‘IIf you get a hard job…and you can’t make it easy, put a lazy person in it,” a Chrysler executive named Clarence Bletcher once told U.S. Senate Productivity Committee explains. “In 10 days, he’ll have an easy way to do it.”
This quote is often incorrectly attributed to Walter Chrysler or Bill Gates. I know this because fundamentally, I’m a lazy person: If left to my own devices, I’d happily spend 20 minutes on Quote Investigator instead of vacuuming the living room or, uh, writing a feature on productivity.
question? I have load Do it. Like many self-proclaimed productivity bros, my weekly schedule includes a few fitness classes, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu routine, practicing piano, writing a newsletter, and cultivating a few side hustles—but I also have a full-time job and a seven-year Work – always something to worry about.
While I collect productivity advice the same way some people collect refrigerator magnets or Funko Pop! Numbers, I’m ruthless about the tips I actually follow. I don’t journal, meditate, or take cold showers; I don’t have 20 productivity apps or expensive timers. I have a few “rules” and following them works… and it works great.
So, if you’re struggling to get used to it all, take some advice from Bleicher, pick up some elastic bands (yes, really), and start with the laziest yet life-changing thing you can do.
write everything down
Yes, everything: Shopping lists, appointments, work that needs to be done, ways to entertain bored kids, ideas for novels you would write if you had the chance, all the movies and TV shows you want to see, and all the books you want to read.
Dave Allen, author of “Getting Things Done,” recommends using a complex index card system to do this, but technology has advanced. Put everything into one or two large spreadsheets with separate tabs. It’s incredibly freeing: Instead of processing dozens of ideas in your head, you outsource them into files. It also cuts down on spending your evenings searching for something to watch on countless streaming platforms. But there’s one thing I always do in a physical notebook…
Ditch the to-do list and make a “first thing” list instead
The problem with most to-do lists is that they don’t take into account everything you need to accomplish. File Your Taxes won’t work if you don’t have your receipts organized; Organize School Applications won’t work if you don’t know who to email.
With a “first thing” list, you can break an important task into smaller and smaller chunks until you’re left with a “first thing” that can be done immediately (ideally within two minutes). When you sit down in the morning, make a list of these things so it’s easy to start building momentum for the rest of the day.
Bonus tip: Instead of crossing things off your list, place a checkbox next to each item. It takes about 10 seconds, but it’s easier to see what you’ve done – and it’s very satisfying.
Throughout the day, we all have moments of excitement and moments of bad mood. Maybe you don’t really get moving until noon, or maybe your attention starts to wander after four o’clock.
Get a piece of paper and map out an average work day—start and end times, breaks, any personal things you have to do—and write down the times when you’re most focused or sluggish. From here, you should be able to calculate the best time for a difficult or creative task (and figure out when you should stick to sending an email or replacing a printer cartridge). Obviously, working a full-time job doesn’t always respect the 3pm break, but if you have a little leeway, try moving your most tedious tasks to a time of day when your brain slows down.
Use the “work or not work” rule
Raymond Chandler did a lot of things. It was not until the early 1930s, when he was in his 40s, that he began writing detective stories seriously, but went on to write seven novels and a number of screenplays, two of which were nominated for Academy Awards.
His advice? “The important thing is that there should be a time… when a professional writer does nothing else but write,” he once said. “He doesn’t have to write, and if he doesn’t feel like it, he shouldn’t try. He can look out the window, stand on his head, or roll on the floor, but he can’t do anything else active, read, write letters, browse magazines, or write checks .
Of course, in Chandler’s day, it was easier to avoid distractions. Now, no matter what device you’re writing on, you’re probably connected to countless things to distract you. One option is to work on a laptop or without an internet connection. the other is…
Tie an elastic band on your phone
We’ve all heard the common phone advice – put it in a drawer, turn on airplane mode, put a photo of your child’s face on the lock screen to remind you that you should be planning for their future instead Doom Scroll – But it’s all too easy to overlook. I couldn’t ditch my phone entirely – what if the boy’s school needed something urgently? – but if anyone thinks my smiling kids might be a disincentive, they haven’t met me (or him).
The only thing that worked for me was using a literal barrier in the shape of an elastic band. Wrap one around your screen and it can serve as a tactile reminder that it’s only for use in emergencies. This also helps with the next idea.
Set kettle expiration date
As a youngster, I used to boil the kettle as an excuse to do some push-ups or squats (obviously, I worked from home). Now, as a perpetually exhausted dad, I take two or three minutes to see how quickly I can wipe down a kitchen surface or sweep the floor. Another option is to have a cup of tea as a brainstorming break. If you’re having a work-related problem, changing the location from your desk to the kitchen can be enough to get things going again.
Try the “Progressive” Pomodoro
Productivity coaches swear by the Pomodoro Technique, named after the tomato-shaped timers popular in high-end kitchens. The idea is that you work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break, and then feel refreshed and ready for the next work session.
question? Sometimes, 25 minutes feels like too much, or you’re already in the zone and don’t want to stop.
An idea I borrowed from YouTube creator Mike Rapadas is to match your work blocks to how focused you feel. Start with five-minute bursts and continue if you still feel focused, or take a break Very If you don’t, take a short break. As you get into the flow, you can extend your work time until you can efficiently complete half an hour’s worth of work at a time.
Think in terms of If > then
It’s about programming your brain to perform better. The idea is that you set prompts to prompt you for planned actions, rather than making decisions as you go. For example, if you don’t go to the gym after get off work, do 50 push-ups and 100 squats at home. This can help you avoid making tough decisions when you’re already tired, stressed, or hungry, and hopefully ensure you make better ones.
Say “I can” instead of “I must”
Here’s another way to change your thinking: Instead of insisting on going to the gym, practicing your clarinet, or calling your mom, remind yourself that you get Do those things. After all, if you have the time and energy to do these things, it’s often a privilege. Call your mom!
Eliminate “zero days”
I saw this article posted by a commenter on Reddit about ten years ago, and now people are building their lives around it. The basic concept is that a “zero day” is when you don’t do anything on any project you’re working on, while a “non-zero day” is when you do something: write a line, practice a scale, do a push-up. The key is to stay motivated, build a habit, and get there. I record the non-zero days of everything I’m working on on a piece of paper – ticking everything off – and try to maintain continuity in all of them.
Start now, fix later
This is the most important concept I’ve encountered about getting work done. If you’ve done all of the above and still don’t know where to start with your project, the most important thing is to get started and adjust as you go. Go to the gym today and worry about how well your abs will work tonight. Finish a first draft of something now and revise it tomorrow. Start with what you want to do and work out the rest in the future.
