Best products from r/productivity
We found 73 comments on r/productivity discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 207 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
- Penguin Books
Features:
2. Using Psychology To Stop Procrastinating: A psychological examination of procrastination and ways it can be resolved.
- Large condenser microphone element for warm, rich recordings
- Cardioid pick-up pattern minimizes background noise and isolates the main sound source
- Smooth, extended frequency response is excellent for singing, speech and instruments
- It has 10dB overload-protection switch minimizes distortion from loud sound sources
- Bass-reduction switch reduces room noise
- The U37 is Windows and Macintosh compatible, with no software to install--simply plug it into any available USB port, select it as your input in your software settings, and you're ready to create your own audio.
Features:
3. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
- Great product!
Features:
4. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
- Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
Features:
5. Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming your Fear
- The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear
Features:
6. Attitude Is Everything: Change Your Attitude... Change Your Life!
- AWARD-WINNING COMFORT - Based on the features of our best-selling, award-winning Copper Spur ultralight tents, the Copper Spur HV UL features a high volume pole architecture that creates steeper walls and a roomier living space, while maintaining all the strength and lightweight packability the Copper Spur series is famous for
- A BETTER SHELTER - It’s not all about the volume; 1 large, dual-zipper door with discrete seams allows for easy entry and smooth closure while creating a clean, modern design; Single vestibule on 1P provides 9 sq ft of dry gear storage; All seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape (No PVC or VOC's); Fly and floor are ultra-durable with 1200mm waterproof rating
- ULTRALIGHT STRENGTH - 4-way, high-volume hub design increases strength by 25% and the useable interior volume by 20% compared to previous versions of the Copper Spur; Proprietary random rip-stop pattern nylon is 25% stronger, providing max durability; DAC Featherlite NFL and NSL pole system
- BELLS & WHISTLES - Storm flaps on vestibule zipper; Massive ceiling pocket provides loads of storage; 3 interior mesh pockets & 1 media pocket; 8 superlight aluminum J stakes; Media pocket above sleeping area enables clean earbud cord routing; Easy grip zipper pulls; Two-tone mesh provides both privacy and star gazing transparency
- WARRANTY & SPECS (1P) - All Big Agnes products are guaranteed against manufacturing or material defect; If replacement product is not available credit will be given for the original purchase price when returned with a receipt; To extent the life of your tent floor, we recommend using a Big Agnes tent footprint (sold separately); Trail weight: 2 lb 2 oz; Packed weight: 2 lb 8 oz; Packed size: 4 x 16.5 in; Head height: 38 in; Floor Area: 20 sq ft
Features:
7. The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play
The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-free Play
10. The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.
- Delicious Flavor: Enjoy the lasting benefits of the Montmorency tart cherry for unmatched flavor and a natural sleep aid!! This 100% pure Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate is free of artificial flavors, colors, or additives and contains all natural ingredients.
- Made in the USA: Proudly made from tart cherries grown in the USA, this tart cherry juice concentrate is never blended with imported fruit. All Natural source of antioxidants.
- On the Go: Each convenient and easy-to-use bottle is ready to mix into your favorite drink to promote your overall well-being.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Support your body's health and active lifestyle with our tart cherry juice concentrate that is free of artificial flavors, color, or additives. Health benefits of Montmorency tart cherries support muscle recovery, joint health, reduced pain from arthritis and gout, cardiovascular health, immune system support, and natural sleep aid.
- All Natural Alternative: Use this Tart Cherry Concentrate as a natural alternative to chocolate. Our concentrate does not contain any caffeine or hydrogenated oils. All natural ingredients, gluten free, GMO free, Kosher certified, no preservatives, no added sugar and natural antioxidants!
Features:
11. ChromaLabel 3 Inch Round Permanent Color-Code Dot Stickers, 500 per Roll, Fluorescent Red Orange
- Permanent Adhesive keeps each 3 inch circle sticker firmly in place on most surfaces
- 500 labels come wound on a 3 inch diameter core and are cleanly shrink wrapped
- Fluorescent Matte Finish dots are made from high quality paper that is easy to write on with a felt tip marker
- Countless Uses for Inventory Management in Warehouse, Retail, Home Organization, Classroom, Office, Food Service and Medical
- All ChromaLabel products are proudly made in Kansas, the Heartland of the USA
Features:
12. MPI WOOD Large Crate, Natural, 18" x 12.5" x 9.5"
- Pine storage crate
- No assembly required
- Made in United States
- Sturdy, durable, well built
- Paint, stain or leave Natural
Features:
13. SuperSliders 4703495K Reusable Furniture Sliders for Carpet- Quickly and Easily Move Any Item, 3-1/2” Linen (4 Pack)
- Move Furniture Effortlessly - Our furniture sliders for carpeted surfaces move easily across the surfaces of carpets and rugs. These reusable sliders make moving, cleaning or rearranging your furniture a one-person job.
