Striving for happiness is a constant challenge. It becomes nearly impossible when we face big changes at home or work.

Unless we set boundaries, unrelieved anxiety can fester into life-threatening health issues – not to mention problems with our spouses and families.

We’re all stressed out
I neglected the danger signs when my father passed away, my workload increased, and the demands of my job permeated my life. Tension and worry gave way to a major depression. Ultimately, I missed several weeks of work.
When you’re sweating to meet goals and deadlines, long hours are expected, and personal life is diminished. Your focus becomes success at any cost, and work becomes your life. If enough time passes, you begin to think that this is the New Normal.

Make life better
Gwen Moran, writing in Inc. Magazine, acknowledges the conundrum. “Into each life, some annoyances, obstacles, and misfortune will fall,” Moran says. “And while some self-help gurus will tell you to simply ditch what’s making you unhappy or holding you back, sometimes, it’s not that easy.”

In her story, “6 Tricks for Surviving Work and Personal Adversity,” Moran quotes Linda Hoopes, author of “Prosilience: Building Your Resilience for a Turbulent World.”

“Everybody has those constraints and situations that we don’t want to be in,” says Hoopes, a licensed clinical social worker and resilience expert. “Sometimes, you’re stuck with them for the time being. But there are things that you can do to make many situations better and cultivate greater resilience, even as you look for long-term solutions or resolutions.”

Small rewards can help
If your situation is long-lasting, it helps to pay special attention to your own comfort and relief.

That doesn’t mean an expensive weekend trip to a fancy spa. Ongoing self-care that helps relieve stress, promotes deep sleep, and offers a respite from your unrelenting pressures is optimal.

Commonly suggested remedies like long, hot baths with scented bubbles, facials, massages, yoga, exercise, and acupuncture really work. Taking an hour to read for pleasure, or sitting on your patio for a few minutes listening to birdsong, playing with your dog, or calling your best friend are small indulgences with big rewards.

Make lists
Break down your responsibilities, list them, and give each a priority. This will not only help keep you organized – it also will force you to focus on the things that matter rather than the self-critical voice in your head.
Is change possible?

Change what you can about your situation, advises Hoopes. “Even within a bad situation, you can make small changes to improve it and turn it into motivation to make bigger changes,” she notes. “You can look for opportunities to learn new skills, even in a job you hate. If you’re managing caretaking responsibilities, you might be able to enlist help from others to get some time for yourself. Think creatively about your situation and how you might be able to make small changes to improve it.”

Track your progress
Moran says one important way to combat job fatigue is to reframe your situation. Instead of complaining about what you cannot change, try listing the ways you have benefitted the company, the professional honors you’ve earned, or the ways you have grown professionally. Seeing yourself more objectively helps when the boss bears down.

When I made the career switch from journalism to public relations, I was apprehensive about working for a public relations agency. I worried about reputation and integrity and how I would perform.

Mostly I worried about tracking 15-minute increments of billable time for every task and assignment. What if I didn’t fulfill client expectations in the budgeted time? What if I was too slow?


Time is Money
It turns out that tracking my time during my six years at a full-service PR agency taught me one of the most valuable workplace lessons: Time is money, just as Benjamin Franklin said.

Today, years later and now an independent consultant, I appreciate that lesson every day. When providing cost estimates to my clients I break down each task according to the time required and quote my price based on those estimates.

Tracking every 15-minute time increment may seem overwhelming or unnecessary, but trust me, it’s a discipline I rely upon every day and a detail my clients appreciate. They pay me to juggle multiple projects, accomplish complicated assignments quickly and accurately, and provide an accounting of where I spend my time.

Even Small Periods of Time are Valuable
Because time is money, even the 10 minutes you spend waiting in a client’s office offers valuable opportunities. I’ve become quite skilled at identifying small tasks that I can squeeze between longer, more complicated assignments.
If you have just a few moments, consider checking one of these things off your list.
1. Create your daily to-do list.
2. Prioritize your tasks.
3. Clean out your purse, desk drawer, or briefcase.
4. Organize emails into folders.
5. Clear the top of your desk.
6. Do 10 reps of an arm or shoulder exercise.
7. Do some deep breathing and a short meditative exercise.

