I’ve put together these bullet points on personal productivity to celebrate my birthday. That’s why the number is so odd.
You may even find some of the points themselves odd, but if you find one that you think would be worth adding to your own approach, then I’ll consider it a gift both given and received.
- You have time for whatever you want to have time for. If it matters, make time for it that allows you to make progress with as little friction as possible.
- Leave a bottle of water where you’ll drink it first thing when you wake up. (I leave mine in the bathroom.)
- Use less tools so you can use them to their fullest.
- Take one day off a week from social media. If you feel the need to post daily, then schedule one day’s worth in advance.
- Find a way to meditate and then do it. It’s worth it.
- You can find really good decaffeinated coffee. When you find one, start drinking it more than your caffeinated stuff.
- Never forget to turn on your email vacation message…and preferably do so the day before you go on vacation. And be sure to send this email before you leave for vacation.
- Don’t take your lunch breaks at your desk.
- Always keep a set of workout clothes packed in your suitcase.
- Journaling is an underrated productivity practice. It’s also undervalued.
- Paper books are still the best type of books.
- Using an email program that separates your personal and work email is a wise move if you find yourself checking personal email at work and work email during personal time.
- Your calendar outlines the broad strokes of your day. Your to do list dives into the details. You need both to be able to pay attention to your intentions.
- Getting by on 33 articles of clothing over a three-month period isn’t as tough as you might think.
- Buy a portable battery to charge your mobile devices. You’ll need it someday.
- If you’re a Mac user, start using tags today. You’ll thank yourself for it later.
- Keep a book on the same table where you keep your TV remote control. It’ll increase your chances of reading instead of watching.
- Sleep Cycle and similar apps are way better for you and your sleep than a basic alarm clock.
- Mind maps still work best on paper or on whiteboards.
- It’s okay to have some guilty pleasure apps that don’t offer the same streamlined features as others. Example: I use Hanx Writer from time to time because I love the typewriter sound it makes. It’s not as fully featured as Byword or Scrivener, but that’s okay. If I need to, I’ll copy and paste my text into one of those apps. It’s an extra step, but for that clickety-clackity sound, it’s worth it.
- Delegate as much as you can if you can. Think beyond work for this, too. A Roomba can vacuum for you so you can spend more time on something you really enjoy (and perhaps even earn money by doing it).
- Night owls can be just as productive as early birds.
- Set aside one day of the workweek when meetings aren’t a thing you do. You really need to do this.
- Even though it may take longer to get to where you’re going, spend time walking or biking places. Productivity is not about speed for speed’s sake.
- A wall calendar can offer you a bird’s-eye view of your year at a glance. If you’ve got the space for it, get one.
- If you’re going to watch television, plan for it. Record programs. Watch them on your time, not on the time of the networks.
- Be deliberate with your devices right from the beginning. Own them and don’t let them own you.
- Slowing down can be more productive over the long run than speeding up.
- Even the littlest thing that needs to happen regularly should be on your to do list if it matters. Don’t let it take up bandwidth in your brain.
- Using a service that allows people to schedule time with me was one of the best things I ever did. It’s easy to do and saves more time than you think.
- No matter what platform or computer you use, finding a text expansion app is totally worth the time it’s going to save you.
- “Watch later” is my favourite button on YouTube. It should be yours, too.
- Setting aside time to learn daily is one of the wisest investments of your time you can make.
- Leverage the time when doing the dishes or working out by listening to something like an audiobook or a podcast.
- Looking for a habit to start an evening routine with? Flossing is a great option.
- The Instant Pot is worth every nickel.
- I think tracking your time is worthwhile as long as you don’t overdo it. (I use Life Cycle and the ZEIº by Timeular. I suppose the Health and Activity apps on iOS also count.)
- Don’t forget the value of qualitative data when tracking your time. That data helps shape the story, too.
- Work from home? Mix it up and head elsewhere a couple of times per week (I do on Tuesdays and Thursdays).
- Don’t forget to get outside. (And if you work from home try to create a space to work outdoors. It’s worth the effort and expense.)
- I haven’t gone out to buy shaving needs in years because they come in the mail. I’m saving time and money as a result.
- Fac, si facis. That’s Latin for “Do it, if you’re going to do it.”
- If you feel like you wasted time, you probably have. Make note of when you have this feeling so you can stop wasting this non-renewable resource of yours.
