15 Productivity Hacks As Picked By An AI

Neera

On 21 October 2022, Ali Abdaal, a doctor turned YouTuber and Podcaster, did an experiment. He tweeted a thread with 15 productivity hacks. It became his highest-performing tweet of all time.

1 million impressions and 23,648 engagements in two days.

The surprising thing was he didn’t write that thread himself.

He got an Artificial Intelligence tool to generate it.

If you read the thread, you can’t pick up whether a human or a bot wrote it.

I took the 15 hacks and assessed my own habits against them. Here is what I found.

1. Set A Daily Highlight

Each morning, ask yourself, “what is the most important thing I want to do today?” and then make sure you do that thing. When you do this every day (or even most days) for a whole year, you make an incredible amount of progress.

I can swear by this advice. Around mid-year last year, I started identifying one primary task for the day and making sure I do it. I call it my Daily Focus Task (DFT). It has removed the overwhelm from my day. I no longer feel stressed if I don’t go through my whole To-do list for the day. As long as I have done my Daily Focus Task, I can feel good about myself.

2. Have an hourglass on your desk

This is a simple reminder to make the most of your time. I [Al Abdaal] uses a sand timer, but you could also use an hourglass app on your phone or computer.

This, too, is my strategy. I used to use the timer on my Windows computer that comes with the clock. But I moved to Mac earlier this year, and Mac doesn’t have a built-in timer. So I have started using the timer on my mobile phone. There is one trouble though. I can’t see the clock ticking on the corner of my computer which used to bring me back to task whenever I got distracted. I will have to find an app that I could install on my Mac.

3. Set a “No-Internet Day” once a week

This has been a game-changer for me. On Wednesdays, I [Ali Abdaal] don’t allow myself to go on the Internet till 5 pm. This means no social media, no email, no news, no nothing.

I have not tried this one. Normally I can go without social media in the morning, for a few hours, especially when I am working on a book or an article. But having all day as a “No-Internet Day,” sounds great. I got to give it a go.

4. Make a “To-Don’t” list

This is a list of things you shouldn’t do, no matter what. For me, this list includes things like checking my email first thing in the morning, working on the weekends, and checking social media frequently throughout the day.

Okay, from time to time I have vowed not to do certain things such as “not to pick up my phone first thing in the morning,” but I have never made a proper “To-Don’t” list. I am on it now. As soon as I finish writing this article, I am going to create my Not-To-Do List and pin it where I can see it at all times.

5. Use Pomodoro Technique

This is a time management technique that involves working for 25 minutes and then taking a5 minute break. I’ve [Ali Abdaal] found that this helps me stay focused and avoid burnout.

This is something I use invariably, or rather, a version of it. I work in 15 minutes snippets. Whenever I am time-pressed, I set a timer for 15 minutes and write an article or clean-up in inbox, or do research. If get in the flow state, I keep hitting the repeat button on the timer and work for 30 to 45 minutes before getting up and taking a break. This speeds me up and my output is usually much higher, working in short snippets than setting aside an hour or two to write an article.

6. Batch Similar Tasks Together

This means doing all of your similar tasks at the same time. For example, I like to batch all of my writing tasks together. So if I have to write a blog post, record a video, and write an email, I’ll do all of those things one after the other.

I too batch similar tasks together. I call it my “chaos management” time. Each day, I set aside two to three hours when answer emails, leave comments on LinkedIn posts, responds to comments reader left on my posts, etc. Before going on extended holidays, I have written four to eight weeks’ worth or articles and newsletters which was brilliant. I want to do that but haven’t been able to build a system for it yet. Something to work on and perfect next year.

7. Get in a Flow State

This is when you’re so focused on a task that you lose track of time. When you’re in a flow state, you’re usually in “the zone” and you’re extremely productive.

I have frequently been in the “flow state” and believe me, it is such a surreal experience. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I have been working for hours at a stretch and don’t even feel it. The quick way to get into flow state is working in fifteen-minutes snippets.

8. Take breaks regularly

It’s important to take breaks throughout the day, even if you’re in a flow state. I like to take a 5–10 minute break every hour or so. During my break, I’ll usually walk around, get a drink of water, or do something else to relax.

I take break automatically. Working from home means there is always something to do — dishes needs to be done, vegeies need to be chopped, a cupboard needs tidying. These mundane tasks are a great way to sort out thoughts and give my eyes rest from staring the screen. I used to go out for a walk to mark the end of the working day. But many times someone will drop in or I start cooking and miss the walk. Now I have started going for walks in the afternoon. I like this new time because I get to soak the sun and I am not rushed. Halfway, I sit on a bench in the park and meditate.

