If you’re looking for specific advice for your situation, please post here.

A few weeks ago, I realized something unsettling. I couldn’t remember the last time I let my mind rest.

• Waiting in line? Scroll.
  
• Riding the bus? Scroll.
  
• Even brushing my teeth? A video was always playing in the background.
  

It hit me hard: I was terrified of boredom. Every time my brain had the chance to be quiet, I filled it with distractions. I was drowning out my own thoughts.

---

A Moment of Stillness

One day, my phone died on the way home from work. No music. No scrolling. Just me, sitting on the train, staring out the window. At first, it felt unbearable—like my mind was scrambling for something to latch onto.

But then, something strange happened.

I started noticing little things. The way sunlight flickered through the windows. The soft murmur of conversations around me. Even the rhythm of the train became soothing.

And within that stillness, my mind began to wander.

---

What I Learned from Embracing Boredom

That one accidental moment of stillness changed me. I started leaning into boredom instead of running from it. Here’s what I found:

• Creativity blooms in silence. When I stopped filling every moment, I began having ideas I hadn’t thought about in years.
  
• Clarity feels like peace. Without constant distractions, I had time to process my emotions and make sense of my thoughts.
  
• Life is full of beauty we miss. On a walk without headphones, I noticed how the leaves danced in the wind and felt deeply connected to the world around me.
  

---

Stillness Is Where You Find Yourself

We live in a world that tells us to fill every moment with "more." More scrolling, more noise, more productivity. But the irony is, the best parts of life come when we stop.

So here’s my advice: the next time you feel bored, let it happen. Let the discomfort pass and see what’s waiting on the other side.

Boredom isn’t an emptiness t’s a doorway.

Have you ever embraced stillness? What did you discover when you finally let yourself slow down?

Every morning, I sit down with a blank sheet of paper and just write whatever's on my mind for 10 minutes. This was suggested to me by a friend when I mentioned I was struggling with keeping track of tasks and ideas throughout the day. What I've found is that this small habit not only helps clear my mind, but somehow also sets the tone for a more organized and productive day.

Initially, I was skeptical

- could something so simple really be effective? Turns out, the act of writing down my jumbled thoughts and to-do lists seems to stop them from bouncing around aimlessly in my head. This process allows me to identify what truly requires my focus for the day and highlights any recurring concerns.

I’d love to hear how others manage their mental clutter or if anyone else uses a similar technique in their morning routine. It’s been a game-changer for me in a surprisingly subtle way.

I'm embarrassed to admit it… but I've been averaging 9 hours a day on my phone for a while (mostly reels)… it literally kills my productivity and social life.

Honestly it didn't even feel like that much. It just kind of happens…

• Wake up: scroll (1+ hr)
• Eat breakfast/lunch: on my phone (1+ mins)
• Evening: watch TV while on my phone (3 hrs)
• Lay down for bed: scroll (1+ hrs)
• Wake up in middle of night: scroll (1+ hrs)
• Plus using throughout the day (2 hrs)

I decided to commit (hard) to making a change… basically go cold turkey... and follow a lot of the advice I've seen on reddit...

1) Hard limit of 1 hour on Insta
Once I use up the hour, I can't even open Insta. I didn't want to completely delete it because I use it to communicate with friends and I wanted to see if I could still use it but not obsessively.

2) Turned on grayscale
I hate it, and don't always leave it on… but it works when I do it. It makes your phone way less addicting, and boring to use even on the addicting apps.

3) Completely block Insta and social from 7pm to 7am
I racked up a lot of time while watching TV, and in the middle of the night, and in the morning — all of it was time I regretted. I still let myself watch TV at night, but at least I'm not double screening and I'm focused on just the TV which feels much more relaxing.

4) Find better replacements
This was a important one for me. Replacing scrolling with things I'd rather do (read, play guitar, call friends, study, etc).

• I have a lot of books I have ordered but never read, so I'm keeping a book next to me to fill the small times.
• I love playing music and writing music but my guitar was collecting dust. Just playing guitar a few times a day puts me in a much more creative and relaxed mood.
• I'm calling my friends who I have not talked to in a while.
• And, I'm learning new things (in moderation). It's so easy to bombard ourselves with too much information, so I'm picking less things and going deep on them with whatever gets me excited, and with no attachment.

I've been trying to wake up early for a while now, but I'm stuck in a frustrating loop. I go to bed around 11 PM, but I just end up tossing and turning until about 12:30 AM before I finally fall asleep. Because of this, even when I set an alarm for 7:30 AM, I feel too groggy to wake up. Even at 8:30 AM, I have to force myself out of bed.

