Definitions
Something that sneaks in during productive time and steals away some of that time.
What is a Time Vortex?
Lola has just gotten home from school and knows that she has a lot of math homework tonight but it's always hard for her to get started. There is always just one more text to answer and then, when Lola finally sits down at her desk, her cat always jumps into her lap and asks for attention.
What is put her cat in a different room and close the door before starting?
What is setting her phone to do not disturb?
Sol is working on a sheet of math problems during lunch but it's taking much longer than expected. Sol is using his cell phone as a calculator and every time he picks up the phone to use the calculator, there's another text message to respond to.
What is take a break and go borrow a calculator from the math room?
What is put the phone in airplane mode?
My Attention
What is Daydreaming?
What is friends texting me?
What is hearing family talking in the other room?
What is my dog begging to play?
An action you take to avoid a time vortex.
What is a preventative Time Saver?
Jordan is learning to skateboard and the easiest place to practice is on the street outside his house where there's a nice hill, but every time he goes outside, one of his neighbors walks by and starts chatting with him. Then, by the time he starts practicing, it's nearly time for dinner.
What is going a few blocks away to practice where he doesn't know so many people?
Aisha started studying for her test an hour ago. She felt very efficient at the beginning but in the past 20 minutes her progress has been slowing down. She's getting tired and is finding it harder and harder to keep her eyes focused on the page.
What is taking a break?
What is getting up and moving around?
What is changing the lighting in the room?
What is trying a different study technique?
My Body
What is being hungry?
What is being thirsty?
What is feeling pain?
What is an uncomfortable chair?
What is feeling the need to move?
An action you take when you notice a time vortex is stealing your time.
What is a "catch-it-in-the-act" time saver?
Sohil planned to work on their English reading from 3-4pm today, but this week college decisions are coming out and Sohil's friends are posting their acceptances and rejections. Plus, Sohil tried to do this homework yesterday but had a hard time not constantly refreshing their own portal.
What is taking the English book outside and leaving all tech inside?
What is turning on a site-blocker?
What is setting a timer to read for 15 minutes before checking the portal next?
Matiin is cleaning the kitchen but the family dog keeps running through, tripping up Matiin and slowing the process down.
What is put the dog in a different room and close the door?
What is asking a family member to take the dog for a walk?
My Feelings
What is feeling lonely?
What is feeling overstimulated?
What is feeling sad?
What is feeling shut down?
What is feeling overwhelmed?
What is feeling excited?
What is feeling upset?
What is feeling frustrated?
Time you have set aside for focused work on a specific task.
What is productive time?
Amanda's history teacher usually gives the class 20 minutes of work time at the end of the period. This should be enough time for Amanda to finish at least half of her homework for the day, but the problem is that the class is right before lunch and she feels so hungry by then that she can't focus on her work.
What is asking permission to bring a snack to class?
What is making sure to have a water bottle? (Sometimes drinking water can make you feel less hungry for a little while.)
What is eating more at breakfast time?
Joelle set aside 2 hours today to do an internet search for summer jobs. She is starting to get discouraged though, because she keeps spending a long time reading about an interesting job only to find out 10 minutes in that it needs a qualification that she doesn't have or doesn't pay as much as she is looking for, so she feels like she's wasting her time.
What is first looking for key details (salary, qualifications, etc.) before reading the description?
What is setting more narrow search filters?
My Space
What is a messy desktop?
What is a loud room?
What is too many toys/games/activities around?
What is lights that make a buzzing sound?
What is a room that's too quiet?
My Readiness
What is I can't find my assignment?
What is I don't know how to start?
What is I didn't do the reading yet?
What is I don't have the book?
What is I can't picture the end goal?