My Best Short Productivity Tips

Maxi Contieri - Apr 28 '21 - - Dev Community

This is part of productivity series. You can read previous tips here and here

1- Lazy people automate ๐Ÿค–

Try to avoid repetitive tasks.

Use scripts, programming, RPA, or anything suitable for you.

But never automate until you master the tasks.

This is procrastination monkey disguised! ๐Ÿ™ˆ

2- Schedule time on own calendar after setting goals ๐Ÿ“†

Put auto meetings to timebox your tasks.

This is especially important if your calendar is public and other people can book you meetings.

3- Schedule 50 minutes or 25 minutes meetings โฑ๏ธ

This way you can rest between meetings.

4- Don't be a slave to your calendar ๐Ÿ“…โ˜๏ธ

Plan but don't over plan or micromanage yourself.

The calendar is at your service. Not the way around.

5- Keep the information in a central place๐Ÿ“‘

Don't have multiple ToDos, lists, Trellos, Kanbans, bookmarks.

Use a single one. The way Marie Kondo manages her mess.

6- Sprint and pause like cycling ๐Ÿšด

Sometimes you need to run a marathon, and the other time you will need to rush. Toggle tasks.

7- When browsing open a new window๐ŸŒ

If you need to start a new subject (or procrastinate), do it on a new browser page, never a tab.

This way if you open multiple tabs they will be related, and you will close all of them together instead of keeping polluting the original window.

Don't use Chrome's tab grouping.

You can even save the whole web page for offline browsing.

8- Use Micro-rewards ๐Ÿ†

When doing Pomodoro short tasks, you can auto reward the completion with small games (like a Candy Crush level) or a short film. This will improve your focus coming back.

9- Silence the Noise ๐Ÿ”‡

Use hacks to avoid distractions and noise on social networks.

Use blockers like Focus.

10- Mind the Principles โœจ

Read about how your mind works.

Don't buy fancy quick solutions.

The productivity techniques that work are built on principles. Not quick hacks. Or fancy tools.

11- Repeat until you create a habit. ๐Ÿ”

It takes about 21 repetition days to create a hardwired habit.

Use Savers Technique

12- Don't interrupt your tasks. ๐Ÿšฆ

This advice is repeated in all my articles.

The flow process is hard to get back and multitasking is a big lie.


I'm sure there are plenty of productivity pieces of advice around. Which one does work for you?

Please leave me a comment.

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