- Save Surfaces from Everyday Use - Protect your carpet and rugs with these furniture movers. Reduce damage moving heavy furniture can cause to your carpets and rugs and to the bottom of valued pieces.
- Easy to Install - For best results, carefully slide the furniture mover underneath your furniture (foam-side up) and center below the furniture leg or foot for a secure grip and evenly distribute the weight.
- Durable & Dependable - Layer of EVA foam adds grip and cradles furniture legs; Smooth, rounded plastic surface glides across carpet, rugs.
- Pack Includes: (4) 3 1/2" round reusable furniture sliders for carpet or concrete surfaces, Beige
Features:
14. Rust-Oleum 263149 Painters Touch 2X Spray, 12-Ounce, Fire Orange
- Ideal for use on interior/exterior surfaces including wood, plastic, plaster, metal, masonry and unglazed ceramic
- Oil-based formula is low odor, resist chips and provides long-lasting protection
- Dries to touch in 20 minutes and covers up to 12 sq. ft. per can
- Durable formula provides excellent hide and goes on smoothly
- Satin finish minimizes surface imperfections and provides excellent hide
- Twice the coverage, twice as fast
- Smooth, durable finish
- Any-angle spray with comfort spray tip
- Apply to wood, wicker, metal, plaster or unglazed ceramic
- Made with double cover technology
Features:
15. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
- Great product!
Features:
17. Tempus Planner - Best Productivity Planner & Goal Journal Monday Through Sunday - Daily Organizer. Achieve Your Goals with Time Blocking Method in 2020. Undated
- ✅MANAGE YOUR TIME BETTER WITH "TIME BLOCKING" METHOD: If you’ve ever felt like you just can’t get traction and make progress on your to-do list, time batching your tasks may be the solution. Tempus Planner brings innovative design with inspiring results. You get that “being busy” isn't what gets rewarded. What does get rewarded, however, are results. And with your new Tempus Planner, we focus on helping you achieve exactly that.
- ✅ ACCOMPLISH MORE WITH A 3-TASKS LIST DAILY LAYOUT: The most effective way to execute big tasks of the day is to break them down into smaller actions steps. With specially designated Daily Task Lists within the Tempus Planner, this is super easy to achieve. At the end of each day, you have the opportunity to jot down one thing you're happy to have accomplished that day and express gratitude.
- ✅ SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE: Our professional Tempus Planner has 7 key features, all aimed at making your hopes, dreams and aspirations a reality: Schedule appointments & events, books to read, weekly gratitude, mind mapping, 5 long-term goals & notes. It’s the business planner & planner organizer that is sure to help you succeed.
- ✅ PERFECT FOR PROFESSIONALS, BLOGGERS, CREATIVES, ENGINEERS, COLLEGE STUDENTS & OTHER AMBITIOUS GOAL-KICKERS: Tempus Planner has been carefully curated with you in mind. The planner is designed to be used 7 days a week, 6 months of planning. We call it the most complete daily planner yet.
- ✅ SLEEK MODERN HARDCOVER & PREMIUM QUALITY PAPER: Stylish cloth with a natural finish produced with an FSC certified paper and 100 gsm acid-free inner pages. Well-suited for both men and women. It's simple: If you don't love it for any reason, just return your planner for a full refund of your purchase price. Connect with Us: @tempusplanner Instagram
Features:
18. Nature Made Extra Strength Magnesium Oxide 400 mg Softgels, 60 Count (Packaging May Vary)
For a limited time, you may receive either bottle while we update our packaging. Both have the same great product inside. Based on new FDA regulations, you may also notice a change in the unit of measure and/or daily value for certain products.Contains a 60-day supply of Nature Made Extra Strength M...
