How to Maintain Focus While Managing Projects

Struggling to Stay Focused? Here’s the 3-Minute Shift That Changed My Productivity Forever. I used to wear “busy” like a badge of honor—multiple tabs open, constant notifications, and a to-do list that never ended. Sound familiar? Whether you identify as a focused person or feel constantly distracted, knowing your default setting can be the key to unlocking next-level productivity. Why it matters? Because distraction costs us over 2.1 hours every day. That’s more than 10 hours a week—nearly one full workday lost just to lack of focus (according to a UC Irvine study). And for those of us in leadership, business, or project management, that’s unacceptable. So what did I do? I stopped trying to become someone I’m not—and instead, I learned how to manage my natural tendencies. Here’s the simple strategy I use every morning (yes, you can do this in under 3 minutes): 1. Label Your Mode – I ask: Am I in focus mode or reactive mode today? 2. Frame My Top 3 – I write down the three most important outcomes I must accomplish. Not tasks—outcomes. 3. Designate a Distraction Zone – I block out 2x 15-minute windows each day to check emails, texts, or scroll, guilt-free. The result? I get more done with less stress—and I stop feeling like I’m always behind. Who this is for: If you’re a professional, entrepreneur, or creator who feels like they’re constantly starting but rarely finishing… this is for you. Especially if you’ve Googled: • How to improve focus as a busy professional • Why can’t I stay productive? • Morning routine to increase focus You’re not broken—you’re overloaded. And your brain needs a better system, not more hustle. Years ago, I missed a critical opportunity simply because I couldn’t stay focused long enough to reply to the email in time. That was a wake-up call. Now, with this strategy, I never miss the things that matter most. Implement this 3-minute habit for just 5 days, and I promise you’ll feel the shift. Comment below: Are you more focused or unfocused by nature? And what’s YOUR go-to trick for managing it? When you manage your focus, you manage your future. ♻️ I hope you found this valuable, please share with your network. 📌 Click "Follow" and 🔔 #LeadershipDevelopment #FocusAndProductivity #MindfulLeadership

We're not using our time wisely. Juggling a multitude of responsibilities as a female founder is no easy fit. It’s Tuesday. Your client has called an emergency meeting. You are a small company and one of your key personnel has called in sick. You have a tight deadline coming up. Your car needs to go to the garage. Your child has a docs appointment this week. Your kids schools have their conferences on this week. Your husband is out of town. You’re a single mother. Period! Your mind just can’t focus right now. You get the point!! What lies ahead doesn’t have to feel like a hustlers life. Here’s a simple technique can help boost your productivity during the few hours you have for work. The Pomodoro Technique is my go to nowdays and it works wonders. Here's how you can implement it in your daily routine: 📌First, set aside a couple of hours each to focus on your business. 📌Call this your focus time and allow yourself to believe that if you do not show up for it, you are stealing from your business. Set Up Your Environment Create a distraction-free workspace by: - Turning off notifications on your devices - Using website blockers to limit access to distracting sites - Finding a quiet space to work or using noise-cancelling headphones Plan Your Tasks Start your day by: - Identifying your most important tasks - Breaking larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks - Estimating how many pomodoros each task will take Use a Timer Choose a timer that works for you: - A physical timer (like the original tomato-shaped one) - A digital timer app on your computer or phone - A web-based timer like Pomodor or Marinara Timer Follow the Pomodoro Cycle 1. Set your timer for 25 minutes 2. Work on a single task with full focus until the timer rings 3. Take a 5-minute break 4. Repeat steps 1-3 four times 5. After four pomodoros, take a longer 15-30 minute break Track Your Progress Keep a record of your completed pomodoros to: - Measure your productivity - Identify areas for improvement - Motivate yourself to stay consistent Adjust as Needed Customize the technique to fit your work style: - Experiment with different work/break intervals - Adapt the method for meetings or collaborative work - Be flexible with unexpected interruptions Stay Consistent Make the Pomodoro Technique a habit by: - Using it regularly, even on busy days - Gradually increasing the number of pomodoros you complete - Reflecting on your progress and adjusting your approach as needed The key to making this a success is to maintain focus during work intervals and truly disconnect during breaks. With practice, you’ll be amazed at how effective you can be. Let me know which technique works for you in the comments.

