I’m a content material author by night time and a Head of Partnerships by day, and in my world, being productive is every thing.
No scheduling or an absence of undertaking administration results in overdue articles, failed partnership alternatives, excessive strain, and stress. We’ve all been there, recovering from zero productiveness.
Productiveness programs assist develop a sustainable work-life steadiness and put together for working sprints when wanted.
On this submit, I’m sharing the seven greatest productiveness programs which have grow to be a part of my routine, turning the each day grind into an environment friendly workday. You’ll discover their professionals and cons and totally different use circumstances.
What are productiveness programs?
Productiveness programs are strategies and instruments that help you in getting issues achieved effectively. They don’t do the be just right for you, however they make it easier to manage and prioritize duties and your well-being, leading to extra productiveness at a given time.
As an example, productiveness programs make it easier to with:
- Breaking down initiatives into smaller, manageable steps.
- Focusing and avoiding distractions.
- Aim setting.
- Group and workflow.
Let’s discover the seven productiveness programs I exploit and the way they assist me.
7 Productiveness Programs to Simplify Your Workflow
1. The Pomodoro Method
I’m merely in love with this technique for supercharging my productiveness after I wrestle to drag myself collectively and get issues achieved. It immediately prompts my focus mode, and I grow to be so within the zone that nothing can distract me.
How does it work?
The Pomodoro Method breaks your work into brief, centered intervals (usually 25 minutes) adopted by breaks. It helps you keep sharp and motivated as a result of 25-minute chunks are simply digestible by your mind.
Additionally, seeing a timer counting down in your toolbar reinforces your willingness to finish a process throughout this time. It’s like your internal voice says, “Com’on, man, you’ll be able to work for 25 minutes with out scrolling your Instagram.”
I exploit the Marinara: Pomodoro Assistant Chrome extension to make the Pomodoro approach simply accessible. 30-minute timers with a 5-minute relaxation — that’s my rule.
However usually, I don’t take breaks and easily proceed engaged on my process till it’s achieved. And when the timer rings, I set one other one to remain centered.
I additionally use Pomodoro for time-tracking after I work on a particular process to know my workload and time spent on process X.
It aids immensely in correct time estimation and undertaking administration.
Professionals:
- Helps you focus when it’s onerous to begin working.
- Reduces procrastination.
- Much less again ache and fatigue.
- Higher planning for weeks and quarters.
- Extra accountability for duties.
- Fewer distractions — higher time administration.
- Constant motivation all through duties.
Cons:
- None. I’ve been utilizing this technique for ages, and it’s all the time useful.
Finest for: Anybody who needs to handle time higher and get extra achieved in much less time.
My Verdict
At first, it was onerous for me to simply accept the breaks. I used to be feeling like I used to be losing time throughout these durations. However then I spotted their energy — these breaks actually recharge me.
2. Bullet Journaling
A bullet journal, or so-called BuJo, is like a complicated diary that features writing and drawing. It’s organized with sections for each day duties, calendars, notes, well being monitoring, and purpose setting.
I’ve just lately stumbled upon nice research exploring how bullet journaling impacts creativity and productiveness. The conclusion is that it doesn’t simply assist with staying organized but additionally with reflecting on what’s actually necessary.
I additionally love the piece by a trainer who shared how bullet journaling helped her overcome perfectionism. So, should you’re chasing that elusive perfection, take a learn. 🙂
Infrequently, I exploit bullet journaling for planning my days, understanding how packed I’m, and carving out time for issues I like to do aside from my job. It is also helped me perceive what number of initiatives I can tackle.
For instance, I draft my schedule in a brilliant old school approach in my paper pocket book. So, my bullet journaling often goes like this:
7:30 — get up
8:00 — yoga
10:00 — supply an overview for shopper X
11:00 — interview consultants for HubSpot’s article
13:00 — lunch break
14:00 — work for a charitable fund
17:30 — assembly
If you happen to’re not into old-school productiveness strategies, you’ll be able to take a look at digital alternate options like Notion, Trello, Evernote, or Miro.
For my part, Miro is the good possibility as a result of it reminds you of a daily pocket book. It lets you simply transfer gadgets and fosters creativity.
Professionals:
- Helps with customizable group.
- Assists in boosting creativity and aids prioritization.
- Offers centralized process administration.
- Facilitates self-reflection.
Cons:
- Time-intensive repairs.
- Danger of inconsistency.
Finest for: Creatives, visible thinkers, and people in search of customized group.
My Verdict
Bullet journaling is a apply many people have instinctively achieved in some unspecified time in the future in our lives. Let’s say for planning journeys, purchasing, exercise routines, or comparable actions.
The trick is studying to do it extra systematically. Generally, I rely utterly on it. Different instances, I exploit bullet journaling simply as a scratchpad when transferring info from paper to my project management apps.
3. Calendar Blocking
The foremost problem individuals usually face with their schedule is continually switching between duties. Calendar blocking is a time administration technique the place you allocate particular time slots in your calendar for various duties.
As an example, my workday earlier than calendar blocking might appear like this: I begin writing an article. Then, after half an hour, I bounce into a gathering. Subsequent, I transfer to my emails. Lastly, I get again to the article. Not efficient in any respect.
Todoist’s graphic completely explains my level:
For time blocking, I exploit Google Calendar and block time for particular duties. Every process will get its personal centered time slot. Physician appointments, yoga, and studying additionally go to my calendar.
The end result? I get extra achieved sooner.
Listed below are some suggestions for profitable calendar blocking:
- Divide your day into chunks for particular duties.
- Be sensible about how lengthy duties will take; overestimate if not sure.
- Schedule breaks to keep away from burnout; don’t overbook free time.
- Regulate plans if wanted resulting from surprising occasions.
- Assessment and comply with your deliberate duties recurrently.
- Think about using apps like Todoist and Google Calendar for higher group.
Professionals:
- Improved time administration.
- Enhanced focus.
- Lowered process switching.
- Clearer prioritization.
- Higher work-life steadiness.
Cons:
- Issue in adapting to adjustments.
- Potential for under-/overestimating process period.
Finest for: Anybody with a number of duties and commitments to prepare.
My Verdict
Calendar blocking organizes your working and free time and permits you to not get misplaced in a number of duties on the similar time. The largest problem may very well be sitting down on Sunday night time or each Monday morning and making ready every thing up entrance.
Nevertheless it’s positively price it.
4. Eat the Frog
“If it’s important to eat a stay frog, do it very first thing within the morning, and nothing worse will occur to you for the remainder of the day.” – Mark Twain
This quote explains what the Eat the Frog approach is all about. Do the toughest factor first, and every thing else later will appear simpler.
Final yr’s study discovered that utilizing this technique improves tender expertise and helps fight procrastination, resulting in long-term advantages for profession and life.
I completely agree with that and implement the Eat the Frog technique nearly each day.
Right here’s how I do it:
- I choose my frog first — a very powerful however not pressing process. I’m going with the one which wants a number of brainpower.
- I often choose a process I can end in 1 to 4 hours max.
- I cut up large duties into smaller steps.
- I all the time concentrate on right now’s duties, not far-off ones.
- And eventually, I start my day by tackling my frog process first.
Professionals:
- Get robust duties achieved first.
- Really feel much less confused.
- Handle time higher.
- Construct good habits.
Cons:
- Beginning with the toughest process could result in fatigue.
- It might result in overlooking time-sensitive issues.
Finest for: Anybody who prefers to cope with challenges upfront somewhat than procrastinate or for anybody fighting procrastination in the case of tough duties.
My Verdict
Once I’ve received these robust duties to chew (those that want tons of focus, numbers, and analysis), I make them my prime precedence within the morning. As soon as I’ve tackled that, I can loosen up with a cup of espresso, make amends for emails, and transfer on to at least one extra process.
I attempted doing it the opposite approach round, however I simply couldn’t concentrate on anything whereas figuring out I had that large process ready. So, for me, the “Eat the Frog” approach is the one approach to go.
5. Undertaking Administration Practices
Once I began freelancing, managing one or two initiatives with out monitoring wasn’t too onerous. However as my workload grew, it grew to become unimaginable.
At the moment, I can’t think about my work routine with out undertaking administration instruments — Monday and Asana are my productiveness lifelines.
They assist me break duties down, set deadlines, observe progress, coordinate with my workforce, and ship outcomes.
I exploit Monday to plan and prioritize my weekly duties for a charitable fund’s work in a simplified Kanban visualization with “Backlog,” “In progress,” and “Completed” tabs.
What I like: Monday takes care of the undertaking administration necessities like subtasks, versatile statuses, house owners and assignees, API integrations, and so on.
As for Asana, I largely use it for shopper writing and web optimization initiatives. It’s so easy to get and assign duties, observe undertaking progress, and talk with others by means of the platform.
Professionals:
- Centralize undertaking info for straightforward entry.
- Facilitate workforce communication and thought sharing.
- Show you how to break initiatives into manageable duties.
- Preserve your workforce centered and productive.
- Present real-time information on undertaking progress.
- Automate duties for streamlined workflows.
Cons:
- I see nothing however advantages to utilizing undertaking administration software program. Studying the right way to use it’d take time, however when you do, it turns into tremendous straightforward.
Finest for: People, groups, and initiatives of all sizes. You need to use it for small duties or large-scale initiatives.
My Verdict
Though I like utilizing my pocket book for bullet journaling, PM instruments assist preserve my work below management with notifications, reminders, repeated duties, and so on.