19. Magnesium L Threonate Capsules (Magtein) – High Absorption Supplement – Bioavailable Form for Sleep and Cognitive Function Support – 2,000 mg – 100 Capsules
- Only Form of Magnesium able to Support Magnesium Levels in the Brain: Magtein is the only form of magnesium clinically proven to support magnesium levels in the brain
- Clinically Studied for Cognitive Health: Multiple clinical studies show Magnesium L Threonate can help support cognitive health
- Highly bioavailable form of Magnesium: L Threonate is a mineral chelating agent that is able to greatly enhance the bioavailability of magnesium making it highly absorbable
- Non-Gmo and Gluten Free: Double Wood's Magtein is gluten free and Non-GMO
- Manufactured in the USA and tested two times for safety and purity: Doublewood High Absorption Magnesium L Threonate Capsules are manufactured right here in the USA: Purity testing is available upon request
Features:
I love self-improvement as a hobby. I was stuck for many years spinning my wheels, however. I never felt like I made any real progress in either my goals or in how I felt as a person. After reading a lot of books & testing a lot of theories over the years, I've found several good resources that actually deliver results. I'll break it up into a few groups & discuss each one below.
Step 1: Attitude
The first book I'd recommend reading is "Attitude is Everything" by Jeff Keller:
https://www.amazon.com/Attitude-Everything-Change-Your-Life-ebook/dp/B007FXULUE
This is a quick read & is written in plain English. The basic idea is that your attitude controls your life: how you feel about things, how much you enjoy things, and so on. imo, this book is "step one" in pursuing self-help because it makes you think about how you think. How do you choose to feel about things? How do you want to feel about things? We all kind of passively migrate into our current worldviews & daily operational mode, but not too many people really sit down & think about their current attitude about life & what they would like their attitude to actually be.
What is your "return to zero" state, when you're not in a productivity mood? Most people not only accept how they feel & think about things, but don't even realize that those things can be changed! You can be as happy & productive as you allow yourself to be, which is to say, as you choose to be. It boils down to being a victim or a victor, and the only true barrier is the one we choose to hold on to mentally. You can literally be as happy as you let yourself be, regardless of your circumstances.
A couple other good books here are "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl (dude literally learned how to have a good attitude despite being in a Nazi death camp) and "The Feeling Good Handbook" & "Ten Days to Self-Esteem" (workbook), both by David Burns. The Feeling Good book introduces the concept that thoughts create emotions. This is a super important concept because it's like a caterpillar morphing into a butterfly - you think something initially & that morphs into a feeling.
Learning how to examine how you feel, what your thinking behind that emotion was, and then choosing a new way to think about it means that you can control how you feel. This is a huge & life-changing idea for most people, because most people have ever thought to question that voice in their head, and that it could be wrong, and that you can audit your default line of thinking & change it into what you want & how you want to feel. The self-esteem workbook is basically just a tracking book to help you log exactly that - write down how you feel, trace it back to the root thought you had, and decide if you want to create a new thought & thus a new emotion about something.
Think about that concept, that our thoughts determine our feelings, and that we can control our attitudes about things, at look at the people you come across in the media & on the street on a daily basis: the Kardashians, President Trump, the CEO of your company, the janitor of your company, the homeless guy on the street. The way you think controls so much of not only how we feel, but what we end up doing in life. As the saying goes, think you can or think you can't, either way, you're right! Because if you think you can & give it a try, then you're actively working on it, but if you think you can't, you never take step one, and thus you can never take any of the other steps, so it never happens.
Attitude is no different. I mean, you're not going to fundamentally change who you are inside - you're you, and you're always going to be you, because you have to live with who you are on the inside - but it's like adding wax to a car vs. leaving it to rot & rust - you can change how you feel & you can change how you behave so that you're happy, you feel good, you have a positive attitude, and you're doing things that are productive, that help you stay on top of your commitments, that help you make progress on personal projects, and that let you enjoy free time without feeling guilty about it.
Of course, you're free to choose whatever attitude you want...but I don't think many people really want to feel unhappy or feel bad or have a crappy attitude, and I don't think most people want to be unproductive & behind on their commitments & not make any progress on their personal hopes & dreams & ambitions or used their free time as avoidance behavior, you know? It's not rocket science, but people hardly ever examine their attitudes about thing, and clearly defining your attitude can help you tremendously on a day to day basis!
Step 2: Getting a handle on life
I have a pretty simple definition of productivity. It does not mean I am productive 24/7; it means that (1) I am staying on top of my current responsibilities, (2) I am making progress on my personal project, and (3) I can then enjoy my unstructured time guilt-free, without feeling the need to plan anything out or be productive or anything like that, because I am top of things. When I'm not on top of my work stuff, my laundry, my house cleaning, etc., and when I don't have anything cool I'm into outside of work, then I tend to feel kinda rotten about my free time because I know I'm slacking instead of being reliable to myself & to others.
