Most people are interested in getting something done.
But maybe you arent.
Maybe you just want tofeelproductive, or efficient, or hard-working, without having to actually accomplish something.
You cant just start doing that.
First it’s crucial that you plan, and first it’s crucial that you plan to plan.
Obsess About Tools
What do you better get done?
Well, check your to-do list.
You have a to-do app, right?
Theoretically, you could effectively manage your tasks with a notebook and a pen.
How do you know one of those isnt 10% more effective than your current app?
One of them has location-based reminders.
One has calendar integration.
One has haptic feedback.
One has an especially handsome icon with a blue checkmark.
While youre in the app store, update all your apps.
Update the apps that support those apps.
Go to your machine, update those apps too.
Download the desktop to-do app that syncs with your mobile to-do app.
Sign into Dropbox to set up the sync file.
Sign into Google to get the email confirmation from Dropbox.
Sign into 1Password to get your Google password.
Sign into Twitter in case you ever want to tweet your to-dos.
Download a minimalist writing app.
Download another, fullscreen minimalist writing app.
Download another, fuller-screen minimalist writing app.
What is the most productive font?
Switch to a Mac.
Install Windows on the Mac for the apps that dont work on Linux.
Check your work space.
Does it look likeone of our favorite workspaces?
Why do you only have one monitor?
You could do twice as much with two.
You only want to buy the best.
Dont use your box until you get the new monitor.
You dont want to wear yourself out with low quality single-monitor work.
While youre at it, buy a new computer desk.
Dont use your box until you get the new computer desk.
Maybe you need a new computer.
Okay, youre unplugged.
Lets try that pen and notebook after all.
You have a fresh new pen and afresh new notebook, right?
And the pages are grid-ruled because it feels more precise?
And theyre yellow, because you read somewhere that its easier to remember things you wrote on yellow paper?
Nowthrow out your pen and get a roller ball.
Throw out your roller ball and get a gel pen.
Throw out your gel pen and get one with a narrower tip.
Were ready to get down to business.
Were ready to pick a journaling system.
Obsess About Systems
Youll never be really productive if you dont have a good system.
You heard good things aboutbullet journaling.
Lifehacker says take what works for you and forget the rest but you really want to do it right.
You want to be the most productive at being productive.
You want to get an A+ in productivity.
Learn everything about bullet journaling.
Replace your notebook and pen with the notebook and pen that work best for bullet journaling.
Now switch to theGetting Things Donesystem.
Youre ready to start work!
You have so much energy!
But what will you do on Day 2 when you run out of energy?
Switch from Xs tocolored lines.
Change all the colors to more productive colors.
Learn the 43 folders system.
Learn the Inbox Zero system.
Learn the Action Method.
How can you get too obsessed about a good thing?
Whats the best Pomodoro timer?
Confuse having options with having obligations.
November is National Novel Writing Month.
Thats the perfect productivity system.
Dont do any work until then.
Unless youre reading this on November 2, in which case you should probably wait until next year.
Listen to some podcasts.
Read the books recommended in the podcasts.
Read some articles about the books, and the books recommended in those articles.
Read an article abouthow to productively read a book.
Read an article about how topretend to read a book.
Read an article aboutnot reading articles.
Read a book aboutreading articles and not reading articles.
Go to some classes.
Pay money to learn how to do something free.
The money will make you productive.
The well-designed website will make you productive.
The blurbs from famous people will make you productive.
They could have just started with the good work, at age 60.
Consume a Constant Stream of Data
Measure your progress.
Track your word count.
Track your reps. Track your deliverables.
Now track your typing speed.
Track your bathroom breaks.
Quantify things you never thought to quantify.
Buy devices to discover new things to quantify.
Download apps to track the devices.
Quantify how much you quantify.
Dont do any work unless you’ve got the option to quantify it.
Turn on all your notifications.
Turn on inbox counters.
Turn on a physical light youve rigged to light up whenever something happens.
Push your Google alerts to iCal.
Push your iCal alerts to Google.
Push all your alerts to IFTTT and save them all in an Evernote file and email it to yourself.
Keep up-to-date on your favorite content.
Keep up-to-date on content you might enjoy.
Keep up-to-date on content no one enjoys, as a cautionary tale.
Change your desktop wallpaper.
Download an app that automatically changes your wallpaper.
Download the mobile version of the app.
Buy the phone case that matches the mobile wallpaper app.
Buy a new app.
Give them all equal importance.
Work on each one until youre bored of it, then switch to another.
Unless you hit a point where someone else needs to contribute.
Then dont work on anything while youre waiting for that outside contribution.
An exception: If you have a manageable project that could grow, let it sit in your mind.
Dont get your ideas on paper.
Polish them so they are perfect.
Feed them so they grow in scope.
Tell people about your big idea, and how it will be more important than anything youve done before.
Tell people how your big idea is better than real things that other people have made.
When anyone asks you to start another project, say yes to everything that excites you.
Say yes to everything that doesnt excite you, but could excite you in the future.
Add everything you ever want to do to your to-do list, but dont delete anything.
You once wanted to do it, so until you do, constantly remind yourself you havent.
Set deadlines for every task.
Dont let the mounting wall of unfinished tasks stop you from adding more tasks.
Tasks that will be even better than the other tasks.
Make tasks about managing your tasks.
Make projects about managing your projects.
Write a blog about writing about productivity.
Go to some seminars.
Pay for some coaching.
