Things I learned about Personal Productivity in 2015

For the last few months I have mostly worked at home, in cafés or in co-working spaces. Some things have clearly sucked away my productive time and some things have really helped me focus. The following list is a note-to-self on productivity.

1. Co-working spaces are usually where I make the least progress. (The ones I’ve used have been noisy and uncomfortable.)
2. Cafés are often where I get the most done in the shortest amount of time.
3. When I’m not productive it’s time to just step away, do something else and come back later.
4. Coffee can help me concentrate for short periods and I’m actually starting to like it. But any more than a single shot makes me go insane.
5. I need regular exercise to be able to concentrate for significant periods of time.
6. It’s good to assess the impact of what I’m doing before starting, to make sure I’m focusing on what matters. If its impact is not yet clear, I must build in a way to measure it.
7. Mobile notifications, television, emails, social media, etc. will suck away productive and thinking time. I break the habit by making the “action” a little more difficult: I turn things off and move those shortcuts out of sight, otherwise I’m just doing this to myself all the time.
8. Sometimes I make lots of progress late at night. I used to lose sleep over losing sleep but now I embrace these bursts of productivity. They’re incredibly enjoyable and it’s worth giving up a little shut-eye for great lightbulb moments.
9. I make the most progress when all I have is a blank piece of paper and a pen. (Austin Kleon’s “analog” and “digital” desks are great way to think about productivity.)

If you liked this you might also be interested in my other new-year post.