Feeling overwhelmed and underproductive are all too common in today’s society, while feeling focused and present throughout the day can seem completely out of reach. Even if we experience that mental sharpness after a perfect latte or a hard-fought sweat sesh, the effect is often fleeting. Believe it or not, balanced, grounded energy is something we can walk around with at all times — if we practice DOT (Do One Thing). Also known as single-tasking, it’s the method of doing one thing at a time to ultimately accomplish so much more. Marie Condo can teach you how to declutter your home, but DOT declutters your energy.

Our condolences to the proud, card-carrying multi-taskers out there, but learning to concentrate isn’t just for orange juice. It’s the universal secret to success. Any computer coder will tell you that a function is most efficient when it’s restricted to one outcome. If constantly spinning like a lazy Susan to juggle it all has your brain whiplashed in a perpetual hurricane, perhaps it’s time you met DOT.

Here are some common multi-tasking pitfalls and DOT solutions to stay on top of your to-dos.

Scrolling

If we’re scrolling when we should be paying attention, or popping open tab after tab while we’re stuck in a Zoom meeting, what we’re really craving is acceptance or an escape. In either case, it’s a clear sign that we don’t feel seen. First, identify what you want from your phone or web browser that you aren’t getting from the people and things in front of you. Then, identify what the bigger priority is.

Are you scrolling because you’d like someone to talk to? Do one thing and walk outside and compliment the first person you see. Initiating a genuine human connection is much more fulfilling than a dozen likes. Are you distracting as a form of procrastination? Procrastination is a symptom of the freeze-response. If you’re swiping through reels and TikToks to put off projects, it might be a signal from your nervous system that you feel attacked by the amount of things you have to do. In that case, there’s no shame in taking some things off your plate. Delegate or be honest about your needs and back out where you over-committed.

Eating

You aren’t only WHAT you eat, you’re also HOW you eat. A balanced mind starts with a happy tummy, and how a person eats is the primary indicator of how they care for themself. If you’re in the eat-in-front-of-a-screen club or part of the grab-a-bite-behind-the-wheel society, it’s time to make an adjustment. Introducing nutrition to your system is meant to be a focused body-mind activity that goes way beyond shoveling and swallowing. Tasting, smelling, and thoroughly chewing the food on your plate are all part of the digestive process. The sights and smells of the meal before us actually instigate enzymes in the saliva, liver, gallbladder, and small intestines. Depending on what nutrients are detected by all five senses, the body releases corresponding compounds to break them down accordingly.

Putting the phone down or turning the TV off during meals is a huge way to boost self-esteem, regulate appetite, and cut down on bathroom issues all at once. This nurturing act shows your body that you want to be there for it, and the more cared-for you feel, the better equipped you are to face the day’s agenda.

Emotions

Emotions are as inevitable as death and taxes, but they don’t have to derail your productivity train each time they arise. Contrary to popular belief, the secret to staying on track isn’t to ignore and suppress them. All emotions, positive and negative, are chemical releases triggered in the body preparing it for action — something you want to eat, smack, run away from, or fully engage in. Unresolved emotions never just disappear, they sink into the tissues and become chronic aches and pains, or they burrow into the subconscious and become tomorrow’s therapy invoice.

Emotions simply ask to be acknowledged. Rather than plowing over them for the sake of your to-do list by default, dedicate a structured break to give them space to do what they need to do. Find a quiet place, set a phone alarm for ten minutes, close your eyes, and give yourself permission to feel. Cry if your body is asking to, sit in the car and laugh like a maniac, write an angry letter to get the heat out of your system, listen to a song that encapsulates your sentiments perfectly, or power-walk to move your feet. Your single task is to process that energy. You’ll come through with a lighter, clearer head to tackle what’s next.

Listening

How well we listen to others clues us in to our compassion and boundaries. You don’t have to agree with what they’re saying, and you don’t have to take on their problems as your own, but you can offer your attention and hold space for them. Just like we must practice being present with our own emotions, we can work on acknowledging the needs of another. Make an effort to really hear them. If you’re notorious for spacing out, steamrolling, or being inundated by your own skull chatter, an easy exercise is to pick out one to three things the person communicated to you that you can repeat back to them. It’s also next to impossible to listen if we feel trapped. When you reach the point in the conversation where it’s in your best interest to leave, you have full sovereignty to do so.

No one can do all the things all the time. Be gentle with yourself. Overstimulation generally leads to under-performing, especially if you’re on the sensitive side. Honoring your energy by knowing what you need and making the arrangements to give that to yourself is the most effective thing you can do to regulate your stability and amp up your productivity.