Gain perspective with a weekly review
A weekly review is a dedicated time to reflect on what you did this week, and what you will do in the coming week.
What is the "Eat the Frog" productivity method?
The "Eat the Frog" productivity method is where you pick the most important thing from your to-do list and work on it first.
Why your tasks take longer than you expect
The planning fallacy is where a task takes longer than you initially estimated. This is because it's human nature to be overly optimistic about future predictions.
The importance of batching your work
Batching your work is a good way to ensure you maintain focus on the given task by dealing with similar tasks all in one go, instead of sporadically throughout your other tasks.
What is task preemption?
Task preemption is when you temporarily stop working on your current task to switch to a different task, with the intention of completing the previous task at a later date.
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
The pomodoro technique is a productivity method that breaks tasks into short, focused periods of work.
What is Interrupt Coalescing?
Interrupt Coalescing is where you block out interruptions so that you can concentrate on completing tasks without distraction.
What is Kanban?
Kanban is a way to visualise the current workload using cards that move between stages of the production line.
Priority inversion is when a high priority task is blocked by a low priority task.
How to beat the afternoon slump
The afternoon slump is a period in the early afternoon where a lot of people experience a drop in energy, motivation, and focus.
You basically just sort your tasks by how long they are going to take, with the quickest at the top of the list.
Getting Things Done (also known as GTD) is one of the most popular productivity methods for organising and processing the tasks you need to complete.
How to beat student syndrome
Student syndrome is when you have a deadline to deliver a task, but you take it easy and procrastinate on it at first because you know you've got plenty of time to do the work.
The importance of each of your tasks should be evaluated carefully, as this is likely going to have an outsize impact on how productive you are.
How to get more done whilst working less
Working more intensely for shorter periods of time with extended periods of rest and recovery is actually a better strategy.
The importance of matching your tasks to your energy
In order to do your best work you need to work on the right tasks at the right time to match your energy level.
In order to do your best work, you need to make sure it happens during your periods of peak energy and alertness.
What is Moore-Hodgson's Algorithm?
Moore-Hodgson's algorithm is an approach to scheduling work that aims to minimise the number of tasks that are late.
Your current energy level has a disproportionate impact on the outcome of any task you take on.
What is the "earliest due date" productivity method?
The "earliest due date" method optimises for reducing the lateness of the most late task at the expense of very other task.
Why you should manage your energy, not your time
Forcing yourself to work on tasks that don't match your energy is a recipe for disaster. This can lead to a downward spiral that eventually results in burnout.
The "last in, first out" productivity method is a simple system for choosing the next thing to work on by what was added to the queue last.
What is decision fatigue?
Your capacity to make decisions is a finite resource that is drained as your energy is depleted. This phenomenon is known as decision fatigue.
The "first in, first out" methodology originates from the world of lean manufacturing where items would flow through a production line, such as a car manufacturing plant.
Choosing the right thing to work on is a very difficult problem. Evaluating the nuance of every task you've got on your to-do list is cognitively exhausting.
The reason why your productivity method failed
The reason why your productivity method failed is not because the method is bad, it's because it's achieving the wrong goal.
Your calendar is a lossy to-do list
If you are currently managing your tasks via a calendar, but you're feeling overwhelmed and not making progress, you might be using the wrong tool for the job.
Which productivity method is the best?
Productivity is one of those problems that has always remained unsolved.
How to choose your next task as a freelancer
Selecting the right task to work on in any given situation depends on a number of complicated factors, including the specific context you find yourself in.
How to handle task list overload
Getting your tasks out of your head is generally good advice. But if your task list becomes a dumping ground, you will quickly find yourself becoming overwhelmed.
Choosing the right thing to work on next isn't as simple as picking the task at the top of your list. You should choose tasks that match your current mental state and energy levels.