So how do you get to that point, where you feel like you're on top of things? To start out with, I am a big fan of GTD. The book for that is called "Getting Things Done" by David Allan. It's basically a system that lets you interface with the underlying structure of life. I call it my "how to get your act together" system, because it shows you how to follow through on commitments you either make to yourself or to other people. In the book, he says it's one of the 'best ways to turn wishes into reality'.
The way it works is fairly simple: you capture all of your commitments by writing them down into a system of your choice (app, notebook, whatever - but you do have to pick one place!), so that way they're logged outside of your brain & won't be forgotten. Then you use a checklist to convert the task into a next-action that you can actually DO. To-do lists are not next-action lists; you can actually work off a next-action list, but you can't work off a to-do list, because you have to think about all of the stuff on the to-do list & then figure out what to do & then do it.
So basically, you're separating out writing down the stuff you have to do, from figuring out exactly what to do about that stuff, to sticking reminders of the actions you need to take in various lists or on your calendar. That's the foundation, that's the engine of how to get things done. Note that this system has nothing to do with your attitude, nor your purpose or goals in life (it addresses those things in the planning section a bit tho), the whole point is how to convert stuff like "I should do that" or "I want to do that" or "I need to do that" or "I will do that" into stuff you can actually do, and then remind you of when to do it. GTD is pretty much the best action management system on the planet.
So that's more or less how I view getting a handle on life: we've defined what productivity is (do the stuff you gotta do, do the stuff you wanna do, and then enjoy your free-time guilt-free) & I've presented a method for how to get stuff done. If you combine that with a good attitude, then that's really all you need in life to stay on top of things & enjoy life, you know? Because you won't have a crappy attitude about things & you'll actually be on top of stuff & making progress on your personal stuff instead of just spinning your wheels. It's huge, I tell you, huge! :)
part 1/2
Are you sure you're not mistaking hours worked for productivity?
The most productive people I know aren't necessarily the ones that work the most, but the ones who work the smartest.
Some of them learn to delegate, giving them leverage. At even 5 hours worked a day they are ten times more effective than someone younger who works 14 hours. Most CEOs I know are like this. Also, many creatives I know now handle the whole creative teams now.
Some of them work in bursts - yeah, there is no life beyond work, but they work on a project basis, for a few months, and then take a month off. Or for a few years, and take a year off. A friend of mine sold her company for $10M recently, spent a year travelling, and now she's launching a new one, again, planning to work 3-4 years doing crazy hours until she sells the new thing.
Some people mix family and business. Me & my gf are like this. We work during the day, and for fun we do networking, conferences, and stuff. At home we talk about what inspires us - which usually is work related, and our since our closest friends work in similar occupations, even a Sunday brunch is an opportunity for inspiration etc. When one of us goes for an international trip, the other one often tags along, doing their work remotely.
Some other people I know do a few projects of different kinds at the same time. E.g. a friend I know writes books, does projects for corporate clients, and is a judge at a race track on the weekends. Another friend, at 33yo, is a world-known pro-gamer, wins programming competitions for money, builds stuff for a startup, and tries to launch an indie game.
Finally, I believe that in any creative profession, you absolutely need time to relax and get inspired. That's when the best ideas come from after all! If you're exhausted every day after work, then you most likely have suboptimal performance.
There is this story about a super-programmer, who spent 3 hours a day playing Quake on company time. When a newbie reported him to the boss, the boss berated the newbie: "I hope you didn't interrupt him - that's his way of getting thoughts organised."
Playing Quake might not be your thing, but perhaps if you do quick Headspace, or yoga breaks during the workday - on company time! - you'll discover that not only you get better ideas after that, but also end the day with some energy left in you?
There's also this nice book I found some time ago:
https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Rituals-How-Artists-Work/dp/0307273601
It's mostly about artists, but perhaps you'll find some inspiration there. There's also the book by Covey about the 7 habits.
tl;dr; productivity ≠ number of hours worked. also, if you have no energy after work, then perhaps you should work less, so you can be productive in your spare time as well
Here's the blog post text:
Our wooden donation crate
Have you ever decided to donate an unwanted item only to forget about it entirely until you found it again months later sill taking up space in a corner somewhere in your house? Have you ever started to fill up a cardboard box with stuff to donate, only to find yourself taking things in and out of the box a few weeks later, unsure of which items you finally decided to keep, donate or throw away? Has your partner or roommate ever accidentally given away an object of yours, stating that they thought you had recently made passing comment about wanting to get rid of it?
If so, I have a simple solution: create your own permanent wooden donation crate.
