clients, and working out at the gym. While my client commitments are thankfully still in place, going to the gym is no longer an option and seeing friends, with the exception of the occasional Zoom-coffee, is likewise off the table. I also can’t help but be distracted by the presence of another person in the house, no matter how lovable and organized he is.
I’m also noticing myself using my tried-and-true task management systems less and less. Some of my clients are echoing this. The danger here, especially if you have ADHD, is that sometimes after not using a system for a period of time you actually forget how well it once worked for you. Instead of remembering how well it worked and starting to use it again, we are more likely than our neurotypical counterparts to chuck the whole thing and start over. If you have ADHD you get this, because new systems are inherently more interesting, which our stimulus-seeking interest-based nervous systems love!
As much as we might feel like the house in the photo above, we are all still expected to get things done, even in the age of Coronavirus. So what can you do?
Experiment
Experiment with other ways of bringing structure to your day. At our house / office we are forming a habit of checking in with each other throughout the day. Besides a quick check-in as to what day of the week it is – Are you sure it’s Tuesday?!? – we share what’s on our calendars for the day with respect to client commitments, what we hope to get done, and when we will be in do-not-disturb mode.
The person you check-in with doesn’t need to be working in your kitchen. It could be a friend or a co-worker you agree to connect with on a set schedule via phone, video conference or text. In addition to providing some structure to your day, these check-ins may also provide the added benefit of creating accountability. I know I’m more productive when someone else knows that I should be getting something done.
Pause & Upgrade
Before you get online and waste hours upon hours researching new planners or the latest and greatest time management apps, I urge you to pause and consider what’s really going on. What is really getting in the way of you not using your task management system?
Did you previously do your planning for the week on Monday mornings, but now you’re using that time to help your kids get set up for distance learning? Did you have a habit of spreading out your planning materials on your desk on Sunday evening, but now you’re desk sharing with your partner and that space isn’t currently available?
Use this opportunity to re-examine your systems before you chuck them:
What about your system has worked for you?
What’s not working now?
With that information in hand, what one change or upgrade could you make that might help you get your system up and running again?
Practice
It may surprise you, but I think the most important thing you can do with respect to task management in this time of Coronavirus is to practice self-compassion.
Beating yourself up for being “less-productive” has never gotten you or anyone else anywhere. When you step back and look at what’s really going on, is it possible you’re actually doing the best you can under the circumstances?
What if instead of beating yourself up you used that time for some self-care?
Self-care could look like getting a few more minutes of exercise or sleep. It might also look like beginning a 5-minute practice that could help build that compassion muscle. I, and many of my clients, use the Ten Percent Happier app to anchor our mindfulness and mediation practices. Tenpercent.com is currently offering a free Coronavirus Sanity Guide which includes live and recorded meditations, as well as supportive podcasts and talks. Dr. Kristin Neff, author of Self Compassion and widely recognized expert on the topic will be the guest on the April 2, 2020 episode of Ten Percent Happier’s Your Daily Sanity Break which airs at 3PM Eastern. I encourage you to check it out.
I wish each and every one of you the best at this challenging time. Experiment with structure. Upgrade your tried-and-true systems. Most of all be kind to yourself and those around you.
Stay Home & Stay Healthy ~ Andrea
I haven’t missed any scheduled calls, but I am struggling to know what day it is. Thanks for the reminder that we’re all in the same boat and for the valuable tips. I can definitely relate to your statement that “new systems are inherently more interesting” as I usually have to change my task management and calendar system every few years.
Thanks for commenting Janet. That we’re all in the same boat is of great comfort right now. I hope you’ll continue to find your systems supportive in the weeks and months to come and with each passing day, knowing what day it is will become easier. Stay safe.