Productivity 101 (Atomic Essay Day 28)
Time tested productivity hacks I use (or have used in the past) -
1/ Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique breaks down time into smaller chunks of 25 (or 50) minutes where you do focussed work, followed by a 5 (or 10) minute break. The idea here is to not focus on the end goal but spend that time working on the task at hand. I have used this quite a bit while studying and in college - this works well when there is a certain predictability to your day. Past few years it hasn’t worked too well for me.
2/ Calendarise
Planning in advance and planning my day on my calendar always helps. In the recent past, I have found that it works better for me than a to-do list because it allows me to say no to things and prioritise better. I have put together a detailed analysis on how I use my calendar but in a nutshell - I plan in advance for the week and then at the end of the day.
3/ Start your Day with an Achievement
I try and start most days with a workout. It’s something that requires me to push myself and I learn something new. The consistency of showing up is something that I’m incredibly proud of. However big or small the achievement is, just starting the day with it helps me power through the day.
4/ Goodbye Notifications
A friend recommended the book - Deep Work to me. Would highly recommend the book, but the biggest takeaway for me was that I removed notifications from my phone. No email, no Instagram, no Twitter. It’s potentially the one thing that has helped me stay focussed.