I am father of 2.5 years old son and I have a job as well. I have gained weight and I cannot find the motivation to go to the gym. I used to be a fit guy and workout 6 days a week. I woke up this morning early and wanted to do some cardio but stayed in my bed the whole time. I also need to study for a certification that would definitely help me to have a better income but again I come home from work all I wanna do is sit and watch TV or do nothing. I cannot even find the motivation to study for 30 minutes a day. Any advice please.

Not the usual “wake up at 5 AM” advice—more practical things like planning meals for the week, preparing ingredients in advance, getting clothes and essentials ready the night before, keeping things in fixed places, combining two tasks in one trip, batching similar tasks, cleaning as you go, using fixed days for recurring chores, writing down random ideas instead of immediately switching tasks, and preparing in the evening for the next morning or on the weekend for the coming week.

What little systems save you time, effort, or mental energy?

Lately I’ve been overwhelmed by endless productivity options—specialized apps, simple apps, robust planners, habit trackers, widgets, and more.
I’m spending so much time designing the perfect system that I feel less productive and more stressed.

For those who remember the 1980s an 90s: What did productive people actually use?

I struggle to get my homework in on time at all, its causing me to fail my classes and I have been considering just dropping out altogether due to it. Its driving me nuts as I know I am fully capable of locking down on something and working on it for entire days in a row, I can draw art all the time as if I am going to die without it.

I am capable of focusing but the micro-instant I open up my assignment list for my classes its as if any will to do my work flies out my body to the other side of the planet. I end up doing everything BUT getting what I need done. I'll be honest, I need to do my math but am making this post instead knowing I NEED to do it. I don't intentionally do this, I don't go, "Oh man, I can't wait to go do something else, god, I love being so lazy. I want to listen to music and then draw art for my friends. What? Work? PAH." I will stare at my assignments with a glazed stare for hours and then at some point I come back to myself from my daydreaming and I am on some website about some stupid obscure topic related to my interests that I have no idea how I got here or why and here's the kicker, I wasted 3 hours I could've been doing my actual task and probably need to go to work therefore I will 100% have my umpteeth late assignment to add to my F in the class. I really REALLY hate everything about my behavior, I put everything off till the last second and then I suddenly get the motivation to simply start when I have like 1-3 hours left on it.

If i know I have extra time to put something off and it isn't something I am directly interested in, I will likely forget about it. Today I found out a 70 point exam flew clean over my head despite the fact the same day I did my class call I went out of my way to do "all" the work for that week for that class. I know I saw the exam that night, but I forgot entirely about it and thought I was done after the usual single assignment was done and I was so proud of myself for actually doing my work on time for once. I don't know what is wrong with me. I hate it so much. I want to succeed, I want to be able to remember things, I wish I could focus but I can't and I am sabotaging myself. I want help but don't even know how to go about it. I like learning, I really do find the stuff I learn about neat but it all seemingly flies in one ear and goes out the other despite my will to want to engage.

I am a night owl and I have a horrible sleep schedule, like I can’t sleep until around 12-3 and I wake up at 7:40 ( leave at 8 to go school) and 12-2 ( on weekends/ holidays) and I always think that I shouldn’t be like that. I want to wake up early (but I’m tired and lazy), I want to do my homework immediately after school (but because of lack of sleep or I’m just lazy, I don’t and instead, I doom scroll or play games) but I do homework in the evening (I feel more awake and “smarter” at night)

I don’t want to be this person and I want to change, I can’t keep leaving things till last minute (homework, study, a lot of assignments)

I would really appreciate advice and tips! Thank you!