Structure is freedom. That’s not a contradiction—it’s survival when you’re neurodivergent in comms. I learned this the hard way during a crisis response where I was juggling urgent executive messaging and a full comms plan refresh at the same time. Without my systems? I’d have been spinning. But because I’d already built intentional boundaries around focus time—using things like time-blocking, Pomodoro sprints, and even voice memos—I stayed grounded enough to deliver under pressure. Not perfectly. But anchored. I’ve set calendar blocks that are non-negotiable. I use alarms to remind me to shift gears. And I record voice notes to capture ideas mid-task so I don’t lose the thread. Here’s the thing most people miss: We don’t lack discipline—we lack dopamine. And systems give us the scaffolding to stay in motion when our brains want to jump tracks. Especially in comms, where you’re constantly pivoting between strategy, storytelling, and stakeholder management, that internal friction can burn you out fast if you don’t have rails to run on. Here’s what’s worked for me: - Time-blocking *specific* types of work (not just “focus time”) - Using alarms as transition cues, not productivity hacks - Capturing everything in a central space—because my brain won’t remember it later These aren’t productivity hacks. They’re access ramps. They let me bring my best work forward—without overloading my system just trying to hold it all in my head. Because when the pressure’s on, I don’t need more adrenaline. I need more anchors. #NeurodiversityAtWork #CommsLife #ADHDInTheWorkplace #InternalComms

The biggest thing that helped me become a better PMM was carving out time for strategic thinking, no matter how busy I was. Why is this important? -> Tactical work alone won’t advance your career. You need to think far with a strategic vision and have the ability to execute. -> Strategic clarity reduces decision fatigue and eliminates random tasks that don’t lead to real outcomes. -> It helps you identify opportunities to innovate and create net new value for the business. -> Teams naturally follow people who think beyond the immediate. Here’s how I do it (and how you can too): 1️⃣ Block time for deep thinking It’s very hard to focus on strategic work if you are always busy in meetings or putting out fires. So the first step is to make TIME. Dedicate 30–60 minutes daily to uninterrupted, quiet thinking even if it means waking up earlier. I also block Wed and Friday mornings for extended work sessions. Find a time that works with your natural productivity. 2️⃣ Prioritize what to focus on (and not focus on) Strategy also means saying no, or not now. Use my Action/Priority Matrix to identify and focus on high-impact tasks, while deferring, delegating or eliminating the rest. Communicate your priorities to your manager for transparency. Remember part of strategy is also saying no. https://lnkd.in/eDd_PvuN 3️⃣ Create project plans Before jumping into a project, no matter how big or small (even if it’s just creating a piece of content), get into the habit of writing out a project plan, including who, how, what, when, why, KPIs, milestones, and key stakeholders. This forces you to think AHEAD, create a repeatable structure, and helps you easily drive alignment with others. 4️⃣ Review long-term goals often Regularly assess how your day-to-day work aligns with your big-picture vision/strategy. Realignment ensures you’re always working toward meaningful outcomes. I suggest doing a monthly review and then communicating what you’d like to start, stop, and continue, with your manager. This also shows you are proactive. 5️⃣ Talk it out with a thought partner or coach Clarity doesn’t always come on your own. Talking through your ideas with someone who can ask the right questions or challenge your assumptions is invaluable. My clients often come to me with a jumble of (great) thoughts, and we untangle them to pull the thread together and uncover the strategy. — Carving out time for strategic thinking isn’t just about blocking time - it’s about making that time effective by doing the right thing and creating the right system. What would you add? #productmarketing #strategy #career #growth #coaching

How I Stay Productive While Managing Multiple Projects as a Program Manager at Amazon Juggling multiple projects isn’t about doing more—it’s about structuring work better. Early in my career, I tried to multitask across projects, only to feel overwhelmed and scattered. Then I saw how a senior leader structured their workload to maximize focus without burnout. That changed my approach. Here’s how I stay productive while managing multiple projects: 1️⃣ Time Blocking for Each Project I dedicate specific blocks of time to each project instead of jumping between them. This practice has cut context-switching fatigue by 50%. 2️⃣ Weekly Prioritization Reviews I reassess priorities every Monday to ensure I’m focusing on what matters most. This has prevented misalignment and last-minute rushes. 3️⃣ Delegate and Automate Where Possible I offload repeatable tasks and use automation for reporting. This approach has freed up time for high-impact work. Managing multiple projects isn’t about working harder—it’s about structuring work smarter. If you feel overwhelmed, try focusing less on doing everything at once and more on focused execution. How do you manage multiple projects effectively? #Productivity #ProjectManagement #Leadership #Amazon

