Focus is Key
Tags: beginners, productivity
Published: 2023-03-15 00:41:42

_I would like to take a quick moment while I embark on this new journey to thank my employer, Amazon. Without the Career Choice Program I would not be able to have this opportunity to learn at Flatiron School._

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After having completed my first 2 weeks of pre-work here at Flatiron I can say that I feel a bit overwhelmed. I am proud of myself for pushing through all the hard moments and being able to advance to the Full-Stack course. 

JavaScript has really been a struggle for me. It feels like learning a whole new language. There were many highs and lows for me while working through the labs but I kept my chin up and pushed through. 

HTML and CSS were a bit easier for me to grasp. I was joking with my husband that Myspace, way, way back in the day really helped me here. I loved being able to customize my own personal site and I used a lot of the things that we learned during the pre-work. I know that it won't all be easy, but it was nice to have something at least that didn't feel like a struggle to accomplish. 

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While I don't have much coding experience to talk about here yet I did want to share with you some tools I like to use to stay focused and set myself up for success. 

I am a huge fan of digital journaling and planning on my iPad. That being said the first tool I want to talk about is the [GoodNotes](https://www.goodnotes.com/) app. This one is great because it can be used across multiple devices so you always have your plans in the palm of your hand. I love breaking up the course assignments and readings into a daily spread. It is much less intimidating to look at this way rather than the huge list on Canvas, and helps keep me on track. 

![GoodNotes](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/izvt3nn6r9v1g29vrijj.PNG)

The next planning tool I use is the [Notion](https://www.notion.so/) app. This is another one that can be used across multiple devices. I created a page for this class and broke it down into sections, then I created a table within the sections where I can put the assignments names, due date and a completed checkbox. That way I know where I am at and what I have left to do so I don't miss any important due dates. Let's be honest, it's really stratifying to be able to mark things off on your to-do list. 

![Notion](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/o1po29c42nui4nlggo6d.PNG)

Now let's talk about some things I like to use to help me stay focused. I really enjoy finding productivity livestreams on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/). There is something to be said about having a community around you that are also focusing on getting things done. It helps hold me accountable. 

![YouTube](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ceezxzecbfjwpt66pwhw.png)

If I'm not watching a livestream I will you the Pomodoro Technique. If you aren't sure what that is let me explain. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by five-minute breaks. Longer breaks, typically 15 to 30 minutes, are taken after four consecutive work intervals. You can find apps and timers for this everywhere but my current favorite is the [Aesthetic Timer](https://studywithme.io/aesthetic-pomodoro-timer/). 

![Pomodoro](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/k4viqgjund19ezt7jyyg.PNG)

I also enjoy listening to music softly in the background while I work. My favorite thing to listen to is Lo-Fi. If you don't know what this is, it's music that is recorded with intentional imperfections, such as misplayed notes, environmental noise, low hum, or phonographic audio imperfections. Lo-fi music helps the front lobe in our brain to focus – those flaws or low hums can also put the brain in the mindset to focus. My current favorite is [Chillhop](https://chillhop.com/) which has a lot of music with jazz and hip hop vibes. 

![Chillhop](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/rqr2df37oaonvdd8clyn.png)

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These are all the tools I use to plan and focus my time. I hope I helped you find some new ways to get ready to tackle the journey ahead.