Calm in the Chaos: A Gentle Guide to Staying Productive in Tough Times

During normal times, when life follows a steady, familiar beat, it’s relatively easy to be productive. When life is predictable and we know what to expect over the course of our days, we can plan our schedules and focus on it reasonably well. But if, instead, you’re constantly getting bombarded with external stressors, it can quickly derail your ability to focus and leave you in a constant state of high alert.

It's not unusual to experience some stress within families, relationships, and work. That is the normal stress we all deal with. But, when a country experiences a sudden shift in governance that causes people to feel that the future is uncertain, it can become difficult to stay focused on your day-to-day tasks. 

As we lurch from one breaking news event to the next and watch the values of our 401k’s surge and plunge — all within a single day — life can feel like an unending reel of unpredictable and destabilizing events zapping our attention and emotional energy. It’s draining. With fear as our new companion, we must find a way to stand firm and stay focused on our daily goals.

When the Chaos of 2025 Started, My Productivity Plunged

For a while, I thought I was the only one struggling with the adverse effects of the current events, until one day when I was listening to a podcast on Freelancing; clearly, the podcaster was upset about our country’s current situation. She talked about how her productivity plunged in the first quarter. It was at this point that I realized — it was not just me. We’re all struggling with this.

Realistically, I think we can see that our current instability may not be a short-term anomaly but rather a situation that we will have to endure for a while. We have no control over these events, so our only viable option is to adjust.

While I could list many well-known productivity boosters, they won’t work well in our current situation. Our productivity has dropped due to fear and distraction, not from a lack of goals or knowledge of how to achieve those goals. However, productivity boosters coupled with methods that generate a sense of inner peace can be a powerful way to boost your productivity.

In this post, I am breaking with my normal editing and marketing content for small businesses, to share my go-to methods to stay calm and boost productivity. But, before I share my list, it’s important to remember one thing: if you have an unproductive day, go easy on yourself. There is a lot of upheaval and uncertainty right now. Some days you’ll feel more on your game than others. Don’t scold yourself for those unproductive days — they’re inevitable. Accept them as an understandable response to what is happening in the world right now and try again tomorrow.

With that said, let’s dive into ways to boost your productivity.

Create Some Space by Turning Off the Noise

The key to focusing on your agenda is to have a clear mind — not one that is near panic with the constant bombardment of anxiety-provoking messages. Many people like to have the news in the background while getting ready for work or eating breakfast. Unfortunately, to maintain high viewership of their programs, the media tends to highlight negative stories and opinions designed to cause outrage, which only adds more stress to our already busy mornings.

The solution? Turn off the news. Trust me, if anything important happens, you will hear about it. If you must have some background noise, put on your favorite playlist instead.

I tried a “news blackout” for one month. From the month off, I realized that most news stories either don’t affect me directly or are not within my control. During that one news-less month, I felt calmer and more focused than I had in a long time. I even slept better. If you really want to get your head clear and ready to do your work, turn off (or severely limit) the news.

“According to Consumer Affairs, we check our phones 144 times per day on average.”

Put Your Phone Away

I suspect that most of us don’t realize how many times a day we habitually reach for our phones to check them. According to Consumer Affairs, we check our phones 144 times per day on average. Every time we pause an activity to check a message or notification on our phones, our brains receive a small hit of the feel-good neurotransmitter, dopamine. These constant small hits of dopamine throughout the day create habit loops that reinforce the behavior.

In addition, when you check your phone frequently, you’re training it to crave novelty and instant gratification. Over time, you may find that you have trouble performing deep work that involves sustained effort over time (if you want to read a great book on this subject, check out Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World).

Admittedly, this is a hard habit to break — for me, it took about two weeks before the cravings to check my phone subsided. At first, you will feel the pull to check and sharp pangs of FOMO (fear of missing out). But eventually, it eases.

Perhaps one of the best ways to break this habit is to have dedicated times when your phone is in do not disturb mode. Personally, I find it helpful to put the phone out of sight as well.

Other ways to incorporate more phone-free time in your life include sharing phone-free meals with family (yes, there’s always at least one phone addict in every family who brings their phone to the table). Walks are a great opportunity for phone-free time. And bedtime could (and should) be made into phone-free time. Keeping the phone off before we sleep allows our minds to slow down and prepares us for a restful night of sleep.

Limiting your phone time is a big productivity booster. When you decrease the amount of time spent on your phone, you’ll find more time available for focused work and less time spent on mindless browsing of social media (by the way, Americans spend almost 2.5 hours per day on social media. That’s 17.5 hours per week… the equivalent to a part-time job!).

Reconnect with What Matters

If you’ve reduced your screen time, you’ll have more free time. Use that time to explore a hobby you’ve neglected or even a new hobby you’ve always thought about trying. There are many benefits to engaging in hobbies regularly:

Your brain forms new connections

As we age, our brains trim away unused pathways.  To create new connections, learn something new. And when you practice a hobby regularly, you are strengthening pathways related to focus, problem-solving, creativity, and emotional regulation.

You activate a flow state

Do you remember the last time you were so engaged in an activity that time seemed to slip away? That’s a flow state. Spending more time in a flow state increases levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine, trains your brain to focus deeply, and reduces anxiety and rumination. And the best part is that the more time you spend in a flow state, the easier it is to get back to that state.

