Harness the Power of Accountability
Covid-19 has forever changed the definition of the "office". With a multitude of hybrid systems, anything and everything goes these days.
Are you back at the office full-time, or are you still spending a significant chunk of your work day having to self-manage at home?
Some of you have always worked from home and still others struggle to get personal, household or other stuff done.
While some of us embraced and enjoy the saved travel time and being able to work in pajamas, others continue to struggle with the self-management involved in working from home (or doing any solo task for that matter).
WFH Self-Management Skills
Planning and prioritizing
Staying focused on task
Avoiding procrastination
Managing time well and
Following through on intentions.
The isolation and lack of accountability that comes with working from home just adds insult to injury!
So What’s An ADHDer to Do?
Here’s an exciting new online co-working option that grew out of the pandemic. I heard about it from a client.
Have you heard of Caveday? It’s a membership that offers online co-working to keep you focused and accountable. They’re facilitated by a trained guide who leads deep work sprints alternated with energizing breaks.
It’s exactly the “scaffolding” an ADHD brain needs to get stuff done, especially for those important but not urgent tasks that keep getting shoved onto the back burner.
So, what can you expect from a Cave session? I joined a few sessions to check it out firsthand.
How it Works
I logged onto the Zoom video chat and kept my camera on for the entire hour’s session. The Cave guide welcomed us and reminded us to turn off our phones and remove distractions. Then, we each stated what we intended to work on. (If it’s a big group, you do it in breakout rooms so it doesn’t take too much time). Just having to think about that encourages prioritizing and planning.
After a quick energizing exercise, we muted ourselves and got to work for the next 50 min. There is also an option for three hour sprints. I found the one hour sprints good for clearing a batch of smaller tasks off my plate. The three hour sprints are more appropriate for deep work, especially since it sometimes takes ADHDers a bit of time to warm up and get into the flow of things.
At the end, we all reported back (via chat, so it took no time at all) on what we got done during the session. The guide also asked us to type in our next step. This was really helpful in allowing me to continue working after the session with minimal disturbance.
Before logging of, she made sure that we got in a stretch, shoulder rolls and some guided breathing - something I always want to bring into my day, but never do.
Why it Works
1) Body Doubling
“Body Doubling” (working with someone else) is a known ADHD strategy for improving focus because just having someone else in the room can help anchor your attention to what you’re supposed to be working on.
And it works remotely too. Having a whole group of people all focusing at the same time gives off an incredible, attention-enhancing energy.
2) Time Management
In addition, I’m going to guess you struggle with time estimation. But with every Caveday session, you sharpen this skill and get a better idea of what is actually possible within an hour.
3) Deadlines The Cave “closes” 10 minutes after start time, so you can’t come too late. ADHDers thrive on hard deadlines. Usually, they only have ending deadlines. Cave sprints give you starting deadlines too, to help you overcome procrastination. Especially if something you’ve paid for in advance!
4) Transitions
If you have ADHD, you probably struggle with transitions too. This closing activity allowed us a minute of focused transition time. When we don’t take that intentional transition minute, we end up doing all sorts of longer, time wasting activities as a way of transitioning to the next task (think scrolling, gaming or snacking!).
Yay! Free Stuff!
If you’d like to try a group focus session, I have a gift for you: You can try a free 3 hour sprint or get your first month for 1$ using my discount codes.
First month for $1 : CODE: "1STMONTHONE"
Free Three Sprint Cave: CODE: "TRYACAVE21”
Sign up here:
Other Ways to Harness the Power of Accountability
1) Zoom Work Dates
Not ready for a Caveday? Do your own body doubling. If there’s someone else at home, ask them to be in the room with you. When that’s not practical, how about trying a virtual accountability partner? Check out how to set up a Zoom date with a co-worker or friend here:
2) FocusMate
Now I know you might be a night owl or you might be struggling to find a friend that can zoom with you at the time you want. If you want someone available day or night, and are willing to serve as your new partner’s accountability coach, Focusmate may be for you.
Focusmate provides fifty minutes of virtual access to an accountability partner, someone whose job it is to simply be there to remind you to stay on track and get what you’re working on done. Find out more here.
What about you? Do you struggle to work from home? Maybe it’s things in your personal life that are hard for you to do. Let me know in the comments below.