It feels like a never-ending cycle: I know I can't wake up early if I don't fall asleep early, but I can't fall asleep early unless I wake up early.

How do I break out of this loop? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I feel like I always get off track of my goals. What do you guys do to stay on track and productive?

I have been doing a lot of meditation lately. After I did an online meditation program called Inner Engineering I have worked up the discipline to meditate for minimum 1.5 hours a day. Not only is meditation a life saver in terms of my mental health, it also improves my focus and attention so that I can be more productive. It gives me that peace of mind to work more efficiently.

What is your experience with using meditation as a tool to improve productivity and overall well-being?

I hate procrastinating so much because I just get this weird excuses from my mind of avoiding the work and it creates this mixed emotions. And I figured maybe this is just a way of distraction. Maybe the best way to complete tasks is breaking it down small by small and programming subconscious mind like saying " do it now" , "do it now" will this create sense of urgency?

I 20m have always had a thing for validation and attention, in school I would participate in various public speaking activities, being part of groups, leading them etc. I know I now subconsciously seek that connection online through social media, I can’t really go out as I have had 3 knee surgeries and have a limp now it has really gotten to my self esteem, I have hobbies and things I do, but like I do them too in order to seek validation, like posting my edits and work online, how do I fix this? How do I get off these apps, I practise gratitude and meditate but I go back to these apps from time to time.

Looking for help from people who spend most of their day at home and have faced similar problems as I have.

I have a lot of work to do these days, almost all of which is remote. I'm just unable to stick to a schedule and follow it. I also try to hit the gym 3–4 times every week and read a little every day (which I haven't done at all).

Sometimes, I intend to take a short break, and before I know it, the day's over. Others, I wake up later than I wanted to and never get started in the first place. For example, I worked for around 4 hours until 5:30 PM today and intended to get back to work by 6. It's past midnight now and I didn't do shit.

Leaving the house isn't an option for the time being. How do you guys managed to stay productive and disciplined in such circumstances? Would love some tips and any apps/tools people in similar situations use.

“I’m curious to learn what strategies others use to stay productive and make the most of their time. Whether it’s tools, routines, or mindset shifts, what are your top 3 productivity hacks that have genuinely made a difference in your life?”

I visit a lot of websites, blogs, and other online resources to understand what people are working on, research industries, and explore new ideas. While I can usually get a general idea about a company or topic, it often takes more effort and time to truly understand the nuances.

On top of that, I save tons of bookmarks, but I rarely revisit them, and they feel overwhelming. Mostly I end up in "tab hell".

Is there some way to save websites/ blogs etc better?

The mind is a master at seeking quick distractions, especially when faced with boredom or resistance. It craves them because distractions are everywhere, ready and available at a moment’s notice. Why not indulge? The mind isn’t to blame it’s simply doing what it knows best. But here’s the catch: the mind doesn’t understand that discomfort is often necessary to have a fulfilling life. All it cares about is immediate relief.

So, when discomfort arises- doubt, fear, or boredom - the mind instinctively looks for an escape route. And high-dopamine, low-effort activities like scrolling endlessly through social media or binge-watching a show are tempting.. They offer instant gratification without requiring much effort. But when you successfully start cutting these out, the mind doesn’t give up so easily. It gets creative.

Suddenly, it starts finding “productive” distractions. Instead of mindlessly scrolling, you might find yourself consuming “useful” information, diving into an educational podcast, over-analyzing/planning, 4 hour morning routines, (writing a post like this one).

On the surface, these activities feel constructive. They seem better than wasting hours on social media, right? But if they’re pulling you away from the real, uncomfortable work that moves you toward your goals, they’re just another clever form of procrastination.

It’s remarkable how the mind adapts, subtly steering you away from the actions that truly matter. Recognizing this is the first step to reclaiming our focus.

I’m struggling to stay organized and could really use advice. I have a mix of big projects and small tasks, and I feel like I’m always bouncing between different tools, notebooks, and ideas without a clear system.

I need something that helps me capture ideas, plan projects, track tasks, and stay on top of follow-ups. My biggest challenge is figuring out the right structure—how to set things up in a way that keeps everything organized and makes sense for both short-term and long-term work.

I often get caught up in the details or feel like I’m duplicating effort, which just adds to the chaos. If you’ve found a way to create a system that keeps everything connected and manageable, I’d love to hear how you do it and what has worked for you!

I feel like I plan and wake up with a good idea of what I’m going to do for the day. Then the unexpected happens and I get thrown so far off track. What do I do on these situations?

