Episode 13: Anetta Pizag

Focus and Chill - productivity tactics for AuDHDers and other neurodivergent folks

Welcome to Episode #13 of the Focus and Chill podcast. We’re lucky to have Anetta Pizag as our guest today.

Anetta is a workplace strategist, work style coach, and author. She helps create human-centric workplaces that make it easier to tackle the challenges of work while maintaining a healthy body and mind.

She’s the author of two books: ‘Create a Thriving Workspace’, a guide for designing spaces where work communities and businesses flourish, and ‘35 Smart Choices’ which offers practical advice on how you can play to your strengths, find your flow, and improve the quality of your work and your life.

1. JC: What projects are you concentrating on during your focused hours?
   1. Recently published the book 35 Smart Choices
   2. Currently researching workplace trends
   3. Where can provide value
   4. Working in consulting
   5. Customer-facing role in the afternoon (constant attention switching)
2. JN: How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
   1. Hiking/nature walks
      1. Gardens nearby
3. JC: What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
   1. Organic
   2. Childhood discipline imposed on her
   3. Creating conditions rather than relying on discipline
   4. Morning activities depend on what she needs:
      1. Journaling
      2. Walking
      3. Writing
   5. Emphasis on managing emotions and headspace
      1. Avoid
         1. Social media
         2. News
         3. Incoming
            1. Mobile phone ringer off
         4. Confrontational conversations
   6. Deep work
4. JN: What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
   1. Get clear on what productivity means: performance a better word
      1. Listening + empathy + creativity important
      2. Need to feel comfortable and relaxed for creativity
   2. Capture inspiration:
      1. Shower - waterproof notebook. No talking for 30 minutes
      2. While cooking - notebook
      3. Walking
   3. Playing to chronotype
      1. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and then 5:00 - 7:00 pm
   4. Manage environment:
      1. External view:
         1. Expansive view: see the sky + trees for creativity
         2. Cave view (basement) can sometimes help with focused work
      2. Handling noise: certain activities are ok when noisy
      3. Temperature:
         1. Cold is good for analytical work
         2. Warm is good for relationship building
   5. Be intentional with breaks:
      1. Avoid dopamine-stimulating activities (news/videos/emails) during breaks
      2. Instead: make tea, go for walk, listen to music
   6. Switching workspaces
      1. Working in different rooms
      2. Garden
      3. Beach
   7. Batching tasks: easier to get into flow if don’t switch context
      1. Emails
      2. Research
      3. Back-to-back meetings
5. JC: How do you switch off at night?
   1. Spending time in nature
   2. Clean eating
   3. Integrators vs Segmentors:
      1. Integrators who surf through the day and don’t mind blending
      2. Segmentors: separate workspaces, clear time delineations
   4. Reference: https://hbr.org/2020/07/building-work-life-boundaries-inthe-wfh-era
6. Empty the battery, be tired, and both
   1. Physically
      1. Walks + pilates
   2. mentally
7. JN: What habits do you want to remove from your life?
   1. Not asking for personal time - trying to soldier on
   2. Task switching
   3. Opening emails during focused hours or when not ready to deal with them
   4. Procrastination, and multitasking rooted in self-doubt and imposter syndrome
      1. Coaching
      2. Reading
      3. Podcasts
8. JC: What resources (books, philosophies, apps) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
   1. Prefers long-form content (not TikTok/YouTube short videos):
      1. Huberman Lab podcast
      2. Stolen Focus by Yohann Harii
      3. Place Advantage by Sally Augustin + Research Design Connections newsletter
   2. Apps:
      1. Print Friendly PDF - removes ads etc.
9. JC: Where can people connect with you or find your work?
   1. Pizag.com.au
   2. LinkedIn
10. JC: Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
    1. No single solution works for everyone. Experiment with how you work.
    2. Our needs differ – apart from the need for oxygen