Stop Trying to Be Productive

But in the midst of a global pandemic that has upended nearly every facet of modern life, people are finding it harder and harder to get things done.

"It's tough enough to be productive in the best of times let alone when we're in a global crisis," said Chris Bailey, a productivity consultant and the author of " Hyperfocus: How to Manage Your Attention in a World of Distraction ." "The idea that we have so much time available during the day now is fantastic, but these days it's the opposite of a luxury. We're home because we have to be home, and we have much less attention because we're living through so much."