If you have 15 minutes to kill, how about getting these chores done?
1. Think carefully about a work problem for which you need solutions.
2. Take a short walk around the office, or better yet, outside in the fresh air.
3. Call your doctor, chiropractor, or dentist to make that long-postponed appointment.
4. Schedule the gardener to trim trees and shrubbery.
5. Stop by the dry cleaners to pick up or drop off clothing.
6. Phone your mother.

If you have 20-30 minutes, try doing these things:
1. Use this time for creativity – think about new ways to approach your work.
2. Read one of the articles you’ve saved for when you have a few extra minutes.
3. Listen to an audiobook.
4. Eat a healthy snack.
5. Check out online management tools, like Asana or Basecamp.

Whether you have just five minutes between appointments or find yourself with a chunk of unscheduled time, you can be prepared to bang out some chores, errands, and other to-do items. Keep your calendar handy, use your smartphone to check off your progress, and always have a book or article with you to read. You won’t regret living with the adage ‘time is money’ in the forefront of your mind.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to be more productive and efficient. Along the way I’ve found that countless seminars, conference talks and book chapters list many ways to increase productivity – some offer similar advice while others contradict each other.

When I learn about an especially successful business leader, I study their habits to learn the secrets of their single-mindedness. I read every article on efficiency that I run across. And I’ve put many ideas into practice during decades as a journalist and public relations consultant.

I think it’s important that we evaluate which of these ideas work for us in our particular circumstances. A lot depends on whether or not we’re organized, detail-oriented or survive best in a chaotic environment under severe deadlines. All of us have unique work habits that can’t be expected to fit into any expert’s mold.

I’ve created my own list of ways to be more productive. Taken together, one or more items here may help you discover new ways to conquer distractions, work simpler, check items off of your to-do list, and save some time.

1. Less noise and fewer distractions. Even though I came of age in a noisy, smoky newsroom, I appreciate the value of silence when I’m trying to comprehend something complex. Now that I work in the middle of my home it can be challenging to carve out some quiet time, but each of my family members understand that my business is a priority, so they usually cooperate. Then, there’s the dog…

2. To-do lists: to do or not to do? Many people love to make lists and some of them have elevated list-making to an art. I find that it makes sense to write all my projects and deadlines by client in Basecamp. For a small monthly fee I can have 10 clients or projects open, and each of them can have multiple to-do items, discussions and deadlines. I find that by calling up my Basecamp calendar I know immediately what my most pressing projects are for that day.

3. Be punctual. When you arrive late to see a client or are tardy to a meeting, you give the impression that you are too busy to care about anyone else’s priorities. I used to be chronically late. But when I realized the impression I was making, I consciously determined to leave early for every appointment. Naturally, I also make sure I have reading material available in case I’m a little too prompt.

4. Avoid multitasking. The argument over juggling multiple assignments rages on. And while it’s true that most of us balance several projects at once, it’s also a fact that we must set and keep priorities to keep our sanity. This is where the Basecamp calendar or to-do list can come in handy – we can estimate the time we must devote to each project and try to ensure we can treat each one as a priority. It doesn’t always work, but that’s the plan.

5. Flexible workplace and work hours. Nothing distracts from one’s work more than the nagging feeling we get when we know we can’t be in two places at once, and that a loved one needs us right away. I’ve treasured my time as an independent consultant largely because it’s allowed me to be useful to my aging mother.

6. Time sheets. Time sheets can teach a very valuable lesson. Time is money. Track all your activities one day and see where you waste time and when you are most efficient. See if you are putting in the long work hours you think you are, and tally up what your time is really worth.

7. Increased communication. There’s a vast difference between receiving an assignment in a quick email and having a strategic discussion with your client about the audience, tone and purpose of your next project.

8. Positive atmosphere. Do you work better while you listen to music? Can you cope with many different background noises, or will the neighbors’ barking dog distract you? Knowing the conditions that are most conducive to productivity allows you to set the right tone when you tackle a project.

9. Eat a frog. This is an old expression but it still rings true today. For many of us, starting each new day by tackling the least-liked project on our to-do list frees us up for a creative, productive environment full of much more pleasant tasks.

10. Stay off social media. Easier said than done. While our LinkedIn postings are waiting to be tracked and our Twitter feed is silent, real work can engage our minds for maximum efficiency. Yes, social media provides us with important marketing tools – but it has its place.

I hope that this list prompts you to think hard about the ways in which you can be most effective. Many of these ideas were standard practice in bygone days, but they still provide a framework for productive work. And now, let’s get to work!

