Have you ever sat down to quantify the difference between your expected input and your actual input? The difference between the work you’re doing and the work you want to do? Well, that may be the difference between your reality and goals too.
Productivity is not just a buzzword, it’s today’s self-actualizing need for everyone. Productivity means giving the best possible output with the given resources. Everyone is constantly trying to be more productive. While it may seem like simple economics, it’s not that simple.
Productivity is not just about the body but also the mind. While your body does all the work, your mind is the machine that enables you to pull through. This is why, productivity tools that minimize physical and mental effort can help you make your life easier.
Why do I use Productivity tools?
I dreaded exams because the pressure of remembering an overwhelming amount of information got to me. Even after school was done and there weren’t any exams, I was still stuck at the ages-old ‘remembering’ model. ‘Will I remember it?’ is a question I’ve asked myself too frequently in life. The education system has conditioned me to think that everything needs to be remembered. I remember switching to handwritten to-do lists for a few weeks. While they work well for simpler tasks like laundry, To-Do Lists can not become a work management system.
I started learning about productivity and self-improvement on the Internet amid COVID. I started this journey to live up to my best potential. I picked self-improvement books, watched YouTube videos, read newsletters, and found out how other people are managing their work. Weeks following my discoveries on the Internet, I decided to have life in order. It was easier because I was at home amid lockdown. I started with simple Excel Sheets and then continued my tryst with technology and started finding tools for everything I’d do manually. From to-do lists to saving passwords, I automated everything I could. It emptied up my schedule for the weekends and I also started seeing a substantial increase in income.
Through this blog, I want to introduce some productivity hacks that have changed my life for the better.
Building a Second Brain
I first read about building a Second Brain (Personal Knowledge Management) in Ali Abdal’s newsletter. Our brains are for having ideas not storing them. Building a Second Brain can help you with an external, centralized, digital repository for the things you learn. As per Tiago Forte, Building A Second Brain is a methodology for saving and systematically reminding us of the ideas, inspirations, insights, and connections we’ve gained through our experience. This can help you build an ongoing record of personal discoveries, lessons learned, and actionable insights for any situation. It eliminates the burden of remembering things and helps you act on ideas quickly.
I manage all my crazy ideas on Notion. Notion serves as a centralized hub where you can seamlessly integrate various components of your digital life. The ability to create databases, pages, and interconnected content enables me to structure information comprehensively. Notion is a flexible platform with some robust organizational capabilities that help interconnect information. It might take a few days to get hands-on with the tool but the overall interface is intuitive.
Taking Notes and Building Knowledge Repositories
Do you ever wonder how incredibly gifted the human brain is? Sometimes I will have these stellar ideas during mid-day while at work or while I’m cooking a simple meal, and all I can do is wonder. Even though these small ideas blow my brain away – by daybreak, I’d forget most of them. This is why I got into a habit of keeping a notebook with me everywhere I go. Eventually, I learned that note-taking is not easy while driving a car, so I shifted to the Notes app on my phone. The Notes app became so cluttered, that I switched to a few tools that helped me take notes, organize them, and check them later on.
I use BetterStacks and Apple Notes for taking notes, bookmarking my favorite pages, and organizing everything I want to learn about in better detail. I love the ease of using Notes because it is free and has the capabilities of any advanced note-taking app. It also seamlessly integrates with all my devices without any hassle.
BetterStacks is a bookmark management tool that I found remarkably practical. It proves beneficial in eliminating unnecessary open tabs and bookmark resources to share with my team or clients. I am also a big fan of creating curated lists or recommend reading material- I create, organize, and share these curations through Stacks. Overall, I found Stacks to be a great collaborative tool to build a knowledge repository for me and my team.
Tracking and Managing Time
I’m in a Content Services business and I can only onboard more clients if time permits. Time is of so much essence in this context, as missing a deadline can result in either losing an existing client or experiencing delays in acquiring a new one. The process from research to development is inherently time-consuming, and the meticulous timing of each stage is integral to constructing an effective productivity plan.
I am obsessed with tracking the time taken for deliverables and then mapping the results later on. I use Clockify to track time while working. Tracking time also helps me manage it; like they say, ‘what gets measured gets improved.’ Clockify is a powerful time-tracking and management tool designed to enhance productivity. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Clockify empowers me to efficiently track and manage my time. I also learn about my weekly productivity trends each month which helps me take corrective action.
Managing Projects
Freelancing is not a cakewalk. Managing multiple clients is difficult. One of the most effective ways of managing multiple clients has been prioritizing a specific task at a given time. When everything is urgent, nothing really is. I use Task Management tools to create a weekly plan for me and my intern so we work as per deadlines and prioritize the right tasks. It takes away the pressure of doing everything all the time and helps simplify even the most complex projects. My top picks are Airtable and ClickUp.
Both Airtable and ClickUp are project management solutions. Airtable combines the flexibility of a spreadsheet with the robustness of a database. It aids in seamless collaboration as you can create custom workflows, set deadlines, and manage tasks in a visually intuitive way. ClickUp is designed to streamline collaboration and productivity. It offers a centralized platform where you can manage tasks, track progress, and communicate with clients or team members. Its versatility makes it suitable for various project types, from simple to complex.
Parting Note
Incorporating these four productivity hacks into your routine can significantly enhance your efficiency, organization, and overall well-being as you navigate the demands of work and life. Each tool serves a unique purpose, from streamlining task management to fostering better collaboration and minimizing distractions. By leveraging technology and adopting strategic approaches, you can also empower yourself to make the most out of your time and talents.
I hope these productivity hacks help you achieve your perfect day at work.
