Focus isn’t always about discipline—it’s about strategy and compassion. I’m sharing what’s actually working for me right now when it comes to productivity and deep work—especially during this chaotic summer season.

If your brain feels scrambled, your to-do list is mocking you, and deep work feels totally out of reach, you’re not alone. I’ve been in it, and today, I’m bringing you behind the scenes on how I’ve finally gotten back into a productive rhythm. I’ll walk you through four simple, powerful strategies that are helping me focus again—including how I use reset hours, why I ditched full focus days, and the exact locations that help me lock in.

This summer, I hit a wall. My brain just would not lock into gear. The to-do list was endless, the distractions were louder than usual, and no matter how much I wanted to get into deep work, it felt like I couldn’t even get past step one.

If you’ve been there—or if you’re in that season right now—I want you to know you’re not alone. I’m someone who teaches scheduling and productivity, and still, I found myself stuck.

But the beautiful thing about being stuck is it forces you to shift. To adapt. And through trial, error, and a little bit of rebellion against my usual routines, I found my way back to focus.

Now I’m sharing the tools that helped me, in hopes that they’ll help you too.

Instead of powering through chaos, I give myself a dedicated “reset hour” to brain dump everything onto paper. It’s like clearing your desktop—mentally. I’ve started doing these resets not just weekly, but whenever I feel like I’m spiraling. It works wonders.

I used to assign entire days to big tasks like course creation. But let’s be honest—who can maintain deep focus from 9 to 5? Now, I schedule 60–90 minute focus blocks where I turn on Do Not Disturb, close my tabs, and just go. It’s enough time to get real work done without frying my brain.

I used to tell myself, “I’ll feel more focused later—maybe after coffee.” Spoiler alert: I didn’t.

Now, I tackle the task that requires the most mental energy first. That one thing I’ve been avoiding? It gets top billing.

Not only do I feel more accomplished earlier in the day, but I also free up energy for everything else that follows.

This might be the most underrated productivity hack of all. This summer, my usual workspace just wasn’t cutting it. I discovered two places that work like magic for me: a specific local library and a quiet, airy hotel lobby. Don’t settle for just any space—test and find what sparks your productivity.

I want to be really clear here: none of this is about squeezing more out of your already tired brain. It’s about working with your brain, not against it.

If deep work feels hard, it doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for your goals. It means your current rhythm isn’t supporting you—and you have full permission to change it.

Reset. Reframe. Rewrite the rules if you need to.

This season is temporary—but the tools you gain while navigating it? Those will stay with you.

Looking for the Transcript?

The post 207: When Focus Feels Hard: 4 Strategies to Regain Deep Work Flow appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.