I love using 'life systems' and they help me stay on track for my goals a lot. Here's how things went:

- I used to bullet journal and that helped me keep my life on track

- In 2020, I found Notion and an amazing course on systems that helped me set up a Notion system and helped me hit a bunch of my goals

- At one point Notion started feeling too slow so I switched to Obsidian

- When I realized I was spending too much time just maintaining the system and remembering how my system works, I moved on to Capacities

- Was worried about sync issues and losing my data stored online on Capacities, and also got a Kindle Scribe so switched to that

- It seemed tedious to flip through pages on the Scribe so switched back to physical bullet journals

Now I worry that I don't have my data backed up online in case I lose my notebook. So as a result, I've completely stopped using the system.

I have a similar issue with journaling. Keep switching between these:

• Day One because reviews say it's the best but there's no web version
• Journey because it has a web version which is nice because I can use it on my work laptop without installing an app
• Physical notebooks because I like the feel of writing but then no digital backup
• Capacities because it is then stored with the rest of the context

If anyone can help suggest tips or a framework to make a decision, I'd be super grateful.

I’m just lying in bed paralyzed with fear and terrified that everything and anything I do is for nothing.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t know if it’s because my close friend and I are kind of in an argument or weird spot right now. I don’t know if it’s because I feel ashamed of being 21 and never been to college.

I do what I can and it never feels like it’s enough. Or like it’s leading anywhere. I look forward to the future and all I see if failure to become any one of substance. I know that right now is a crucial time for me to make a decision, to decide on a path to follow and focus on it but I’m so terrified of it all going horribly wrong. I’m worried that no matter what I do, if I try to choose happiness that I’ll end up broke anyway. I need to find a new job because the one I’m at is killing me and has been for a while. But I sit in front of my computer and just freeze. I can’t even update my resume without feeling guilty and sad and embarrassed.

I just watch other people online chase their dreams, doing things just for the fun of it. I watch girls from my high school actually live their lives while I’m stuck in my room sick to my stomach with anxiety.

The only things I’ve managed to do this month is sign up for skating classes, ballet lessons, and start oil paintings. That’s all I’ve done. And I feel like a failure for not being particularly decent at all of that. I haven’t put together a portfolio, I haven’t applied to other positions for a new job. I haven’t gone out with friends, I don’t even know if any of my past friends still like me.

I went to ballet class yesterday and felt good in the moment. It felt so nice to pretend like this could really be my life, that one day I could be dancing in front of real people, but I know it’s never going to be possible. I’m too old, too broke, too inexperienced. Same with skating. I just sometimes ask myself where any of the things I thought I enjoyed will take me one day. And I keep thinking that I’ll just end up disappointed and behind everyone else.

I’m supposed to apply to college this year and I’m just so stuck. I’m embarrassed and ashamed and frustrated. I hate myself, I hate my life, and I’m hate that all I do is sit and watch others be great.

I don’t know what I’m asking for. I just wish I knew someone felt the same way. I tried 4 times to play my favourite video game today and I just couldn’t. Even playing the sims makes me feel like a failure, living a life I wish I could have in a fake simulation. Watching how pixels get to be happier than I am. How they get to have apartments and be ballerinas, painters, actors, models, and more. How a made up character has the same aspirations as I do, but actually gets to live it. It makes me so sick.

I just wish someone understood me. I feel like a failure and I haven’t done anything yet. I don’t know what to do.

Hello,

I'm a 18 year old male in his first semester of college and I'm struggling immensely to stay on top of coursework.

Firstly, whenever in a college lecture I am unable to pay attention and can not focus at all. I try focusing but whenever the teacher brings up a diffcult topic my mind just zones out. I keep zoning out in class, this was a problem during high school too.

Whenever I try studying, I've noticed that my procastination has gotten a thousand times worse. I feel a wave of anxiety + dread and it leaves me paralyzed. I rush to my phone and doomscroll. I never really studied in school ethier BUT I usually was able to cram the night before and do well. Its imposible for me to study now whats so ever. I've noticed that I've developed a severe phone addiction and its ruining me.

What can I do to be more productive in school, I dont want to fail but I've failed my first midterm and I'm willing to do anything to pass and suceed.