Working in a busy newsroom requires reporters to develop the ability to concentrate deeply in the midst of chaos. Loud sportswriters wisecracking about the World Series? Police radio blaring about a hostage situation? No matter. One’s story must be compelling and succinct, submitted on time and without grammatical, spelling or factual errors. Readers (and editors) depend on it.

It may be my decade working in newsrooms that makes me immune to most distractions when I’m writing. Husband chatters. Phones ring. Computers flash. My full attention is on the story; it will be on time and under budget. It will sing.

Shiny Object Syndrome Explained
Still, there are some times when a shiny object captures my attention. Look! There’s a new app that will track my time better! Oh! Here’s a project management system that could be more economical! I must stop immediately to learn about these things!

I sometimes fall victim to Shiny Object Syndrome, or what some call Squirrel Syndrome. Distracted by Facebook posts, online shopping opportunities or email announcements, I lose valuable time chasing the Next Big Thing. Yet I am rarely thankful that I wasted valuable writing time – and even more rarely do I agree that the amazing new thing can actually change my life.

Summing up the syndrome is executive coach Heather Gray, recently writing in Entrepreneur: “Whatever you call it, the concept is familiar to entrepreneurs: products, ideas, services, and conversations that effectively replace our plans and focus with doubts and second-guessing. These are the things that make us pause and ask ourselves “Am I doing this right? Am I sure this is the best way?”

Why We Suffer from the Syndrome
“We fear that we don’t know all the things,” Gray writes. “We worry that there is a better, more efficient way. We question whether or not we have really thought of everything. Let’s call this by its less sexy name: Anxiety.” As Gray notes, we’re insecure. “A shiny new thing captures our attention, distracts us from our intent and enables that doubt and worry to root and take hold.”

As if we don’t have enough on our plates already, the Shiny Objects threaten us on every level. Overburdened with trying to keep up with too much information, in the midst of our most concentrated tasks we fall prey to interruptions that underscore our deepest insecurities. We worry that we are ‘not  enough’– we aren’t doing enough, working hard enough, being a good-enough partner, friend, parent or offspring. These Change-My-Life interruptions feed into our anxiety.

The Costs of Chasing Squirrels
Interruptions cause us to lose focus and cost us time, money and momentum. That is bad business. But making things worse is that we have entered what many people are calling the “attention economy,” says mindfulness expert Rasmus Hougaard, writing in the Harvard Business Review. In the attention economy, Hougaard explains, the ability to maintain focus and concentration is every bit as important as technical or management skills. “And because leaders need to absorb and synthesize a growing flood of information in order to make good decisions, they’re hit particularly hard by this emerging trend.”

How We Beat the Squirrels and Ignore the Shiny Objects
When things distract us, we must have the internal fortitude to refuse to pay attention. Belief in ourselves means developing the self-confidence necessary to focus unwaveringly on the task at hand. “Every time we let a shiny object distract us from our plans for today and from what we are capable of achieving, fear wins and entrepreneurship loses,” says Gray.

Still, snapping back to our work is challenging. Productivity experts recommend turning off the phone, ignoring emails, resisting the urge to hop onto social media – but that’s not always possible. Yet there is a particularly useful activity that boosts your resistance to distractions and bolsters your self-confidence: Practice mindfulness.

Being mindful means having keen focus and awareness; the ability to concentrate on what you’re doing to the exclusion of everything else; and the power to recognize and release unnecessary distractions.

“Understand that mindfulness is not just a sedentary practice; mindfulness is about developing a sharp, clear mind,” writes Hougaard. “Mindfulness in action is a great alternative to the illusory practice of multitasking.”

Testament from the Trenches
Mindful working means that as soon as I sit down to write I am focused and aware of everything I’m doing. Focusing on my assignment, I recognize and release internal and external distractions as they arise. In this way, mindfulness helps increase my effectiveness, decreases potential mistakes and enhances my creativity.

If something pops into my head that I need to do, I make note of it so I can deal with it later and get back to the task at hand.

I pause to take breaks every hour to cease activity and do a minute of deep, mindful breathing, as Hougaard recommends. This helps me resist fatigue, stay sharp and avoid poor decisions, especially in mid- to late-afternoon when I begin to fade.

There are many useful apps dedicated to the practice of mindful meditation, and some of them are free. Spotify and other music apps offer meditation selections. Books and articles online discuss the practice. While I don’t incorporate mindfulness successfully in everything I do, I’m working on it.