There’s a bright orange wooden crate which has lived in a dedicated space at the bottom of one of our closets for the last two years. This is our donation box. We call it the “orange crate”. It has a sole one purpose: everything that goes in it is donated. No exceptions. My partner and I are never unsure about the fate of items which end up in the orange crate: items that are placed in it will eventually be donated (usually at the local thrift store).
Why use a wooden crate?
I selected a wooden crate as the box because those are relatively cheap, they have sturdy handles, they’re able to hold heavy items, liquids won’t damage them (contrary to cardboard boxes), they hold no smells, items at the bottom of the box can be seen through the wooden slits, and theses cases can last for multiple generations since you can easily repair them.
Why paint it orange?
I spray painted the wooden crate a bright orange so that there will never be any ambiguity with other crates or boxes in our house; it is clear that this crate is not a storage container which can be used for moving or storing various items. I never have to worry about whether or not my partner forgot about what will happen to stuff that is placed in the only bright orange wooden crate that we own.
How did you make it?
Step 1: Choose a crate
First, select your crate size and type. We went with a basic pine crate that measures 18” x 12.5” X 9.5” but there are crates made of different woods and of different sizes. Find what works best for you.
Step 2: Sanding
Then, you’ll want to sand it to get rid of rough surfaces and get the handles nice and smooth for splinter free transportation.
Step 3: Painting
When you’re ready to paint, get some cardboard boxes or plastic sheets to cover the floor and one or two sides of where you decide to work and get spraying. Follow the distance and spray patters as directed on the can. Ideally you should paint outside or in a well-ventilated space. I ended up needing two cans of oil aerosol paint to get a nice even coat on every surface of the crate, inside and out. Let the crate dry for approximately 72 hours to make sure the paint doesn’t transfer onto other surfaces or objects. I decided not to prime or seal the crate because I wanted to keep costs down on this project. I wouldn’t add any of those steps if I had to make another one; it has held up perfectly so far.
Step 4. Furniture glides
Once everything is dry, stick some plastic furniture glides beneath each corner of the crate so that it can easily be moved around on the floor or in your car trunk, and to help protect it from rough surfaces (such as pavement).
A few extra features
So, our orange crate functions according to a basic rule which never changes: items placed in it are to be donated. However, over time, a few extra features have been added.
First, there’s a binder clip which holds rebate cards for our local thrift store. It always stays clipped to one of the walls of the crate. Whenever we go there to empty out the crate, a staff member punches one or several holes in the card. Once the card is full, it can be applied to purchases during a future visit to their store. What we do is fill up those cards each time we go to empty our orange crate and then we donate the cards to a local non-profit which provides free furniture and clothing to those in need. Staff or volunteers at the non-profit can then use them themselves to purchase items for clients or pass the cards on to their clients. It’s best to keep the rebate cards with the box so that the cards can be punched when we go to the thrift store, aren’t lost, forgotten at home before leaving with the crate or accidentally placed in my partner’s wallet, etc.
Second, I also keep a stack of orange stickers with the binder clip so that we can identify larger items for donation that don’t fit in the crate. The larger items are usually kept near the crate so that they’re brought along when one of us makes a trip to the thrift store. I’m using some old post-it stickers for now but I’ll eventually get some large orange stickers that don’t need additional tape to hold well.
Finally, I have a monthly recurring task on my to-do app to drop off the orange crate at the nearby thrift store. This helps ensure that the box doesn’t overflow and that items which might happen to be near the filled-up crate aren’t accidentally picked up and donated when we take the crate to go empty it at the thrift store.
Note: This post was crossposted to r/konmari
The biggest mistake I made for years was focusing on being productive rather than being effective.
If you are increasing productivity (cramming every bit of your day with tasks and getting those tasks done in the best manner) that is good. But if you aren't focused on the right things then it doesn't matter how well you do them and how many of them you do.
You say you are working 60 hours a week. To me that is a big red flag that you are focusing too much on productivity and not on being effective. I know because that used to be me. I was proud I was working so much. Little did I know I was spinning my wheels like crazy.
The book The One Thing talks about this some. I guarantee if you are spending 60 hours a week working you aren't being nearly as effective as you could be only working 30 hours a week but spending that time on the correct things that really make an impact. (I speak from personal experience, but my experience might not be your experience)
But, since you asked for productivity tips, I'll give you the ones that help me the most the past couple years:
(Disclaimer: I made some pretty big assumptions about you and your situation that may not be correct. If anything my post says more about me and the journey I have been on than about you. But hopefully you take my advice the way it was intended, as nothing but helpful ramblings from someone who has been in a similar spot in life)
This is the rationale behind the argument:
drunk_kronk/jimmwr, I'd love to hear your angle on it. A quick outline of the support for learning things that you can't see the value for and is not directly useful.