Your brain releases joy-boosting chemicals

Dopamine isn’t the only feel-good chemical in our brains; serotonin and endorphins also help to produce feelings of joy and happiness, and when you do something you enjoy, your brain gets a nice shower of this happy-triad of chemicals.

Executive function improves

Hobbies that involve learning new skills or solving problems, improve executive function. Executive function includes important skills, such as planning, memory, and attention control.

Creates a sense of purpose

Completing a drawing, knitting a hat, or playing the Moonlight Serenade on the piano all give you little wins and a sense of satisfaction.

“Spending more time in a flow state increases levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine, trains your brain to focus deeply, and reduces anxiety and rumination.”

Get Involved in the Community

Performing volunteer work or getting involved in community projects can help you regain a sense of purpose. It shifts our focus away from our own problems, and toward helping others. It can give much-needed perspective to our lives knowing that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

In addition, community projects can build a sense of camaraderie and reduce isolation and loneliness. According to a study by Cigna and Morning Consult, 58% of adults in the U.S. report feeling lonely at least some of the time. That number jumps to 79% for young adults (ages 18-24). Volunteer work can help people feel more connected (it works even with only small interactions with others).

Working on community projects can also boost your confidence as you learn new skills and help the organization achieve its goals.

Finally, studies show that when participants engaged in more kind and helpful acts, they experienced fewer negative emotions and were less affected by stressors. So, if you want to stay calm and more centered, try some volunteer work. And if you’re tight on time or unable to make a long-term commitment to an organization, try looking for one-time projects, such as a beach or park clean-up day. There are always groups looking for help.

Spend More Time with Your Circle of Comfort

The outcome of a long-running Harvard Study on the strongest predictor of health and happiness in later life confirmed what our grandparents may have suspected all along. Wealth and fame won’t bring you happiness — happiness comes from the health of our relationships. Quality connections with friends and family lead to happier and healthier lives.

Family and friends can provide needed emotional support during times of overwhelm. Sometimes, just having a friend or relative who listens well — without judgment — can help you feel understood and supported.

Our loved ones can also provide much-needed perspective when we’re struggling with an issue. They can help you to see things differently, remind you of your strengths, or even get you laughing.

And if you’re pressed for time, go for a little shot of the “love hormone,” oxytocin, by giving a loved one a 20-second hug. You’ll both get a boost from this feel-good hormone.

Go for a Hike

Several studies have confirmed that walking in the woods is more than just a good workout (which comes with its own benefits). It also reduces rumination, stress, and depression, while boosting mental clarity, mood, and self-esteem.

Where you walk matters. Studies consistently show that walking in nature or designated green spaces is significantly more beneficial than walking in a mall, for example.

For many people, the intentional act of stepping out of the chaos of daily life to take in a few small, beautiful moments in a nature walk, feels like an indulgence. It takes effort for most of us to create the space in our schedules and invest some time in ourselves and our mental health. But it’s an investment that pays off with a clear mind and increased productivity.

To make the hike even better, enjoy it with a friend or family member. Hikes are a wonderful opportunity to share some uninterrupted, quality time together.

Listen to Music

Have you ever noticed the lift you get when one of your favorite songs comes on? The effect is almost immediate. This is because, much like eating or exercising, your body will release dopamine when you listen to music that you like. And as you know by now, a little dopamine can work wonders.

It may be obvious to you that upbeat music will boost your mood, but slow music plays a role as well. Slow music, such as various forms of classical music, can slow your heart rate and breathing to help you feel calmer.

 Get Your Work Team Together

If you’re a small business owner, you are likely performing multiple (if not all) roles in your organization.  If it’s within the budget, consider hiring staff to take some projects off your plate. In addition to easing your workload, a new teammate can bring fresh ideas to the organization. When you get help with some of your dull or time-consuming tasks, your productivity increases as the mental weight of having those activities on your to-do list eases. This frees you up to devote more time toward growing your business.

If you’re not ready to commit to hiring more staff, consider using freelancers to help with projects. Freelance content writers and content editors, for example, help create content that matches your brand voice and connects with your ideal readers. They can produce content consistently, which will help boost your ranking in search engines.

Other freelancers commonly used by small businesses include graphic designers, photographers and videographers, web developers, SEO specialists, IT support, social media managers, bookkeepers, accountants, and virtual assistants.

Small business owners are typically a very talented and determined group of people, but there are limits as to how much time they can devote to learning new skills for every aspect of their organization. Hiring a freelancer not only frees up your time but also capitalizes on their expertise.

An Uncluttered Mind Is a Productive Mind

By taking the time to develop a sense of inner peace, you’ll be able to focus for longer periods of time and accomplish more. An uncluttered mind will help you to think more strategically and approach problems with more creative solutions. While changing our routines and adding some self-care steps into our lives can be challenging, the mental energy and focus you gain will be well worth the effort.

And now it’s time to put it into action. Stop feeling whipsawed by current events and take control of your mind. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle even the toughest tasks on your to-do list.

If you’re thinking about hiring a freelance content editor to help with your small business marketing projects, contact me. Tell me about your upcoming projects and let’s see if I can make your life a little easier.