Let's be real for a second: Managing schedules is painful. This is due to the constant clash between 2 schedules: Manager's schedule vs Maker's schedule. The Manager's schedule is segmented into 30-60min back-to-back, sometimes overlapping, meetings. It's a nightmare for the Maker's schedule. The Maker's schedule has half day chunks of uninterrupted work, or "focus time". Meetings disrupt this flow, derailing whole afternoons and impacting maker's productivity and morale. Leaders, entrepreneurs, founders ... all run on Manager's schedule. Builders, programmers, designers ... all run on Maker's schedule. Now, what if you're both a Leader and a Builder: Have you ever felt a full day has gone by in meetings and interruptions, and you have not crossed a single item off of your to-do list? If you're both a Leader and a Builder, navigating these schedules can feel like two workdays in one. As a product lead, I do have to juggle both Leader and Builder tasks. Here are a few things I found helpful: For Leaders: 1. Respect maker's schedule: Limit meetings to the ones necessary, productive, and have a clear agenda or pre-read. 2. Adopt maker's schedule: Set office hours for team questions instead of aimless one-on-ones. 3. Empathize with makers: Understand the cost of meetings for makers to prevent burnout and keep up the motivation. For Builders: 1. Block focus time: Schedule half days of "do not disturb" time every week to prioritize deep work, and stick to them. 2. Communicate boundaries: Share your calendar, or update your DM status to set expectations. 3. Use Pomodoro technique: To maximize your focus time outcomes, 1) Pick a task, 2) Set a 25-min timer, 3) Work on the task with no distractions, 4) Take 5 min break and repeat, 5) Every "4 pomodoros" (i.e. 2h), take 15-30 min break. And as Paul Graham, who coined the terms in 2009, said: "If the conflict between the manager's schedule and the maker's schedule starts to be more widely understood, it will become less of a problem." -- 🎙 What are your tips for managing schedules better? #productivity #meetings

🔹 Tips for Mastering Time Management in Graduate School 🔸 Graduate school can feel like a constant balancing act between research, classes, writing, and personal life. Effective time management helps you stay productive and avoid burnout. Here are strategies that have helped me remain organized and focused:- 1. Set SMART goals Create goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This gives your work direction and makes progress easier to track 2. Prioritize tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix Distinguish between what's urgent and important. Focus on tasks that contribute most to your long-term goals, and delegate or defer less critical ones. 3. Use time-blocking Schedule specific blocks of time for writing, research, meetings, and breaks. Treat these blocks like appointments to minimize distractions. 4. Break projects into smaller tasks Large projects can feel overwhelming. Divide them into smaller, manageable tasks with clear deadlines to maintain momentum. 5. Embrace the 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) Identify the 20% of tasks that will produce 80% of your results. Focus on high-impact activities instead of getting lost in busy work. 6. Limit multitasking Multitasking reduces efficiency and quality. Focus on one task at a time to complete it faster and better 7. Set boundaries Learn to say no to commitments that don't align with your goals. Protect your time for essential work and rest. 8. Use productivity tools Apps like Trello, Monday, Notion, or Google Calendar can help you plan, organize, and track your tasks effectively. 9. Schedule breaks and downtime Incorporate short breaks throughout your day to recharge. Regular rest prevents burnout and improves focus. 10. Reflect and adjust regularly At the end of each week, review what worked and what didn’t. Adjust your strategies to stay aligned with your goals. - Repost to help someone ♻️ #TimeManagement #GradSchoolTips #AcademicSuccess #ProductivityHacks #STEMResearch #WomenInSTEM #WorkLifeBalance