9. Have a set schedule

I’ve found that it’s helpful to have a set schedule for my day. I know that I’ll work from 9 am-5 pm Monday through Friday and I know that I’ll take a break at 12 pm for lunch. Having a set schedule helps me stay on track and avoid getting sidetracked.

I have a schedule, but not as tight as Ali’s. And I like it that way. I work for 3–4 hours before lunch and 3–4 hours between lunch and dinner. This schedule gives me flexibility to fit other things in my day so my days are not all work, work, work.

10. Get rid of distractions

This is a big one. If you want to be productive, you need to get rid of anything that’s going to distract you. For me, this means putting my phone on silent, turning off all notifications, and working in a quiet environment.

I am pretty good with phone and social media. I have turned off all social media notifications. My phone hardly rings during the day and if it does, I am not afraid to tell the person on the other end that this is my working hours and I will return their call in the evening. My major source of distraction is the housework. Another thing where I waste a lot of time is finding things on my computer. I am working on implementing a better system to manage digital clutter and it is helping.

11. Set goals

Having goals is important because it gives you something to strive for. I like to set both long-term and short-term goals. For example, my long-term goal might be to write a book and my short-term goal might be to write 1000 words per day.

I am a hard core goal setter. I have to say no more.

12. Use a task-manger

I use a task manager to keep track of all the things I need to do. This helps me stay organized and makes sure that I am doing the most important tasks. I use the app Todoist, but there are a ton of other great options out there.

I use Author’s Planner and Bullet Journal to create and keep track of my daily, weekly, and monthly to-do lists. It is a journal I created for myself. It is available both in hardback and softcover from Amazon. If you are interested, you can get it here. Recently I have been exploring Notion, to create a digital version of it.

13. Follow the 80/20 rule

The 80/20 rule is the principle that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. This means that you should focus on the things that are giving you the most results.

I am not a master of identifying the 20% that gives me the best results. It is perhaps because I have not identified all the activities I do and the results they bring me. This is an area of improvement for me.

14. Delegate and outsource

Delegate and outsource the things that you don’t need to do yourself. For example, I outsource my bookkeeping/ accounting. The frees up my time so that I can focus on the things that I’m good at and that I enjoy.

I hate to admit but I do zero delegation and outsourcing. Four years into writing and authorpreneurship and I am doing 95% of the things myself. Now and then, I buy services that I can’t do myself. Delegation and outsourcing require investment and mindset shift. I need to work on both.

15. Take time for yourself

This is probably the most important tip of all. You can’t be productive if you’re not taking care of yourself. Take time for things like exercise, relaxation and hobbies. This will help you avoid burnout and will make you more productive.

I fully agree with this tip. I am an avid traveller. Pandemic kept me housebound for two years. But this year I made up for it. I have already been on two extended holidays (6 weeks and 8 weeks) and one short one ( 1 week) and have planned more. I keep enrolling in courses that interest me and have several hobbies. My problem is how to restrain myself so that I don’t put too much on my plate.

It has been a wonderful exercise to determine where I stand with these productivity hacks and where I need to concentrate to bring some improvements.

I suggest you do that same. Reading about the productivity tips is not enough, you got to implement them too. And from time to time, you got to evaluate where you stand.

How To Create Your First Digital Product In Three Hours

Neera

“If you want to grow your subscriber numbers, write a freebie,” said my mentor.

“But I don’t know how,” I cried. “And what?”
“What can I give as a freebie?”

“Anything of value.”

Something was stopping me, but I couldn’t figure out what.

I had written several articles on Medium but writing an eBook was a big step.

Then one day, almost a year later, I woke up with a tiny voice in my head.

“Write the damn book and write it fast.”

If there is one thing I learned in my creative life, it is to listen to that tiny voice.

I wrote my first ebook in one week and published it.

Then wrote three more and published them too.

I have written a guide to help you with the process.

It’s FREE. Download it here.

The Easiest Way To Write A Book

Neera

“What is the easiest way to write a book?” asked a reader.

“Write a series of questions about a topic and then write responses to them,” was my answer.

In your business/ line-of-work, clients ask you a lot of questions all the time. Don’t get annoyed with them. Collect them. They are like gold mines.

Write detailed responses to them. Don’t just answer dryly.

  • Tell stories.
  • Give examples.
  • Include case studies.

Frequently asked questions make brilliant in-depth books.

