My simple productivity hack

My simple productivity hack

My simple productivity hack is only plan the first 6 hours of a working day.

My day is broken down into 45 minute blocks, with built in slack time and this is only scheduled to 3pm.

On a typical day I review emails and create a day plan before I have breakfast with my family. I then get straight into my activities when I hit my desk.

I get all my chase ups done first thing. And then address anything that is awkward, weighty or unpleasant, such as dealing with the taxman so that it leaves my mind unburdened by the dread of a crappy thing I have to do.

I then work through my list.

I only plan to 3pm. I tend to work till 5:30, take a break for tea with my family, bath and bed time with my 2 year old, before returning back for an hour and a half work starting around 7.

The unscheduled time from 3-5:30 is usually taken up with creative activities. These expand into whatever time there is available and don’t fit into the 45 minute sections. So if I am writing an article for a customer I will do it in this time. Importantly actions such as research for the article, creating it’s structure or layout is done during scheduled blocks leaving free time to just create.

The time after 7 is used for company related actions such as updating the crm, planning or catching up on articles and stories I have spotted during the day.