My Brain Dump

I love how the little things, the smallest adjustments, and very subtle changes can have a huge impact.

In my attempts to become more productive, to get more things done and every other buzzword, one can think of I have tried and or implemented every kind of to-do-list one can imagine.

To-do-list were useful, but what little gains of productivity I gained in using them I lost in time spent looking for the right app, etc…
So I abandoned the to-do-list method for the calendar approach and if nothing else it brought me peace of mind because if it was on my calendar, it was going to be completed or shuffled to the next day, week or month.
Still, my productivity was no better than before. It was at this point where I was ready to move on from my quest to increase productivity, and it was this moment that mom stepped in.
And by mom, I mean necessity the mother of invention. An opportunity arose for me to learn from a person I deeply admire and respect. Sorry at this time I cannot mention who and what this person does.

That aside the only problem with this opportunity it is only available to me in the wee hours of the morning which is the time I usually get all my freelance, side gig work, and learning done.
So how can I take advantage of this opportunity and keep up my level of work?
Increase the efficiency of my productivity.

I dug through the relics of every single planning method I had, and the one that stood out was, the best way to own the day was to plan the night before.
Using this approach, I asked myself what made me want to plan out my day in the first place? It wasn't to be more productive because I was pretty effective without the list and the planning. The real reason was anxiety. That nervous anxiousness I get from knowing something needs to get done.
Of course, this is GTD 101 a significant cause of everyday anxiety is from all the stuff we're supposed to do and haven't.
To ease that burden every night I do a quick brain dump of everything that I need and want to do the following day. From there I prioritize those tasks from the most to least significant. Of course, most people who plan out their day do this.
However, I go a step further before starting on my most important task I think of any distractions that may interfere with me completing that task and eliminate them. After that, I allocate 60 to 90 minutes of distraction-free attention to completing my task. Once completed or my time runs out I take a 10 to 15-minute break where I may be able to complete a simple task on my list or reward myself with some social media cruising or listening to a podcast.

With the 15 minute break over, I move on to my next important task again allocating 60 to 90 minutes or complete my first task if need be. I limit my 60-90 minute task to only two that way I am finishing the most important tasks, and it leaves my day open to accomplish other simpler task like checking e-mail, reading and blogging something that I need to become more consistent with.

Also, it allows me time to focus on the critical task of all life, ie… quality time with family, friends and myself.