6. The Eisenhower Choice Matrix
“I’ve two sorts of issues — the pressing and necessary. The pressing will not be necessary, and the necessary are by no means pressing.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
The Eisenhower Choice Matrix categorizes duties by significance and urgency. I exploit it to determine what to concentrate on, delegate, or discard.
You must think about using the Eisenhower Matrix should you’re usually busy however really feel your work lacks influence, wrestle with time for long-term targets, or discover it onerous to delegate or say “no” (been there, achieved that).
I just lately watched a YouTube video by Naomi from Todoist, the place she shared insightful recommendations on the Eisenhower Matrix:
[Video: Beginner’s Guide to the Eisenhower Matrix]
Right here’s how she explains every of those 4 classes:
- Quadrant 1 — necessary duties needing pressing consideration.
- Quadrant 2 — necessary duties for long-term targets.
- Quadrant 3 — pressing duties that aren’t crucial, usually simply busy work.
- Quadrant 4 — duties neither pressing nor necessary, offering on the spot however no lasting satisfaction.
And right here’s how I apply this strategy in my day-to-day work:
- Quadrant 1. I prioritize assembly tight deadlines for articles.
- Quadrant 2. I dedicate time to enhancing my writing and analysis expertise for long-term progress.
- Quadrant 3. Generally, if I’m too busy, I let a dependable individual deal with professional interviews for me.
- Quadrant 4. I attempt to keep away from spending an excessive amount of time on social media to remain centered.
Professionals:
- Clear prioritization.
- Efficient time administration.
- Lengthy-term purpose alignment.
- Higher delegation.
- Lowered stress.
- Improved decision-making.
Cons:
- At first, it is likely to be robust to determine which duties are extra necessary with a much bigger influence however much less urgency. After a number of practices, one will get used to the system and harvests tangible advantages.
Finest for: Organizing obligations; notably useful for anybody who struggles with process prioritization, time administration, or decision-making.
My Verdict
The sense of urgency posed the best problem throughout my digital advertising profession. It felt like each process demanded speedy consideration. My default mode was “ASAP” for every thing till I discovered to categorize priorities and discern non-priority duties.
That’s what I discovered due to The Eisenhower Choice Matrix, and, for my part, it’s one of many greatest productiveness programs on the market.
7. Kanban and Scrum Strategies
To be tremendous productive throughout a workweek, I mix simplified Scrum and Kanban methodologies.
Scrum: You’re employed in brief bursts referred to as sprints (often one to 4 weeks lengthy). In every dash, you set targets and determine what duties to sort out. Then, you may have fast conferences referred to as stand-ups to examine progress and regulate your work plan as wanted.
Kanban: There are not any sprints in Kanban. As an alternative, think about your duties on a board with columns labeled “Backlog,” “Doing,” “Assessment,” and “Completed.”
As you’re employed, you shift duties between columns. It helps you visualize your workflow, restrict work in progress, and concentrate on finishing duties one after the other.
Right here’s how I do it:
Each Monday, I assessment my Backlog with concepts and duties which have appeared randomly all through the earlier week, assign priorities and due dates, create subtasks, and so on.
Each Friday, I have a look at my board within the PM device Monday, a process supervisor, and analyze why I’m off schedule for some duties and the right way to handle the trigger.
This helps me to be agile, full as many duties as match inside a piece week (realistically), and spot bottlenecks or roadblocks.
Professionals:
- Helps visualize workflows simply.
- Limits multitasking and improves focus.
- Encourages ongoing course of enchancment.
- Organizes initiatives successfully with clear targets.
- Fosters common workforce communication and collaboration.
- Facilitates adaptation to altering undertaking wants.
Cons:
- An absence of outlined deadlines could result in delays.
- Rigidity in dash timelines (Scrum) could trigger stress.
Finest for: Environments that worth flexibility and adaptableness over strict timelines.
📍Observe: Implementing the 2 programs at a time is known as Scrumban.
My Verdict
Combining these two strategies helps me visualize what I’ve to do within the Kanban board, whereas the Scrum sprints assist me to make numerous progress on specific initiatives. I just like the steadiness the 2 programs carry to my work, which is basically impartial and distant.
What’s the perfect productiveness system?
Though each productiveness system has its deserves, my private favorites are:
- The Pomodoro Method for holding me centered with 30-minute working sprints and 5-minute breaks.
- The Eisenhower Choice Matrix for easy group of pressing and necessary duties.
- Scrumban for normal progress check-ups.
Irrespective of which system you select, the one factor that issues is that it actually helps enhance your productiveness. I mix three of them every day, and I feel that’s the perfect strategy for finishing the roles to be achieved, ideating new initiatives, and monitoring my workforce’s progress.
Strive just a few, see what matches and what doesn’t, and in the end, you’ll discover your greatest resolution to keep away from psychological blocks, demotivation, and burnout.
