Frank Bryant

Stop promising weekends. Say what you will stop doing. Ask for a priority call in writing. Timebox: 'I have 90 minutes this week and want that or full ownership later?' When scope grows, reset the clock. Silence after that is consent to the new timeline.

Just schedule a quick call with your manager and be direct about it. Tell them the constant changes are throwing off your focus and you need clearer priorities to meet expectations without burning out and especially with kids demanding my time after hours. Suggest a simple shared doc or tool like Asana to lock in tasks for the week. I've done this before and it helped stabilize things without seeming whiny. Make sure to frame it as wanting to deliver better work. That way, you're proposing a solution, not just complaining.

I tried a few old cases from friends and the only one that felt wrong was the kind with rigid molded cutouts made to the old dimensions. Anything with a soft cradle or elastic band worked because it gives a little and the OLED nests in. Close it shake gently, listen for rattle, then press on the lid over the sticks and D pad and see if there is contact. If there is, move the strap or empty the pocket and it usually resolves it.

Use a friendly time boundary up front, then a clear wrap line. As soon as someone starts chatting, smile and say, I have about a minute before I need to get this draft out. What is the headline? When the minute is up, close with Thanks for the chat. I need to jump back to the doc by ten, but I want to hear the rest later. If they pop by when you are on a deadline, try I am heads down on a deliverable. Can you ping me or grab me after lunch and we will catch up? It signals interest without inviting a long detour. Pair the words with physical cues. At your desk, swivel your chair back toward your screen, put a hand on the mouse, and take a half step away from them as you say Alright, I am going to dive back in. At the coffee machine with both hands full, use motion to end it. Say I need to get this back to my desk before I spill it. Walk in the direction of your desk and finish with Let me not keep you or I will let you get back to it. You can also offer a next touchpoint while moving, like Shoot me a message or Grab five on my calendar. Make it easier on yourself with simple props and routines. Wear headphones as a visual do not disturb and set your status to Focus or On deadline so drop bys feel less casual. Keep a couple of ready lines you can repeat without thinking, like I only have a minute right now or I promised myself I would finish this before the next meeting. When a chat is winding down, do a quick summary to cue the exit, like Sounds like the trip was great. Let us pick this up after standup, then smile and turn back to work.