The document provides techniques for improving productivity and focus. It suggests limiting distractions by not checking email or talking about unimportant things first thing in the morning. It recommends optimizing for deep work by turning off notifications and practicing "mise en place". The document outlines ready to use techniques like tackling the most important task first, using creative triggers to get in a focused state of mind, starting with small blocks of focused time, and using the Pomodoro technique. It stresses the importance of monitoring your bandwidth, limiting commitments, prioritizing tasks, and ignoring some bugs. Overall, the document presents numerous evidence-based strategies for catching the productivity "unicorn" and optimizing one's focus and workflow.
4. About meAbout me
@kjendrzyca / aimforsimplicity.com
Full-stack / Full stack / Fullstack
Smuggling good practices and simplicity
React > Angular
Node.js > ASP.NET
In search for productivity for over 4 years
"Don't outdo anyone else, outdo yourself, you are
your competition" - Simon Sinek
11. Focus is nothing more thanFocus is nothing more than
eliminating distractionseliminating distractions
12. Optimize for deep workOptimize for deep work
Deep work is the ability to focus without
distraction on a cognitively demanding
task.
It's a skill that allows you to quickly master
complicated information and produce
better results in less time.
Cal Newport
https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/1455586692
27. "Develop routines/systems so that the"Develop routines/systems so that the
decision-making is only applied to thedecision-making is only applied to the
most creative aspects of your work"most creative aspects of your work"
36. "Start with small blocks of"Start with small blocks of
focused time and thenfocused time and then
gradually work yourself upgradually work yourself up
to longer durations"to longer durations"
38. ""Self-controlSelf-control is not genericis not generic
or fixed, but rather a skillor fixed, but rather a skill
one can develop andone can develop and
improve with practice"improve with practice"
39. Track your workTrack your work
//
multitasking doesmultitasking does
not worknot work
40. Sad scrum masterSad scrum master
https://productivity-blog.vanaia.com/multitasking-meme/
42. Be conscious of yourBe conscious of your
bandwidthbandwidth
"There will always be more opportunities than you can
actually take on"
43. Limit your daily todo list /Limit your daily todo list /
limit your commitmentslimit your commitments
3 important
3 less important
Delegate/Delete not important/not relevant tasks
47.
“Giving a fuck” is basically your life’s currency
If you give a fuck about everything and everyone, you’ll quickly
run out of fucks, or even worse, go into fuck debt
You need to find more people or ideas that are worthy of your
limited fucks
https://pjrvs.com/win/
54. Schedule time for the task,Schedule time for the task,
otherwise it won't be doneotherwise it won't be done
55.
56. Do it right now if it takesDo it right now if it takes
less than 2 minutesless than 2 minutes
Getting Things Done - David Allen
57. Use TDD as a mind dumpUse TDD as a mind dump
techniquetechnique
58. As explained by Kent Beck:
1. you write one test and more of them keep coming to
your mind
2. you write them down and go back to them later
3. thanks to that you remember about every test you
should write
4. some of them will be invalid so you can dump them.
72. How to catch the unicorn?
It's all up to you (you can fix it)
Ready to use techniques and tools
73. It's all up to you (you can fix it)
Limit distractions
Optimize for deep work
don't check email/slack first thing in the morning
don't talk about bullshit first thing in the morning
turn off notifications
mise en place
tackle the most important task first in the morning
use creative triggers
start small
74. Ready to use techniques and tools
monitor your bandwidth
limit your daily todo list / limit your commitments
prioritize and ignore bugs
find more people or ideas that are worthy of your limited
fucks
"mind dump" - nozbe, workflowy, bullet journal
schedule time for the task, otherwise it won't be done
do it right now if it takes less than 2 minutes
use TDD as a mind dump technique
define "finished" from the start (!)
break a task into pieces, know when to stop
don't bother fixing everything right now - there is no good
code