I'm sure you've probably heard it before, but GTD seeks to solve exactly this -- getting things out of your mind and into a system that you trust so that they stop bothering you all the time and you can focus on just the task at hand.
There are two parts of GTD that really helped with feeling overwhelmed by inputs and afraid of loose ends:
My word of caution is that organization is a function of time and consistency. No app will ever be able to eliminate that (and some seem to just make it worse). I have a coworker who has 3,000 folders and subfolders in her email system. It's beautiful to look at, but I have just as much success finding e-mails using the search bar. Do yourself a favor and be judicious about how much organization is worthwhile.
One is often frustrated, or at least I was, when you receive a lot of advice and it doesn't immediately work. This can lead you down a rabbit hole, "maybe this isn't the right technique" or "If I had that I would be more productive". In other words it can lead you to procrastinate about productivity.
To avoid this I have this recommendation, don't focus on the tools focus on the work. More specifically Focus on lead measures. Count the amount of distraction free time you spend devoted to your craft or work (this means but isn't limited to leave your phone in another room and focus). If you put in the work results will follow. Good Luck my friend for a more detailed explanation on this tip and others I leave you these recommendations
Cal Newport's Book Deep Work -- https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/1455586692/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520541435&sr=1-1&keywords=deep+work
Active studying (This is in regard to how to spend your time efficiently in a knowledge based work, not my tip but may be helpful) https://www.reddit.com/r/ActiveStudying/
If you want to hire someone, you probably want a life coach. If you're looking for someone who will help you on many of these angles, that would be a life coach. Someone with a more detached, professional view of your life who can provide motivation, a sounding board, accountability, etc.
Now, seeing as you are broke AF, I'm not sure if a life coach is affordable. So if you want to DIY this, I have a couple of suggestions.
The value for you in Getting Things Done (GTD) is the initial collection, processing and organization phase, along with the workflow habits it can build. That initial process of gathering up all this stuff that has accumulated in your life over the past year you've been unable to work and deciding what you're going to do with it should be helpful in getting you moving forward again.
But where GTD kind of falls down in my opinion is in deciding what you are going to do and providing structure in how your organize your tasks. And I think both of those are provided much better in Agile Results. That system has a much more intentional process of laying out a vision for your year, month, week, and day that makes working through all your goals and the accumulated backlog easier.
I understand how you feel – I've been going back and forth between paper and digital for a long time. I love the feeling of paper planners, but it's a bit iffy to change dates etc., and that one day when you forget your planner you wish you had a digital one in your phone.
I've settled for two great apps which I enjoy to use and help me greatly with planning. The calendar app is Timepage. The second app is OmniFocus, which adheres to the Getting Things Done mentality.
Both apps are for iOS, not sure what's out there for android.
I'm a psychologist and I worked for a long time (relatively speaking) in the creative industries. Now, I might be biased here because this is the approach I use with my clients, but I would recommend trying to give yourself space to both procrastinate and feel fine about it, while you also work on a way to grow out of this behavior.
Basically, the idea is that you're first mindful of the way you procrastinate in the present moment. Once you do this, you should simply accept it and try not to be negative about it (saying you're stupid, lazy, etc). At the same time, you should also be mindful of other impulses you have - especially those focused on productivity, ambition and so forth. This way, the frequency and intensity of your procrastination pattern should go down, while you gradually integrate the underlying impulse to waste time (which is a part of you, for better or worse) in the rest of your life - this is the final step.
I know this might sound paradoxical and odd, but I'm sure that this process is able to help many people go over procrastination. I wrote a short book about it, so you can check it out if you want to learn more.
Of course, I'd love to tell you more about, so shoot if you have any questions.
My friend recommended this planner last year https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYVUKFZ and I start using it at work and I absolutely love it. I needed something that centers me on a few big tasks that are important for me that today and this planner has the perfect layout for it.
Yeah meditation 0% works for me and I'm over people telling me I'm just doing it wrong, lol. Strategies like "just pay attention to your breathing" are much more successful with all of the other treatment things that go along with it, like the entire field of CBT. Someone's anxiety isn't going to be cured by someone saying "omg have you tried breathing?" on the internet, lmao
I've found this book to be super helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Shyness-Social-Anxiety-Workbook-Step/dp/1572245530 and I also see a therapist and do some DBT stuff, which is great. I can now speak in front of large groups and introduce myself to groups of strangers and tell acquaintances that we should hang out sometime; it's like a whole new world (it took like, four years, but hey)
Hey friend, I'm in the same boat (graphic design.) I need to build my portfolio to change jobs & move this year, but I've been severely lacking in all forms of motivation & discipline. While design is my career & passion and I truly do love it, I never learned the self-discipline tactics to stay on a schedule. Any schedule I've made for myself in the past falls apart almost immediately. And when I do get into the right mindset to work, it's hard for me to focus for long periods of time. The work that I usually love becomes dull and the sweet siren songs of Youtube & reddit beckon me away.
