Have you ever wished for more than 24 hours in a day? Imagine having 8 hours for sleep and the rest for all the exciting things life has to offer 🤔

Recently, I caught myself thinking the same thing. Since it's impossible to add more hours to a day, I realized I needed to find another way.

I started looking for solutions to this problem, and now I want to share what I’ve discovered with you.

Understanding Productivity

The biggest challenge for me turned out to be inefficient time management.

Working smarter, not longer!

it's about maximizing efficiency in the time you have. Learning how to prioritize, schedule, and focus on meaningful tasks can make a world of difference.

Prioritization Methods

In this article I’d like to focus on one method, which I use on the daily basis.

The Eisenhower Matrix

This technique divides tasks into:

• Urgent & Important

• Important but Not Urgent

• Urgent but Not Important

• Neither Urgent nor Important

The goal? Focus on what truly needs attention and delegate or eliminate the rest. Also it helps to understand what should be done first, for example, at the day beginning 🙂

Effective Time Management

Time Blocking and Task Batching

Time blocking assigns specific hours for tasks, while batching groups similar tasks together to reduce context switching. I use this one technique to schedule my daily routine like gym, shopping, working calls and specific tasks in calendar like “Write an article”.

The Pomodoro Technique

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Set a 25-minute timer and work without distractions.

2. Take a 5-minute break.

3. Repeat this cycle 4 times, then take a longer break (15–30 minutes).

Use apps like Pomodor, or Session to implement this technique effectively.

The science of focus

The Role of Dopamine in Focus

Dopamine, the brain’s motivation chemical, plays a significant role in focus. Activities like setting small goals, celebrating progress, and exercising regularly can naturally boost dopamine levels, enhancing concentration.

Eliminating Distractions

Multitasking is a myth—our brains cannot effectively focus on multiple things at once.

To improve focus:

• Turn off notifications to reduce digital distractions.

• Use the 90/20 Rule – Work for 90 minutes, rest for 20 minutes.

• Designate a distraction-free workspace to train your brain for deep work.

Building Sustainable Habits

Building sustainable habits is key to long-term productivity. Instead of relying on willpower, successful individuals create systems that make productivity effortless.

Habit Stacking

This technique involves pairing new habits with existing ones. For example, listening to an audiobook while jogging.

The Power of Consistency

Habits are built through repetition. Studies suggest that it takes at least 21 days to form a habit, but real sustainability happens when you make it part of your identity. Instead of saying, "I need to write every day," shift to "I am a writer."

Tracking Progress

Use habit-tracking apps like Notion to monitor progress. Visual cues reinforce consistency and help build motivation.

I recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear to learn more about this topic.

Leveraging AI & Automation

Modern world with AI could boost your productivity together with familiar Calendars and notetakers. For now I’m using only two services:

• ChatGPT for all my questions and search requests

• Neary AI for all my notes, tasks and reminders

I tried a lot of different tools, but most of them are covering only small piece of my requests.

Conclusion

Productivity is all about making small, sustainable changes. Pick one technique from this guide and start applying it today! The key is consistency mastering these methods will help you maximize efficiency without sacrificing your well-being. And don’t forget about AI tools 😉

Good luck!