The practice of taking three deep, calming breaths, closing my eyes and focusing on my breathing has made me much calmer, more confident and centered. I’m aware of my surroundings, my breath, my health – and I’m able to meet demanding deadlines without distraction Best of all, I give each moment the attention it deserves and as a result live and enjoy each one.

We are glued to our devices 24/7 and each device displays the time of day. Yet few of us arrive reliably on time for even the most critical appointments: We are so busy commuting, working and multitasking that when we arrive 10 minutes late we consider ourselves ‘on time.’

Punctuality, it seems, is a lost art, an old-fashioned idea that many businesspeople seem to have forgotten. Still, arriving on time remains the best way to be considered professional and in control.

As noted in a ProlificLiving.com post, “The Importance of Being Punctual,” being late:

• does not make you an important or special person. Whoever you are doesn’t reserve you the right to be late.
• once or twice in your life may be unavoidable but being late consistently makes you unreliable.
• says you clearly do not respect the other person’s time, only yours.
• affects your boss’s impression of you and damages your upward mobility at the company.
• consistently implies you are rude and lack all consideration and respect for the other person as well as for the commitment you made.

The writer adds “Your apologies for being late, however profuse and sincere, do not excuse the tardy. Your reasons for being late insult the other person’s intelligence.”

Even the great entrepreneur Richard Branson concludes that punctuality is important in business and life.

“Being on time is respectful to your hosts and also means you can effectively manage your day,” Branson says. “Once you get behind, it is hard to catch back up again. Being punctual doesn’t mean rushing around the whole time. I always find the time to exercise and to spend time with my loved ones. It simply means organizing your time effectively.”

I was once late for every appointment. But perhaps the only New Year’s resolution I’ve ever kept was to become punctual, no matter the cost.

Now I plan ahead (using the calendar synced on my devices) and arrive early so that I can collect my thoughts, respond to emails and have a few precious moments to breathe.

Branson says being on time doesn’t necessarily mean working to a strict, rigid schedule. Instead, it means that we must effectively delegate, be unfailingly organized and communicate clearly. Being flexible and being punctual, then, aren’t mutually exclusive.

If you can be both, Branson says, you and your business will thrive.

If you’re increasingly finding it difficult to immerse yourself in uninterrupted work, you are not alone. As technology abounds, distractions at work, home and leisure lure us away 24/7 from intense and meaningful engagement.

But in a recent Fast Company article, Georgetown Professor Cal Newport explains why focusing on deep and demanding tasks is critical for producing value and building the skills that promote success.

Bouncing around from task to task actually deteriorates the muscle that allows us to focus, Newport says, and the more we multitask, the less comfortable we are with going deep for extended periods of time. In fact, multitasking is addictive as well as damaging, he writes in his new book, “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.”

“It’s deep tasks that produce the value and build the skills that get you promoted,” he says.

While multitasking was once thought to be the skill we needed to master to get ahead, thought leaders today laud the “attention economy,” in which the ability to maintain focus and concentration are as important to workplace wins as technical or management skills.

So what do successful business leaders do to be both focused and productive?

• Be Mindful
  Training our brains to focus better is called mindfulness, and by practicing it throughout the workday successful leaders achieve enhanced focus and awareness in both work and life. Mindfulness begins even before getting out of bed and continues throughout the day with focus on breathing and minimization of distractions.
  
  
• Focus on Long Term Goals
  Effective leaders have clear goals and a vision for the long-term achievements they desire. They focus on what matters and apply their efforts accordingly.
  
  
• Set Daily Goals
  Not only do high achievers plan their days by listing to-dos and appointments, they set goals for what they want to accomplish in each project and meeting.
  
  
• Face Undesirable Tasks
  “Eating a frog” means doing the one task first that is both urgent and undesirable. By eating a frog first thing in the morning, efficient leaders accomplish the most important task and move ahead forcefully into the rest of the day.
  
  
• Overcome Procrastination
  Overcoming procrastination, essential for high performance, ties in with eating the frog. When successful people face their most urgent tasks, they tackle them without hesitation and let go of the perfectionism that gets in the way of completing big projects.

Highly productive people internalize and act upon deep concentration in challenging tasks. They leave gaps in their schedules to ensure both ‘thinking time’ and productivity. Ultimately they know that whatever leftover time they might have will be used wisely.