​
I've been procrastinating on this for two years now. I know. It's bad.
​
A few months ago I realized I'm almost always inadvertently waiting for a "breakthrough" in my mental state. I'm essentially closing my eyes and hoping that a gush of motivation will wash over me. That all my previous excuses will suddenly stop making sense & my brain will eagerly jump forward with all the energy and ambition I'm missing. I've become somewhat addicted to self-improvement tactics, testing every new theory in hopes that it'll be my "big break." It feels like something is off in my clockwork, and if only I could find the one widget or gear to fix it, all my internal hangups, procrastination, fear, and demotivation will be solved.
​
Well, it's been two years. A breakthrough hasn't arrived yet. I've realized it's not coming.
​
I've exhausted so much self-help that I'm exhausted by all the self-help. I'm tired of tricks and quick-fixes to getting work done. Because they don't work in the long term (a quick-fix, by definition, is temporary.) It's becoming abundantly clear that I cannot manipulate myself into doing work that I don't want to do. I just have to do it.
​
So I'm retraining my brain's habits. When I sit down at my desk, I almost physically crave distraction. I don't want to be faced with my work and all its failures (actual & potential.) I literally grit my teeth and visualize the new neural pathways forming in my brain (or at the very least, the old ones breaking.) The only way to solidify new habits is to DO THEM, because they get easier with time. And it's worth it to remind yourself that if it's difficult today- if everything in your body revolts at the thought of putting pen to paper- this is the worst it's going to feel, and you CAN push past the resistance. Repetition breeds ease.
​
I'm a perfectionist and a procrastinator. Creating stuff scares me to death. Putting it into a portfolio for the world scares me to death. Also it's just hard work. You know as well as I do that art is just as much a job as anything else. It takes effort- effort that we often don't have or want to conjure. So I'm relearning how to fall in love with the boredom, and how to crave a flow state, and how to sit down and focus instead of throwing an attention-span tantrum about how I don't want to do this.
​
Because there will never be a perfect day, or a perfect mood, or a perfect time. You will never feel insanely motivated and inspired to do your work (I mean, you might, but give up that vision as a solution. It's not reliable.) People romanticize dedication to a habit (have you seen the fans of fitness gurus on Instagram?) but you can't romanticize the work. It's dirty and frustrating, painful and exhausting. But it's meaningful, and that's why you resist it- because it's important to you, and maybe you're scared it won't live up to your expectations or that your goals are unattainable. It's okay to feel afraid. It's okay to feel uninspired, or bored, or tired, or hungry, or grumpy. It's okay to feel like you want to do anything but the work.
Do it anyway.
​
- - -
Despite my earlier claim that all my self-improvement research has been more stifling than helpful, there ARE some resources that have helped me:
​
- Drive by Daniel Pink - on why intrinsic motivation is essential for getting anything meaningful done
- Deep Work by Cal Newport - how to slow down and focus
- Talk to other artists. Seriously. Like, in-person. I'm the most introverted hermit you'll ever meet but when I'm struggling creatively, just TALKING to another designer pumps up my spirits. I hate small talk and I hate social interaction (hello, social anxiety) but its benefits are exponential
- Therapy & medication - 'cause you can't muscle through a neurological or psychological problem (without help at least)
- Just start. Draw one line.
- Accountability- if you're good with client deadlines but not your own (raises hand,) get someone to check in on you. Sometimes we just need someone else nagging us to get our lives in line
- Downsize your responsibilities- human beings are very very bad at multitasking & juggling a lot of things at once. For something to take priority, other things need to take a backseat
- Sleep! I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in February. Got a CPAP and who knew I could feel so awake and energetic in the mornings?! It's nuts. But even if you don't have a sleep disorder, sleep is way WAY more important than people realize.
-Red Lemon Club- this is a site/blog/group of people (we have a Slack group) started by this guy named Alex who just gets it. The instagram is worth following alone
I tried the following for my sleep:
I sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed. You can look into that and try it out. I sleep late like 11:55 pm and wake up around 6 am. Refreshed. Also my quality of sleep has improved by like 30%. Earlier I used to have difficulty sleeping even after doing exercise and not taking any caffeine after 10:00 am.