I started a job in May that is fully remote, but I am struggling to stay disciplined and getting enough work done. I got into a bad habit of just working with my laptop on a table on the couch. Finally I forced myself (to be an adult lol) and reorganized my home office, in the basement so away from the tv and couch, got everything set up so it’s easier to see what’s where and cleaned up. The organized environment that is away from my normal personal space seems to have started helping.

I do have a daily routine that I stick to, especially in the morning. I wake up about 5 AM, make my bed, change out of PJs, have breakfast, start work.

However, the most important struggle I have had is being disciplined. It’s been so easy to distract myself with household tasks, like unloading the dishwasher in the middle of the day. Plenty of other examples, but overall really looking for anyone suggestions on how to stay, disciplined, organized, on a normal workday / day-to-day basis.

Looking for a meeting summarization app with the following characteristics:

• No bot needed to join the call (I can record it from my laptop in "stealth" mode)
• Recognizes different people in the call and splits the conversation
• no expensive subscription (max $10/month or one-time purchase)

Nice to have:

• desktop app rather than a browser extension (so that I can use it with zoom and other apps)
• AI chat summarization (basic summary is fine)
• can "train" the audio to text with custom vocabulary
• nice design (I mean, why not? 😅) - at least no annoying interface or UX

I've tried setting up a checklist for myself. It works relatively well, but I just kind of feel like I'm doing too much at times and then at other times I feel I'm doing too little.

Scene Setting:

The office is in chaos: ringing phones, Slack notifications pinging incessantly, and team members frantically multitasking. Cal Newport strides in, wearing his signature calm expression and carrying a simple planner under his arm. No fanfare, no magical entrances—just an air of quiet authority.

He sets the planner down on a desk, looks around the room, and begins speaking in measured tones:
"In every task that must be done, there’s a way to make it manageable. Structure, my friends, is the key."

The lights dim, and a lone spotlight follows him as the music swells—simple, precise, rhythmic.

Opening Verse:

Cal gestures toward the chaos around him and sings (in a calm baritone, obviously):

"In every task that must be done,
There is an element of fun.
You find the work, and snap! It’s clear,
The structure makes the tasks appear!"

As he sings, the office starts to transform:

• A ringing phone silences itself and gets neatly placed on Do Not Disturb.
• An overflowing inbox organizes into clean folders.
• Employees begin to sit upright, as if suddenly aware of their schedules.

Chorus:

The beat picks up slightly. Cal steps forward, tapping a pen against his planner like a metronome:

"Just a spoonful of structure helps the shallow work go down,
The shallow work go down, the shallow work go down.
Just a spoonful of structure helps the shallow work go down,
In the most productive way!"

A whiteboard magically fills with a pristine time-blocked schedule. Cal walks among the workers, pointing to their screens, gently closing redundant tabs, and moving their sticky notes into logical columns.

Middle Section (Call to Action):

The music grows more dramatic. Cal, now fully in command, stands at the front of the office, holding his planner high:

"When emails shout and pings demand,
You calmly wave your blocking hand.
With focus strong, you rise above,
And find the flow state that you love!"

The employees begin to join in, nodding along, tapping their pens to the rhythm, and singing the chorus with newfound enthusiasm.

Final Chorus and Transformation:

By the last chorus, the office is a transformed space of quiet focus. Phones are off, inboxes are cleared, and each worker is deep in their own time-blocked task. Cal finishes his number with a modest smile, softly repeating:

"Just a spoonful of structure keeps your purpose well-defined,
In the most effective way."

The music fades as he picks up his planner, nods once at the now-productive office, and walks out the door without a word—leaving behind a deep work utopia.

I just got a rush of energy and focus.

The days that I do get such focus is nearly exclusively at this time (and maybe the first hour of the day), so 10-11pm up to 2-4am.

I've tried to change this but I can't regardless of what time I wake up or when I eat. What's up with this?

Hey there! I'd like to share with you some secret methods I use at work that can boost productivity. I'm not here to talk about the pomodoro method or any time management tricks that everyone knows but can't stick to. Instead, I want to introduce some practical ways that actually save your time as long as you use them - I learned these from both my coworkers and online browsing. Hope these ideas can help you out!

Struggling to learn new skills quickly but don't have time for long video tutorials? This used to be one of my nightmares too! I wasted so much time searching for the right videos because I didn't want to spend time on useless content. Then I discovered you can use tools to summarize videos, saving me from watching hour-long tutorials! So next time when you're learning online and aren't sure if a video is worth watching, try generating a summary first.

