Staying Sane: My Personal Productivity System
Ever felt like you’re constantly busy but not making any real progress? You’re not alone. In today’s world, distractions are everywhere, and it’s easy to get sidetracked. And I am no exception.
Over the past few years, I’ve experimented with countless tools and tactics to boost my productivity. Some were too complex, adding more stress than solutions. So, I decided to simplify. I developed a system that helps me focus on what truly matters. And the best part? It’s incredibly straightforward.
The Core Principles
My system boils down to two simple steps:
- Identify the most important task.
- Work on that task, and nothing else, for the first 3-4 hours of the day.
Sounds too good to be true, right? But trust me, it works. Let me walk you through how I make it happen.
Defining “Most Important”
To determine what’s most important, I start with my goals. I set yearly goals, monthly milestones, and weekly intentions. These goals guide my daily actions and help me stay on track. You don’t have to be this detailed, but as Lewis Carroll said: If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. So pick a target to aim for.
Once you have your goal set, you need to decide what action you can take today to move toward that goal. As I mentioned in my blog post “The Focusing Question,” asking yourself, “What is the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?” can provide clarity and direction.
You could keep asking yourself this question over and over again throughout the day. But this quickly becomes tiring. What I like to do instead is to include it in my morning routine.
Every morning, after feeding the cats and enjoying a cup of coffee, I spend 20-30 minutes journaling. This is the perfect time to ask myself the focusing question. It isn’t just about writing down my thoughts though; It’s also about freeing up mental space by getting those thoughts out of my mind, allowing me to think more clearly.
If you are an entrepreneur you’ll probably come up with multiple important things that could get done today. I know I do. To make sure that I don’t forget all the other things that need to get done (eg pay taxes) I write down my tasks on a post-it note.
I categorizing them into:
- 1 most essential item
- 2 essential and urgent items
- 3 maintenance items
This system gives me clarity on what has to get done, and limits the amount of things that I am allowed to focus on during the day. The most essential item is the only mandatory item, and that is what I will focus on during the first hours of my day.
Keep in mind though: Distractions are the enemy of productivity. To combat this, I use an app called Lock Me Out to block all social media apps on my phone. I’ve also turned off all notifications.
Very few things require me to react right away. This approach has worked wonders for me, and I’ve never had any complaints about my responsiveness. On the contrary, I have received good feedback on how I am good at providing thoughtful replies.
Wrap Up
The beauty of this system is that it ensures I make progress every day. It keeps me on track and allows me to feel free in the afternoon.
Of course, no system is perfect, and there are challenges. Sometimes, urgent tasks pop up, and I have to handle them immediately. But the key is to stay flexible and return to my focused work as soon as possible.
It’s important to note that this system works for me because it aligns with my goals and my ideal day. If your responsibilities don’t allow you to block out 4 hours in the morning to journal and work on your most essential task, try 1 hour. Or maybe two hours after lunch. If you are a parent, maybe 2-3 hours after putting the kids to bed?
Don’t overlook the importance of enjoying your productivity system. A big part of its success is that it makes me feel good. As I discussed in “The Unfair Advantage,” doing quality work consistently is what sets you apart. Not being good at following someone else’s system.