Check /r/Supplements or /r/Nootropics for more details.
PM if you want. I had same issue and now I am way better off
Sorry I can't exactly help, but your post reminded me of a book called Daily Rituals that has been on my list of books to read (https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Rituals-How-Artists-Work/dp/0307273601). Also, Adam Grant's books are all amazing-- Originals is probably my favorite nonfiction book of all time. Give and Take is great, too.
Good post but it's missing references.
The poster book for Stoicism and productivity mixed together: The Obstacle is the Way
Not sure about the rest but for subjectivity, I'm guessing The Now Habit
Guess for negativity bias Predictably Irrational
Guess for think objectively Succeed
Guess for advice to friends The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
I guess this goes to explain my downvote. I'm not really expecting a fully referenced article but it goes to show that either productivity concepts are overrated and can be summed up in one short article or the concepts, as written in the article, is vastly under-represented if not mis-represented.
I'm sure my lone vote won't matter much in the river of upvotes and congrats for giving your site and articles that "Seth Godin" touch but you could do better.
This article is honestly an echo of Cal Newport’s ideas in Deep Work and Digital Minimalism neither of which were referenced. Attention residue isn’t “his idea,” but he definitely communicated it in a productivity sense for the masses in Deep Work.
Also, the entire message of Digital Minimalism was to show that being mindful of non-essential technologies (social media, video games, blogs, etc.) is better than going cold turkey quitting them. If you’re going to write an article on a topic that’s been written about extensively, you should reference those sources. Poorly written and fluffy article.
Have you tried Todoist? That's where I went after Wunderlist :)
As far as GTD, you may want to read David Allen's book - https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280
It's very interesting and helpful.
I feel that Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport is a good fit here too.
"Getting Things Done" by David Allen.
I've read a good number of self-help books at this point, and I think Getting Things Done has had the largest impact on my productivity. What's so great about it is that it helps you get a system in place for remaining productive, and explains why work nowadays is different from work in the past. It also emphasizes getting work done in a stress-free way, so you can not only be a productive machine but also be relaxed while doing so. Highly recommend to anyone.
One of the best books I ever read on procrastination. It even has a section where the author has stories about his support group for PhD students who procrastinate. Read the book, take notes and reenforce it by listening to the audio book while you walk around campus:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Now-Habit-Overcoming-Procrastination/dp/1585425524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377864890&sr=8-1&keywords=The+now+habit
yep, it's great. so is The Now Habit by Neil Fiore. i return to both books a few times per year.
Nice!
"The One Thing" is a cool book that expands on how doing less increases effectiveness.
This is NOT an affiliate link:
https://www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results-ebook/dp/B00C1BHQXK
I highly recommend the book Getting Things Done by the inventor of GTD, David Allen. I listened to the book (which is narrated by Mr Allen himself) and found it to be very help- and insightful.
Your problem is being unorganized. First you need to educate yourself, read the following book (text, audio avail.). David Allen has been writing it for decades and he is definitely the expert on the subject. Made my life easier for sure.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
by Amazon.com
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143126563/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_HRRBCbYP23V5R
Its a time management system. GTD stands for Getting Things Done which is the name of the book that introduces it.
It is as much a theory as it is a system. He introduces a set of principles and gives you the freedom to implement them however you want. I've found it useful, but some people are dogmatic about it.
Read this book - Getting Things Done.
Depending on the project, I'll setup a Trello board and create a bunch of sub tasks depending on the complexity of the project. I'll then order / group them on how quickly those tasks can be done, and what order they have to be done in. I then fit those into my schedule around everything else that's going on.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143126563/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HKbZAbEC86RE3
It’s a book, that’s popular with a lot of managers and small business owners. It can be applied to a lot of people.
Not sure if really relevant, but in other fields where attention to detail is vital they use checklists. For example, even pilots who have been flying for years use checklists.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0312430000?pc_redir=1396411218&robot_redir=1
Website - https://gettingthingsdone.com/five-steps/
​
Book - https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0143126563
​
Do you know what the Eisenhower matrix is?
Getting Things Done
The newest edition of Getting Things Done is from 2015. There was a “Getting Things Done For Teens” that came out in 2018. There’s also a “Getting Things Done Workbook” with a release date later in 2019.
If you’re looking for the main book, the 2015 edition is the one to get.
This is nice tutorial on using the Unschedule which is part of The Now Habit by Dr. Neil Fiore
The book Getting Things Done