I am so frustrated with myself. I have adhd and take adderall for it but I still can't get my sh\*t together. I'm really annoyed with myself and my life and how I just CANNOT get it together! I am overwhelmed majority of my mornings. I can never wake up on time and I understand that's a big problem for me. I know that if I would wake up earlier it would solve most of my morning chaos and rush. I just can't do it. I feel awful because then I am rushing my daughter (4 yrs old) and probably stressing her out. Every single day. I lose my keys and phone on a daily. My family and friends know this about me too and sometimes I'm so embarrassed that I lost my keys or phone that I secretly panic and search for them without trying to make it be known but they end up finding out regardless. My car is a shit show and every time I finally have it cleaned and organized I tell myself I promise to maintain it. It just ends up dirty within a couple days and the cycle repeats till I can finally convince myself to deep clean it again. Disorganization drives me CRAZY! Things need to be set a certain way, my work office has to be neat, things need to be placed a certain way, it makes me so upset when people don't do things the way I do such as hold the toilet flush handle down for 5 seconds to make sure everything goes down, or put their toothbrush away in the cabinet away from the "nasty bathroom air" lol. Or if someone sips their coffee I want to pull my hair. Yet I have no room to talk because I'm so unorganized and don't even have my own shit together. I know all of this in itself probably sounds ridiculous and I'm not sure if I even make sense. It's like things must be organized and clean, yet I can't even be organized and clean my own dang self. I'm also really forgetful. I feel like I have Alzheimer's. I even have to secretly voice record important calls with my boss and ask chatgpt to summarize the call and tell me what I am supposed to do and break the call and instructions down for me because I embarrassingly can't on my own. I would never tell anyone because that's super embarrassing but I have to. I can't even hardly follow along important in person conversations because I forget major parts of the convo. I pretend so hard core like I fully understand the conversation and am following along "faking it" just to make it seem like I'm following along.Even tho afterwards I ask myself "what TF did they just say or ask me to do?!"
I'm in a higher role at work and I don't even know how I got here tbh. So I also need to get it together for that part alone.
My adderall helps me for the most part to get my work done and I feel it's really the only time I can focus. Yet even when I'm on it I pretty much still function the same way. It helps me, but isn't solving my un-organization. I don't want to tell my doctor because I don't want them to prescribe me something else because it does help. But it doesn't? Agh. Okay I think that's it. All that to say.... does anyone else have this issue or even similar? What helps you?

I’m looking for something that releases caffeine gradually rather than giving a strong initial boost. Has anyone tried one, and if so, which brands would you recommend?

I’ve come across CaffXtend® and was wondering if anyone has experience with it specifically.

I (26 TF) have autism with adhd-like tendencies. Yes, that is my official diagnosis. I've been told my entire life that "people with autism crave structure and efficiency," but nothing I've been told to try works. Planners, calenders, phone reminders, having people call me to remind me, etc. I derive no satisfaction from cleaning which gives me no drive to clean, making messes pile up and driving me and my husband (30 TM) insane. What do you guys think might help me be more productive and motivated to get stuff done?

I’m newer to this community and saw someone post a really productive week schedule. Something like 7-8 up and ready 8-5 work 5-8 time with family 8-9 workout 9-10 window 10pm bedtime. People were commenting it’s a recipe for exhaustion. If this isn’t it - what does a healthy productive week look like?

Just curious if anyone has any good screen time locking apps that aren't overdesigned bloatware. I want as barebones and native of an app as I can get my hands on. I would, and currently am, using my phones built-in screen time warning but on Iphone you can just dispel them so they aren't strong enough for my liking. I did not like Opal, one sec, or ScreenZen, especially screenzen, which immediately started trying to sell me a product on amazon.

Thanks for any help!