Here are a few examples:

Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe – by Jorge Cham

The Indie Writer’s Encyclopaedia – by Michael La Ronn

84 Questions That Sell – By Paul Cherry

50 Questions On Natural Laws – by Charles Rice

101 Questions To Ask Before You Get Engaged – H. Norman Write

———

Do you want to write a book but can’t start because it feels like a daunting project?

I might be able to help.

Contact me on LinkedIn.

How To Get Out Of Herd Mentality

Neera

Researchers observed an interesting phenomenon on the 86th floor of the World Trade Centre during 9/11.

When the plane struck the twin towers, one group of colleagues on the 86th floor didn’t panic. Nor did they run for their lives. Instead, they gathered in a conference room to discuss their options.

All of them were terrified. And yet all of them regrouped to see what their friends would do.

The same thing was observed when authorities interviewed several airplane crash survivors.

The first thing people do in times of trouble is not panic.

They look at what their neighbors are doing.

If their neighbors are panicking, they’ll panic too. And if their neighbors are calm, they’ll be calm too.

It’s a typical “monkey see monkey do” response.

Doesn’t matter how intellectually savvy we think we are; deep down we have animal instincts.

And animals live in herds.

Like it or not, we are influenced by our peers and adopt certain behaviors on an emotional rather than rational basis.

We copy our neighbors even in mundane tasks.

Professor Jens Krausse of Leeds University conducted an interesting experiment. He and his colleagues gathered a bunch of people in a big hall and instructed them all to walk randomly inside the hall.

But they gave explicit instructions to 5% of the participants to walk a very particular path.

And guess what happened?

The 95% who were asked to walk randomly just followed the 5% who were instructed to follow the particular path and everyone walked on the same path.

Herds are often irrational.

In the 16th century, tulips were imported from the Ottoman Empire to Holland. Just a few years after arriving in Holland, tulips became the most sought-after commodity in the Netherlands.

At the time, tulip bulbs were worth more than gold and were sold for ten times what a commoner made in a year.

Farmers pulled out the potatoes and other crops from their fields and planted tulips, and what followed was appropriately named “tulip mania.”

There was no rationale for replacing food with flowers, especially when the bulbs were expensive.

Needless to say, the bubble burst. So many tulips were produced that their price fell. Several farmers went bankrupt.

Because we copy things until they reach their breaking point.

More recently, when the pandemic hit the world, the rate of unemployment broke all records in every country. And yet, we saw the stock markets rise.

Why would the stock market rise when the economy is performing so poorly?

This thoughtless copying causes the problem. It’s what causes the mismatch between productivity and the economy.

Technically, the economy should grow as productivity improves.

We always take things too far. The herd mentality leads to irrational actions.

How to escape an irrational herd mentality?

Introduce circuit breakers.

A circuit breaker is an automatic switch protecting the electrical circuit from damage. They switch off automatically when excess current passes through the circuit.

How can you do that?

By doing two things.

Change your environment.

It is the easiest way to escape the herd. We humans are not equipped to go against the herd. Whenever we engage in social behavior, our brains release oxytocin which makes us feel blissful. Agreeing with others releases oxytocin and makes us feel warm and safe.

And so, the most effective way to break the circuit and negate this oxytocin bliss is to change the environment.

That’s what Warren Buffett did when he realized he was getting influenced by other stockbrokers. He moved from New York to Omaha, Nebraska. By insulating himself from the crowd, he made better decisions.

What can you do to change your environment?

Develop your cynical muscle.

Question every assumption. And every solution.

You have to dig deeper, which usually takes a lot more effort.

This is often uncomfortable and tiring.

But it’s the only way to know when the herd is wrong.

How I Achieved More In A Year Using A Simple Tool

Neera

Projects.

That’s right.

I like projects.

Because they have an end date.

By a specific date, the grind is over, and a piece of work is done.

That’s why I try to turn everything into projects.

My projects fall into three categories – small, medium, and big.

Two weeks, four weeks, and three months.

Anything longer than that, there is a chance that it will not get done. Or It will keep going on and on and on… until one day I will lose interest and abandon it altogether.

When you plan long-term projects, you are too occupied with them and don’t have the bandwidth to be open to new opportunities arising along the way.

Tim Ferris agrees with me. He reckons you should throw away five-year plans because to follow a set plan means you have to aim below your maximum capabilities. So you would only do what is in the sphere of your plan and are unlikely to pick up anything going sideways.

“I like pushing myself to the limit and pushing the envelope, and in my mind, that is not really compatible with a reliable long-term plan. I generally treat my life as six-month projects and two-week experiments of various types. Then I take the most attractive door that pops up, and rinse and repeat.”