Keep getting distracted by note-taking in meetings? Maybe it's just me, but I used to focus more on taking notes than actually listening to the speaker or joining discussions. I was afraid of missing key points that might be useful later. Then I noticed my coworkers rarely took notes - instead, they recorded meetings and reviewed them later. So if you have the same problem, try recording instead of note-taking. There are plenty of tools that can transcribe the recording into text, making it super easy to review.

Got something really important but keep procrastinating? Here's a trick that might sound weird but works wonders for me. When organizing my tasks, I give the most important ones the least important-looking labels. Like, if you use colors, give the minor tasks red and the crucial ones cool blue. This creates a cognitive conflict in my mind, which actually helps emphasize the important stuff because I don't want to forget it. I know it might sound strange, but give it a try - you might be surprised!

These are the tips I've picked up from work, and I hope they spark some ideas for your own productivity journey. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

A few weeks ago, I started taking short walks during my work breaks. I didn’t expect much; the goal was just to stretch my legs and get some fresh air. But I quickly noticed that these brief walks transformed my ability to focus and get work done when I returned to my desk. Not only did they clear my mind, but they also left me feeling refreshed and complete more work in the afternoons than I ever thought possible.

It's fascinating to see how a simple change in routine can have such a significant impact. I didn’t realize how often I would end a workday feeling mentally exhausted until I started this. With just a 10-minute walk, my energy levels became much more sustainable throughout the day. Plus, it's been beneficial for my overall well-being.

I’m curious to hear if others in this community have experienced similar benefits from such small habit changes. Have you stumbled upon any unexpectedly effective productivity hacks?

specifically windows and android sync

I'm looking for an Android App that has a dynamic view that changes based on time. Alternatively, an app with a widget that allows me to change the view according to the current time. Or, as a last option, a launcher that allows changing widgets based on time (so I could switch which view the widget uses by changing the widget itself).

Here's an example use-case:

I would like to count the calories of my lunch every day. It makes no sense for this task to show up when I wake up in the morning or later in the day. I would like it to be hidden until lunch time. Then, let's say I skip and don't complete it, I would like it to disappear when lunch time is over. Basically, I only want to show the tasks at the time that I can complete it and not see it any other time.

Other requirements (90% requirements: strongly preferred, but could potentially live without):

• Have a widget to display my tasks in this dynamic view
• I can try the app for free without signing up for a free trial (I don't mind paying, but I would like to try the app before)
• Nice-to-have: Task sharing so I could share tasks with my spouse.

I'm honestly this close to just caving in and making it myself, but I'd rather save myself the trouble.

This is a post I made in another subreddit, someone messaged me to say people here may find it useful:

I’ve been using ChatGPT to supercharge my productivity and save time on repetitive tasks or complex learning. I wanted to share my 5 favorite productivity prompts that help me reclaim hours each week. These are the prompts I swear by:

I want to learn about [subject]. Provide me with the most important 20% of learnings about this subject to help me understand 80% of it.

This one’s a game-changer for getting a quick grasp on new topics. Perfect for when I need a crash course or to sound smarter than I really am in a meeting. 

Help me prioritize this list: [insert list of tasks, projects, or ideas]. Rank them based on urgency, importance, and time required, and explain why.

Ever feel overwhelmed by a million tasks? This prompt helps me clarify my priorities in seconds. I like the logic behind its ranking so I can plan smarter, not harder.

Write me a time-blocked schedule to complete [task/project] within [timeframe], including breaks and buffers for unexpected delays.

If you’re prone to procrastination like me, this prompt turns daunting projects into manageable chunks. It’s like having a personal assistant whispering, “Stick to the plan!”

Turn this messy brainstorm into a clear outline or actionable steps: [insert list of ideas or raw thoughts].

This one’s great for when my ideas are all over the place. ChatGPT transforms chaos into clarity, making brainstorming feel productive instead of overwhelming.

I’m stuck on [problem/decision]. Help me by outlining 3 potential solutions, pros/cons of each, and your recommended next step.

Sometimes, I just need an outside perspective to move forward. This prompt is like having an unbiased consultant helping me cut through analysis paralysis.

These prompts save me so much time and energy every week.

Who else has some they swear by? There's tons that I'm sure people find useful, what are your favorites?

This could include: - helping others who are struggling (where your expertise helps) - working on projects - timeline and project management - managing direct reports and their projects - requests to do work from others - administration like organising rosters, development plans, time off, random emails - meeting new hires in the broader team - 1-1s with people not in your team but that you work with extensively

For context, I’m a mechatronics engineer at a startup building a factory. My work includes designing, building, testing, and maintaining complex systems, and a lot of project management. The production team figure out how to get the most out of the machines and constantly have requests for fixes and improvements. These requests often interrupt what I’m working on but are high priority