. It simply doesn’t work. In times of crisis, it really doesn’t work. Instead, as best as you can, try to schedule your time in chunks: homeschool for X hours, work project for Y hours, and so on. Group things together that make sense to be together. This is especially true for your inbox. I am so much more productive when I address all emails related to a specific project, instead of addressing them chronologically (you can search by sender or topic to sort). It’s my version of the Pomodoro method , which encourages you to get in the zone for one specific task or project for 25 minutes. Focusing on one to-do or group of to-dos helps you get through your work much more quickly than switching from topic to topic.. You realize that you may be low on toilet paper and run to check your supply and boom, you’re thrown in a panic and off track. Keep a notebook, a Google doc, or notes app active to quickly jot down what is on your mind so you can address it later.. A daily meditation practice has been shown to improve memory recall and shorten the time it takes to refocus and get back on track. It can also boost creativity . You can try apps like Meditation Studio to get started, but I also know that meditating can be really hard for some people. If that sounds like you, try a deep breathing practice. One mindfulness lesson they teach in my sons’ school is the starfish or five-finger method: Start with your pinky and trace your fingers up and down, breathing in on the up, and out on the down. It’s amazing how quickly this works to lower your stress. When you breathe deeply, it sends a signal to your brain to relax, which then sends a message to your body to do the same.. I read an essay recently that said Satisfaction = Experience - Expectations. When you give yourself permission to only tackle what you can versus starting five different things and not doing any of them well; when you agree to mono-task and move anything you can’t get to until tomorrow; you will feel more focused and less frenzied. These are not normal times — there is no playbook for what we are going through. Be kinder to yourself, find that self-compassion, and you will find your focus.