– Tim Ferriss.

Tim is young. He has the luxury of having six-month projects.

I am on the south side of midlife, so I only plan three-month projects. If I can do three in a year, I am being extremely productive.

Projects can only succeed if there is a project plan.

A project without a plan is not a project but a wish. If you won’t build a house without a plan, then why would you do a project without one?

You don’t need an elaborate plan with Gantt Charts and risk analysis. A one-page plan is sufficient. The five key elements of a project plan are:

  • Start Date
  • End Date
  • Milestones with end dates
  • Obstacles and Mitigation
  • Resources

I created one for the Write Your Book Sprint I plan to run this year using the template I have in my Author Planner And Bullet Journal.

A barebone plan is better than no plan. It took me half an hour to block the dates and think of key milestones, obstacles, and resources. As I work on it and identfy more steps ans issues, I can add them to the list.

I have not run a course in the past 18 months because I didn’t create a written project plan. As soon as I created the plan, I was able to build the course and launch it within the timeframe.

It helps to have all project plans, monthly goals, weekly to-do lists, and daily tasks at one place in one place. I used to do that online, but I found a physical journal is less stressful and more freeing.

This year I created one and published it on Amazon. It is available in hardback and softcover; you can get it here.

With the help of this simple planner, I have been able to:

  • Write and publish three books
  • 100+ articles
  • 72+ newsletter issues
  • 200+ LinkedIn posts
  • Launched the Write Your Book In 30 Days course and ran it successfully twice.

Sometimes simple solutions are the best ones.

How To Control The Fights Between Your Rational and Irrational Brain

Neera

Have you ever got frustrated by the battle between your rational and emotional brain?

Your rational brain knows going for a walk in the morning is good for you, and it sets up the alarm.

But when the alarm rings at 5:00 AM the following day, the emotional brain takes over and rebukes, “Are you crazy? It is too early. Why not catch up with your sleep now and go for a walk in the evening?”

Then in the evening, it presents several other obstacles so that you can’t go for a walk.

It happens to me every time I try to implement a new routine, or from a new habit, or try to do something I should do and don’t want to do.

A Jekyll and Hyde battle begins within me, between my rational and emotional brain.

The rational brain knows what is necessary, but the emotional brain doesn’t want to do the hard work.

The Heath Brothers use the metaphor of ‘the rider and the elephant’ to explain the battle.

The rational brain is the rider.

The emotional brain is the elephant.

The rider can control where the elephant goes… to a certain extent.

But, at any moment, the mighty elephant can take over and do whatever it wants.

If we just instruct the rider on what to do, then we have an understanding, but not motivation.

If we only appeal to the elephant, then we have passion but no direction.

If we want to make a behaviour change, we must get both the rider and the elephant walking along the same path. The way to do this is to direct the rider.

The rider is the rational, logical part of our brain.

It knows that going for walks in the morning is good for me. It has a vision and knows the best way to get there. But it is weak. It only has so much strength to manipulate the bulky, mighty elephant below.

To give the rider the best shot at doing the right thing, we must make our desired change crystal clear.

“Lose weight” isn’t very clear, but “wake up at 4:55, put on running shoes, and get jogging out the door at 5:00” is crystal clear instructions.

“Be more productive” is not clear, but “sit down at the desk, open up the word document, set the timer for 15 minutes, and start writing” is crystal clear.

If it is straightforward, the rider can take control.

But, as soon as we lose clarity, your puny little rational rider stands no chance.

The elephant is the emotional, primitive part of our brain.

It likes to do things that feel good and avoid things that don’t. As soon as things feel complicated, the elephant is looking for an easy way out.

The emotional elephant can easily overpower the rational rider, so we need to keep the beast happy.

One way to do this is to shrink the change.

If the elephant thinks a massive change is headed its way, it’s just going to sit there and become an immovable obstacle.

I have been trying to build two habits — start walking in the mornings and do intermittent fasting. But my elephant is resisting. So I have come up with a plan to trick it by making the change small.

Rather than waking up at 5:00 AM, I have started waking up just fifteen minutes earlier than before and going for a stroll around the block.

Rather than doing 16 hours of fasting (as per intermittent fasting), I have started with 13 hours.

Once my elephant is comfortable, I can slowly start taking longer walks and increase my fasting time.

I can gradually ramp up the habit reset and make more significant changes.

Question For You

What rational and irrational brain battles are going on inside you?

What behavior do you want to change?

What habits do you want to form? Can you give your rider some clear instructions and make the goal small for your elephant?