Productivity methods: The Pomodoro Technique

1. Break down your big goals into daily tasks. You can't add "Get in shape" to your daily to-do list, but you can add "spend 30 minutes on my bike."
2. Consider your week as a whole. You likely have multiple goals. Some goals benefit from daily activity,...

With the Time Blocking method, split your day into distinct blocks of time. Then, dedicate each block of time to completing only a specific task or set of tasks.

Ensure to include blocks for things like lunch, breaks, and commutes for the most accuracy. If a task takes less or more time, m...

Many of us start our mornings with dozens of things we need to get done, but later realize that we haven't crossed any of them off our lists. We did get stuff done, but none of the things we planned.

A balm against hectic days that pass without progress is to choos...

The Eisenhower Matrix productivity method lets you consider the urgency and importance of each task. This method breaks tasks into four quadrants and prescribes how we should deal with tasks in each block.

1. Urgent and Important tasks: should be

Some mornings we feel motivated to create a to-do list, but that is often the exception. We need to get things done, even when we feel disengaged.

Start by setting the alarm for your daily planning session at the same time every day. Tack your new daily pl...

Now that you've decided on the productivity approach, it's time to pick your tools:

• A to-do list app: A digital task manager is great for those who are tech-savvy.
• A digital list is useful if you're not into a task-manager but still want a d...

Make time for a weekly review to consider whether your planning process is working or could be tweaked. Consider these questions:

• Are my days calm and intentional or stressful and irregular?
• Did I complete all my daily planning sessions or skip some?

'Eat the Frog' is an excellent productivity method for putting your highlight into action early.

It is often the task we most want to avoid (therefore, eating the frog). It could be a task that feels too big or makes us uncomfortable. During your planning session, put ...