How do you maintain focus on your tasks? As professionals whose work is deeply entwined with technology - a major source of distractions - it can often be a challenge to stay productive. As software engineers👨💻👩💻, our most valuable resources are our focus and problem-solving abilities, both of which demand significant attention. Hence, maintaining a state of focus🎯 is crucial. For many of us, our workflow resembles a block on a frictionless table - we keep moving until we encounter resistance. The stumbling blocks often come in the form of meetings📅 that consume large chunks of our day, while teams or slack messages💬 can disrupt our momentum. Another draining factor is waiting for scripts to run or builds to complete⏳. It's all too easy to fall into the trap of picking up our phones and losing ourselves in distractions, only to realize that precious minutes have slipped by. Here are some strategies I've found effective: 🟩Hold purposeful meetings: Ensure that each meeting yields actionable outcomes. 🟩Avoid scheduling important meetings first thing in the morning⛅: This is when you have the most energy to tackle tasks. 🟩Minimize notifications🔕: Silence notifications for Slack, Teams, or Outlook. If someone urgently needs you, they will call📞. 🟩Reserve focus time⏰: Block your calendar for uninterrupted work periods. 🟩Prioritize tasks over communication📧: Don’t open Teams, Slack, or Outlook first thing in the morning. Complete your first task before checking messages. 🟩Maximize your morning🌞: If your standup is first thing in the morning, try to arrive earlier and get some work done beforehand. 🟩Shorten meetings⏲️: Meetings can be mentally draining. If the agenda isn’t long or clear, try to halve the meeting time. 🟩Use waiting time wisely🕰️: If you're waiting for a task or a build, resist the urge to open your phone or browse Reddit or YouTube. Instead, stretch, take a walk, check your emails or Teams messages, or just organize your to do list. If you have any more suggestions leave them in the comments below ⬇️ #productivity #SoftwareEngineering #programming #coding #opensource #tech #grafana #devops #technology #softwaredevelopment #codinglife 

How do you manage your time, energy, and priorities? The most effective leaders I’ve worked with have a clear process for managing their time and energy. It evolves over time, but they’re intentional about it — and that intentionality is what sets them apart. Why is this such an important element of effective leadership? Leadership often feels like juggling a set of glass balls while someone throws more at you - too many priorities, too little time, and no clear end in sight. This leaves many feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or in reactive mode with a non-stop list of to-dos. Successfully cutting through those (very natural) reactions requires building a disciplined, consistent approach each day, week, month, quarter, and year. This is self-management and the foundation of long-term leadership success. ✘ The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make? Overcomplicating it. With so many tools, books, apps, and methods out there, it’s easy to get stuck chasing the perfect system. The most effective way? The one you'll adopt and actually use. Here's a simple way to start (this is part of my personal process and one I teach to clients too): 1️⃣ Centralize Your Priorities Keep a single, organized list for everything — strategic, tactical, recurrent, time-sensitive, and delegated work. Personally, I use Slack canvas because I travel a lot and it's easily accessible. For quick hit things I don't want to lose sight of, I send myself a Slack message and then add it to the list when I'm at my laptop. 2️⃣ Create a Maintenance Routine Develop daily, weekly, monthly habits to manage your list. Be somewhat obsessive about it to build those habits for the long-term. For example: Friday is "review and adjust" day — review your list, track progress or changes, check-in on delegated work, and clean up the list for the week ahead. Sunday/Monday is "planning" day — review priorities, block time for execution, adjust based on changing deadlines, and identify the 3 most critical items for the week ahead. On a monthly cadence, zoom out to ensure you're on track for your most strategic and critical priorities. Ask yourself: Can I delegate part of this project to make progress and get me closer to the end stage? Do I have time set aside to do real work? Is my calendar aligned with my priorities and values? 3️⃣ Adapt Quarterly Every quarter, zoom out to reflect on your process; ask: what's working? What's not? What's one thing I'll adapt in the next quarter? Rinse, repeat, and enjoy feeling in control and on top of the many demands on your time. And remember: this doesn’t require perfection — just a commitment to consistency and an approach that fits your style. -- Looking for more practical leadership strategies? Subscribe to The Violet View, my monthly newsletter filled with actionable tips. Find the link in my LinkedIn header! #timemanagement #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching #leadershipsuccess