How do you deal when it feels like you didn’t accomplish much by the end of the workday despite completing assorted assignments?
Honey Laudit and Mikee Garcia of NextStep Training and Consulting Inc. guided nearly 300 virtual attendees in “Working Smart: Finding Focus in Times of Overwhelm,” a Wellness Wednesday webinar held on Sept. 24. Organized by First Philippine Holdings Corporation, the two-hour session aimed to distinguish between “busy work” and “productive work.” The NextStep speakers also coached participants on techniques to maintain focus while preserving their mental well-being.
Laudit kicked things off by launching a live poll to get a feel for how overwhelm manifested among the employees. They proffered a plethora of perspectives: too much work, interruptions, emotional burnout and a seeming lack of progress. Laudit likened it to Tetris, where tasks keep dropping but, without clear priorities, nothing fits and everything piles up. This insight set the tone for the rest of the session: one-size-fits-all fixes don’t cut it. In other words, opt for tailored solutions instead of just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
Steering the discussion toward energy management, Garcia cited “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working: The Four Forgotten Needs That Energize Great Performance” by Tony Schwartz, which expounds on four dimensions of energy: physical (“all parts must be in good working condition so it operates smoothly”), emotional (“when we are able to take more control of our emotions, we can improve the quality of our energy”), mental (“focus for 90 minutes to 120 minutes and then take a true break”) and spiritual (“having a sense of purpose helps push us forward”).
According to Schwartz, physical energy thrives on good habits, emotional energy grows with gratitude and connection, cognitive energy needs quiet blocks of time and spiritual energy comes from doing work that matters to you. Without these, one runs the risk of burning out.
During the session, the speakers emphasized the importance of understanding each of the dimensions and how they interact. Once we learn how to do this effectively, we can move from being busy to being productive (and engaged).
Laudit highlighted ultradian rhythms, which are natural cycles of high and low energy lasting from 90 minutes to 120 minutes throughout the day (imagine a wavy line). She encouraged everyone to ride these waves (“how we actually work”) instead of forcing a straight line of productivity (“how we’re told to work”).
The facilitators turned big ideas into bite-sized tools. One recommendation was the Pomodoro technique. Francesco Cirillo’s method, which got its name from a tomato-shaped timer, touts short bursts of focused work—usually 25 minutes—followed by real breaks.
Laudit underscored the importance of honoring the short break, saying it allows one to recover from intense bursts of energy required by a task. One’s use of the break could determine how well you can go on for the rest of the day, she added.
She also presented the declutter framework composed of to-dos, decisions, ideas and the things you can let go (that is, defer or delegate to someone else).
More often than not, todo lists are likely just things we need to decide on, Laudit explained.
“The faster you can make a decision, then the more energy you will have to do the important work—which is focused work—and that will require focused efforts from you as well.”
To help prioritize, one could leverage tools like the impact-effort matrix and Eisenhower principle—great for spotting quick wins and dodging time-wasters. When it’s time to offload tasks, consider delegating, automating or redesigning while providing clear instructions and backup plans.
Meanwhile, author Cal Newport’s idea of “deep work” took center stage for high-impact tasks. Participants were guided to design their own deep work sessions: pick a spot, set a time, create a vibe (cue instrumental music) and define what success looks like. Strategic plans and analytical reports go in the deep work territory, unlike triaging one’s inbox, for example.
The NextStep speakers championed rituals as the bridge between good intentions and lasting habits. They suggested ending the day with start-up and shutdown routines. These could include reviewing what you finished, jotting down what’s left, planning the next steps and doing something physical—standing up, stretching or walking away—to signal the end of the workday.
They encouraged the participants to write down three good things and why they mattered, a practice that rewires the brain to focus on wins instead of dwelling on gaps.
The employees chimed in with their own focus-protecting hacks: color-coded calendars with breathing room, evening hard stops, “do not disturb” settings and workspace tweaks to reduce interruptions. The idea is that boundaries are not barriers, but something that makes meaningful work possible.
The session closed with some doable commitments, with the facilitators encouraging the participants to decide on a system that would help them track their tasks, create a ritual to mark the start or end of the day, and practice a habit that helps them recharge.
Laudit framed these as experiments—play with timing, music and structure until it fits your rhythm. Garcia reminded everyone that sustainable work is social too: talk about your priorities, ask for support and align with your team.
One final thought from the facilitators: working smart isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters, with intention and care. Participants thus walked away not with a rigid plan but with a toolkit of small yet powerful practices.
