We’ve all been there. You wake up a little late, maybe spill coffee on your favorite shirt, and then, just to top it off, you realize you’re almost out of gas on the way to work. In that moment, it’s easy to throw your hands up and declare, “My day is ruined!” It feels like a universal truth, doesn’t it? One small hiccup, and suddenly the whole day is painted with a brush of negativity.
But what if that feeling of a “ruined” day is actually a trick our minds play on us? What if, instead of a complete write-off, it’s just a tiny blip in an otherwise perfectly good day, or even a great one? My co-host, Brooks Duncan, and I recently explored this idea, diving into how we can reframe these moments and reclaim our productivity, even when things don’t go exactly to plan.
The Myth of the Eight-Hour Workday (and Why It Matters)
Before we dive into salvaging a “ruined” day, let’s talk about a common misconception that often fuels our frustration: the idea of an eight-hour workday filled with pure, uninterrupted focus. Many of us believe we should be productive for eight straight hours, and when we’re not, we feel like we’re falling short. But the reality is, that’s rarely the case.
One person on a productivity subreddit shared their experiment: they tracked their “real” working hours using a Pomodoro timer. Their finding? They could only manage about two to two and a half hours of quality, focused work per day. This included things like coding, data analysis, and writing. Meetings, even the pointless ones, were also counted. If they pushed much past that two-and-a-half-hour mark for several days in a row, their brain felt like “mush.”
This isn’t a new idea. I’ve been saying for years that two hours of focused work a day is considered really, really good. If you can hit that, you’re doing great. One hour is a good bare minimum. Anything less, and you might be missing out on your potential. This doesn’t mean you’re slacking off for the rest of the day. You’re still checking emails, attending meetings, and handling other tasks. But those aren’t the deep, focused activities that bring out your best work.
Think of it like sleep. If you sleep 12 hours one night and 3 hours the next, you’ve still gotten 15 hours of sleep over two days. But that second day, after only 3 hours, you’re probably not feeling your best. The same applies to focus. Pushing yourself too hard one day can have a knock-on effect, making it harder to focus the next. So, when you’re planning your day and week, remember that scheduling two hours of focused time is a powerful way to ensure you’re productive. You don’t find time; you make time.
Breaking Free from the Social Media Loop
Another common culprit for feeling like our day is “ruined” is the endless scroll of social media. It’s a pervasive issue, and many people struggle to break free from its grip. One person on the subreddit described their struggle: they were on their phone from the minute they woke up until they went to bed, mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. They tried deleting apps, but would just reinstall them or access the platforms through web browsers. Even a 48-hour lockbox didn’t work; they just spent four hours catching up once they got their phone back.
This isn’t a simple problem with a simple solution. Brooks pointed out that this person had already tried all the usual advice. So, what’s next? Sometimes, it requires more drastic measures, like shutting down accounts. While that might sting, especially if you want to stay in touch with friends, it can be a necessary step for some.
One interesting suggestion was an app called “One Sec.” Anytime you open a distracting app like TikTok, One Sec pops up, prompting you to take a deep breath for five seconds. After the countdown, it asks if you still want to use the app. This acts as a pattern interrupt, making you consciously aware of your habit. It’s a clever way to add a little friction and make you question your mindless scrolling.
Another creative idea was to have a dedicated device for social media. Imagine using an old iPad solely for checking Facebook, with two-factor authentication enabled. This adds friction because you have to go to a different device and verify your login, making it less likely you’ll mindlessly open the app on your phone. The more friction you add to an unwanted habit, the less likely you are to do it.
Ultimately, one of the best ways to lessen your social media usage is to fill your life with other engaging activities. If you’re busy building a business, pursuing a hobby like pickleball, or traveling, you simply won’t have as much time to check your phone. Imagine investing those four hours a day you might spend on social media into something that truly matters to you. That’s 120 extra hours a month dedicated to your goals!
The “86,400 Seconds” Rule: A Powerful Reframe
So, how do we truly turn a “ruined” day around? It often comes down to a powerful reframe. One person on the subreddit shared a quote that perfectly encapsulates this idea: “If you have 86,400 and you lose 100, you wouldn’t go about wasting the remaining 86,300. Would you?”
This refers to the 86,400 seconds in a day. If you waste a hundred seconds, that doesn’t mean you throw out the other 23 hours, 58 minutes, and 20 seconds. It puts things into perspective. That spilled coffee or traffic jam? It’s a minuscule moment in the grand scheme of your day. It doesn’t have to derail everything else.
Brooks highlighted that this is a great example of zooming out. When something feels massive in the moment, taking a step back often reveals that the problem isn’t as big as we perceive it to be. It’s a useful productivity strategy for anything that frustrates you.
Subdividing Your Day for a Fresh Start
Another practical tip for dealing with those “ruined” moments is to subdivide your day. Brooks shared that he mentally splits his day into four parts: morning, afternoon, evening, and night. If something goes wrong in one subsection, he just writes it off and starts fresh for the next one. It’s a mind trick that allows for multiple “fresh starts” throughout the day.
This approach aligns with our natural circadian rhythms. You might have a burst of energy in the morning, a dip in the afternoon, and another surge in the early evening. Just because your morning was rough doesn’t mean your afternoon or evening has to be. I’ve had days where my morning was terrible, but after a quick nap, I felt refreshed and was able to tackle tasks in the evening that I couldn’t get to earlier. Life is imperfect, and embracing that notion can significantly reduce worry.
Embrace Imperfection and Surf the Waves
Ultimately, life will always throw curveballs. You can’t control the waves, but you can learn how to surf. Sometimes, things happen that are completely out of our control. Someone cuts you off in traffic, for example. That’s not your fault. But how you respond to it, and whether you let it affect the rest of your day, is under your control.
And for those moments when you do mess up, when something is entirely within your control but you still make a mistake, remember this: it’s okay. We all do it. The person you admire who seems to have it all together? They’ve made mistakes too. Have grace with yourself and just move on. Beating yourself up only prolongs the negativity.
Life is imperfect. Embrace the notion of going with the flow. It’s made my life so much less worrisome. Instead of being rigid and expecting everything to go according to plan, I’ve learned to adapt. And that, in itself, is a powerful productivity hack.
