7 Productivity Tips That Sound Wrong (But Actually Work)

Seven productivity tips that might seem counterintuitive, but are actually effective. The writer shares methods that help them accomplish tasks and reach goals, even if they initially appear unconventional. The key to success, they argue, is consistency. While these strategies might not work for everyone, the writer encourages readers to experiment and see if they prove beneficial.

1. Do Less Than You Could: This approach is rooted in the Scrum principle, which suggests finding a pace of work that feels comfortable, even during periods without vacations. The writer acknowledges the importance of vacations but emphasizes the need to avoid overcommitting during quieter periods. They explain that filling free time with additional tasks often leads to frustration and burnout. Instead, they recommend resting and enjoying downtime, reserving time for important tasks when needed.

2. Don't Work on Weekends: The writer shares that they stopped coding on weekends and limiting themselves to personal activities only when genuinely interested. This change contributed to a more balanced work-life balance. However, the writer notes that the pursuit of success can lead to increased administrative tasks, which can encroach on weekend time and diminish productivity.

They adopt the habit of doing only essential work on weekends and letting go of less important matters. This allows for mental relaxation, which, in turn, fosters creativity.

3. Plan Your Week in Advance: The writer acknowledges that this tip isn't controversial but is, in fact, effective. To maintain a free weekend, they plan their entire week, ensuring that workloads remain manageable. They caution against overloading themselves with tasks, as the goal is to achieve less than what could be done. The writer uses ChatGPT to create daily plans based on urgency and importance. They exemplify this by balancing admin tasks and personal projects, like writing a sci-fi story for an anthology.