If you struggle to be productive due to your workflow being too unstructured, allowing you to get distracted too easily, this is one way I have found structure your time:

  • In essence, you switch from centering your attention around the task to centering it around a timer.

  • You start at a timer. You plan what your next step will be (baby steps), and write it down. You allocate yourself time to do that task. Repeat.

  • The one sentence goal statement is crucial because it reminds you what you are supposed to be doing during the timer if you get sidetracked.

  • If the timer runs out before you finish, that’s fine, but you are obliged to come back to the drawing board and re-write the goal statement.

  • Snoozing the timer is a bad habit.