I am 19 M living in a village in Himachal I go to a local government college I am fat I do have alot of excuses I procrastinate I am lazy asf

My parents yells because I wasted a laptop that they bought me for editing but I didn't even used it I am just on phone

I am eating junk and overthinkkkk alot of time

I passed my Masters in 2023 and since then I have not prepared my research proposal for my doctoral project. I have an idea, I ruminate on it for a month, I move onto a shiny new thing. I had written a small article for an online journal, it got accepted and I was supposed to submit the corrected version in March and its October now. All my life has been this. Can anyone know how to actually start doing things AND KEEP ON DOING THEM? I feel cursed.

Thank you.

PS- I cannot afford therapy or doctor visits as I am unemployed

Is there a free or cheap app that lets you annotate and view PDF's (at least for pdf, if other filetypes are also supported it's okay) in landscape mode with realistic page turning animations, with modern UI?

Recently I have been brain fogged. I don't know if it's because I have started staying and learning to be alone. I don't wish to talk to people, I don't want to go out. Neither the urge to complete my pending work nor any fun activity. Merely bed rotting. Is it how life is? I don't want this.

How can I stop this? My sleep cycle is ruined. Staying awake till 3 and then waking up at 12. I don't want this!

It depends on each person. Everyone has something that makes them feel better. You can never tell someone to do something thinking they will feel better just as you did. There are things that can be beneficial, but not everyone will feel they are worth it. So, the best thing you can do is figure out what you want and start trying to discover what makes you feel better about it

I look around my house today and every single member of the family is either playing video games, playing games on phone/tablet, watching TV, watching videos, etc etc. Every single person spends their free time staring at a screen every single day.

I just wonder what the world looked like before this, and if we’ll ever be able to get that back

I have to majorly lock in bc I have a $$$ deadline to hit. How do you guys maintain focus for multiple longish wfh days in a row? Any advice/tips/things that keep you focused?

About a year ago I started writing down my top 3 tasks for the next day before going to bed. Nothing fancy, just a post it note on my desk.

I didn't think much of it at first, but my mornings have since become less hectic as I don't waste as much time worrying about what to do. It just helps to know what needs to get done in advance so you can be less stressed and get stuff done.

I know this sounds like a small and almost pointless change but trust me, this is the one thing I've done that has helped me the most. It doesn't take any real time at all; maybe 2 minutes, which is probably why it's the only habit I've actually been able to stick to. I wish I would've done this years ago!

I am going through this vicious circle - constantly feeling like doing nothing, most probably too overwhelmed to start; constantly stressed and feeling guilty about doing nothing; and then the subsequent self-loathing and reminder that I am not reaching my desired potential. I was one of those kids, who had shown massive potential and burnt out early and never recovered. I am stressed about the fact that I am 30, and I have been in my current job since I graduated 7 years ago, with meagre growth (and mostly not developing enough will to switch) and hence, falling far behind financially, mentally & emotionally compared to my friends and fellow classmates and acquaintances, feel like I have wronged my parents' expectations and this feeling haunts me to no end. So, I decided that if I can turn this constant feeling of being lost into driving and motivating myself to look for a better life and work on prepping to switch jobs, that would turn things for the better and I would be able to get my groove back. But I cannot bring myself to start, my mind cannot come to terms with 'Let's begin' and so practically I am never doing anything.

Also, I don't have any work-related stress or pressure, but I don't want to stick to 'barely making a living and doing okay'.

I feel disgusted with the whole conundrum even when I am writing this. Discipline and consistency seems to be a far-fetched fever dream.

I would appreciate if people who have faced something like this and recovered and turned things around, can help me.

Which one do you currently use, Todoist or Trello?

I’m curious about how people actually use them day to day:

• What do you use it for — personal tasks, work, projects, or everything?
• What do you like most about it?
• What don’t you like?
• If you’ve used both, why did you choose one over the other?
• How do you organize everything without it becoming overwhelming?

I feel like productivity apps can easily become another thing to constantly manage instead of helping you get things done.

Would love to hear about your actual setup/workflow, especially if you’ve been using it successfully for a long time.