Case Study: A Single Mother Reveals How She Stays Productive Despite Having Multiple Commitments

Meet Donna Woodwell

Donna Woodwell has three significant professional roles. She serves as a managing editor for a major astrological website. She also leads her own company. Donna also teaches astrology and esoteric studies at Kepler College and the University of Texas Informal Classes. 

Why Donna Came to AE How Donna Used AE Donna’s Results
Donna found Asian Efficiency through a Google search that led her to the OmniFocus Premium Posts. She found the help she needed to organize her life and work. She said it was like having a virtual personal assistant. Donna started with OmniFocus Premium Posts. Later, she became a Dojo member. Now she takes advantage of the many resources, courses, and the community accountability. As a single mother, Donna leads two businesses, teaches for an organization, and she finished writing her first book – all at the same time.

Donna’s Story

Donna was juggling the responsibilities of being a single mother, serving as the managing editor for an internet startup, working as a life coach, and writing her first book. 

Donna connected with Asian Efficiency because she was searching for a way to organize her life and work. She was using a task management app called OmniFocus to organize her task list, but she knew she not leveraging the tool for maximum benefit. Through an internet search, she found the Asian Efficiency resource for OmniFocus Premium Posts. She immediately recognized the quality of the material, and she bought the product. For Donna, it was a game changer. It helped her level up how she used OmniFocus for clarity, focus, and time management. More than that, it helped her improve how she managed her life. She said it was like having a virtual personal assistant. 

The Asian Efficiency approach to productivity impressed Donna. It was more than a method. She gained an understanding of the theory of how and why she needed to increase her productivity. 

“I can see where all the pieces of my life are.”

Donna now feels free to manage all the pieces of her life without an undue amount of stress. She manages two jobs, a teaching position, writing a book, and being a mother. She said it is possible because of the support and resources of Asian Efficiency. 

Rituals and Systems 

Life moves fast for productive people. There are never-ending demands on your time, energy, and attention (also known as the TEA framework). Systems and routines are how productive people manage the unpredictable parts of the day. Simple systems like a morning routine can transform you day and increase your productivity.

Good rituals and systems work like anchors that keep you connected to your goals and priorities even when something unpredictable occurs. Rituals are your guide to get your day back on track when something derails it. 

Donna said, “I think of my life as a series of containers.” Each important part of her day is contained in a closed-loop (ritual). When something unexpected occurs, she can easily get back on track by returning to the ritual at the appropriate moment. 

How Asian Efficiency Helps Single Moms 

I do not know how I could be a single mom without this material. 

Single moms need to adapt to a lot of changing circumstances. The Asian Efficiency approach to productivity is flexible. The Asian Efficiency routines and rituals create resilience in your schedule. Donna can face a challenge with confidence because she knows that when something crazy happens, she has a tool to help her get back on track. Donna commented that the Asian Efficiency support and resources helped her put sanity back in her schedule. 

One product that Donna found especially helpful is Morning Rituals.

1. Routines + Rituals  = Resilience

We all know that life is unpredictable. Former boxing World Heavyweight Champion, Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face.” Productive people always start the day with a plan. However, successful people are the ones who can respond to the unexpected when it happens in daily life and work. 

Donna describes this as being resilient. According to Donna, the routines and rituals she has learned how to implement from Asian Efficiency add resilience to her life. She has learned how to adapt to changing circumstances without losing her productivity. 

2. Routines + Rituals = Self-care

One of the missing pieces in the lives of mothers is self-care. There is an inherit danger in the role of motherhood that moms will take care of others but neglect themselves. Time and energy are finite resources. A mother who neglects self-care can easily reach her limits. A mother who is exhausted and stressed may not be in the best condition to respond to her children. 

Routines and rituals are a way to be intentional about self-care. It is too important to leave it to chance. It is not enough to hope it happens. Mother’s need to plan for how they can take care of themselves. 

Donna recommends the Asian Efficiency resource Morning Rituals. This course gives mothers a systematic way to take care of themselves. 

Accomplishing Big Goals 

Besides her professional roles, Donna is also writing a book. Anyone who has ever attempted an extensive project like writing a book knows it is an enormous challenge. To accomplish big goals, you need time and focus. The good news is that we control both resources. The hard part is protecting our time and attention in a world full of distractions. 

Donna wrote her book in just two months by applying principles she learned from Asian Efficiency. 

She created a ritual for daily writing. Donna explained she wrote 1,000 words per day. In two months, she cranked out 70,000 words. As a visual way to stay motivated and accountable, she used a wall calendar to mark each day with a gold star when she reached her writing goal. 

The Dojo

The Dojo is the Asian Efficiency online productivity community (now called Productivity Academy). It includes an active community to support your productivity journey, training videos and courses, and live interactive calls with Thanh and the Asian Efficiency team. 

“I am in it for the community.”

For Donna, it has been an invaluable resource, especially the community aspect of the Dojo. It is a great feeling to know you are not alone in facing your problems. It is encouraging when you interact with others who speak your language and have a point of reference for your daily struggles to be productive and successful. 

Being a part of the Dojo community is a way to put your questions and problems in perspective. The community is a place to find answers to questions, solve problems, and help others do the same. 

Living a Productive Life

According to Donna, the Dojo is for any thinking person who wants to live a productive life. She says it is not about getting more done. Instead, it is about living every moment with intention. She calls it a spiritual discipline. 

Donna talks about the difference between having a to-do list and a “done” list. Her approach is to write what she intends to do…and actually do those tasks. She describes it as “mindfulness in action.” For Donna, it is about being conscious of deciding and what you are going to do with your life. Instead of being a person who is constantly reacting to circumstances, you make conscious choices about what you are going to do. These principles give you the freedom to be in charge of your own life. 

These principles give you the freedom to be in charge of your own life. 

A great example is learning how to manage your email. Email is an integral part of work and life. You cannot avoid it, but you do not have to be controlled by it. Email does not have to dominate your time and control your day. Donna said, “I couldn’t imagine living back in world where I had 10,000 unread emails in my box.”

The Asian Efficiency community and the resources help you build your productivity muscles so you make better decisions, live an intentional life, and accomplish your goals. 

Donna has put the principles to the test, and she has experienced the results.

Next Steps

Productivity is a commitment that gives an exponential return on your investment. The Asian Efficiency Dojo is a great example. Donna knew that through her participation in the Dojo, she would have access to training, resources, and an active community to help build her businesses and accomplish her important goals without sacrificing her personal life or her responsibilities as a single mom. 

  • The Dojo is a great place to start for anyone who wants to multiply their productivity. There is a 60-day money-back guarantee, so there is absolutely no risk. Try it today, and experience the difference for yourself. 

See Donna’s full interview: