The world is never ideal. The reality of a project execution is full of ridiculous requests, stupid mistakes, political games, irrational decisions, and conflicts. 
Experienced project managers can keep the project moving despite marching on a bumpy road. They identify and solve issues creatively because they know there is no ready-to-use solutions from project management existing tools and methodology.

​Achieving a distraction-free environment starts with organizing our thoughts. Understanding what we want and identifying what is important serves as the foundation.Next, we need to identify distractions and actively avoid them in our lives.

• Physically, we can find a quiet area to minimize interruptions. It’s beneficial to turn off non-essential notifications and use apps to block distracting websites.
• Designate specific times for routine tasks, such as checking emails and messages, to avoid constant interruptions. Techniques like time-blocking and the Pomodoro Technique can be particularly effective.
• Mentally, we should cultivate discipline through mindfulness while working and plan regular breaks.

In summary, when we have a clear understanding of our tasks and purposefully eliminate physical and digital distractions, we can create a productive, focused, and distraction-free mindset that enhances our efficiency.

​OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It is a goal-setting framework designed to align teams and individuals with the overarching vision of an organization. It was invented by Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel, in the 1970s as a way to drive clarity and focus within the company. Later, Google popularized OKRs to help their teams track progress towards ambitious goals.

• Objectives talk about "what". It is a Qualitative, ambitious, and time-bound statement defining what the organization or team wants to achieve.
• Key Results describe the "how". They have to be  Specific, measurable metrics that define how progress towards the objective will be tracked. 
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are relevant metrics that show progress and performance.

To create effective OKRs, it's essential to set clear, measurable objectives and identify key results that are specific, achievable, and time-bound. Objectives should be inspirational and provide direction, while key results must be quantifiable metrics that determine success. It's essential to maintain a balance between ambitious goals and realistic outcomes.

A common pitfall in using OKRs is setting vague or overly ambitious key results. It's also crucial to avoid tying OKRs solely to compensation or performance reviews, as this can lead to stress and undermine the true purpose of the framework, which is to drive alignment and motivation across teams.

To implement OKRs effectively, organizations should set break them down into team-level OKRs, and track progress through regular check-ins and transparent communication. Key results should be revisited and adjusted regularly, with feedback provided at the end of each cycle to refine the process and ensure continuous alignment.

It's important to understand the differences between an OCR project plan, OKRs, and KPIs. Think of OKRs, project plans, and KPIs as elements of planning a road trip. 

• The OKR represents your destination—for instance, driving from Texas to California. Your objective is to reach California, while your key results measure your progress, such as "Reach Phoenix in 10 hours" or "Maintain an average speed of 65 mph."
• The project plan serves as the route you take—this includes choosing highways, planning gas stops, and deciding where to take breaks, such as following I-10 West and fueling up in El Paso.
• Meanwhile, KPIs act like your car’s dashboard, providing real-time data such as "Current speed: 70 mph," "Fuel level: 50%," or "Miles driven today: 500."

In summary, while **OKRs define success**, **the project plan outlines how to execute your journey**, and **KPIs monitor your efficiency**—all working together to ensure you reach your goal.

Let's discuss how to structure our day as project managers. To begin, we must identify our goals, outline the path to achieving those goals, and create an immediate to-do list. With this foundation, we can start organizing our calendar.

First and foremost, prioritize personal growth, as it leads to ultimate happiness. Depending on the situation, aim to wake up early, around 5 or 6 a.m.. Use the quiet time before most people are awake to work on something meaningful that isn't directly related to our daily work. For instance, you can write a blog or contribute suggestions to our PMO website, which involves reading materials, exploring topics, reading books, reviewing accounts, and processing payments. This quiet time should be dedicated to our overarching life goals.

• 6:00(5:00) -7:00 a.m. – Personal Project 
• 8:00 -10:00 p.m. – Personal Project

Second, save time for meals and teatime or coffee breaks. 

• 7:00-8:00 a.m. – Breakfast with Family
• 10:00-10:30 a.m. – Morning Tea Break ( Quiet time to think) 
• 12:00-1:00 p.m. – Lunch with Colleagues
• 3:00-3:30 p.m. – Afternoon Tea Break
• 5:00-7:00 p.m. – Dinner with Family and Household Chores

Next, let's plan for work:

• 8:00-9:00 a.m. – Review the project status, define the scope of work, and decide which tasks to tackle for the day. Use this time to read incoming emails and clean up your inbox.
• 9:00-10:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. – Focus on quiet work, including creating project plans, reviewing those plans, and following up on tasks
• 1:00-3:00 p.m. & 3:30-4:30 p.m. – Work on collaborative tasks in the afternoon, as people are generally more engaged. This includes scheduling meetings with team members and stakeholders for effective communication. Keep your calendar open so others can book meetings with you.
• 4:30-5:00 p.m.** – Wrap up the day by reviewing what has been accomplished, checking emails, addressing any challenges or blocking issues, and preparing for the next day's tasks.

Last, save some personal time. 

• 7:00-8:00 p.m. Family and Friends Time or Engaging in Activities to Help Each Other
• 10:00-10:30 p.m. Self-Care Time (whether that be spa time or relaxing with music)

​The calendar can be summarized as follows: