What To Do When Your Productivity Hacks Fail You

by Kelli Smith for Fast CompanyImagine flying through your to-do list every day and having plenty of free time left over. Sound like a dream come true? That’s the promise of productivity hacks. But as somebody who’s tried almost all of them, I’ve found that this fantasy doesn’t always become reality.

The good news is that there are plenty of other options—in fact, thanks to the internet, I’d say almost endless. But if that sounds overwhelming to you, fear not. I’ve gone through all the most famous productivity tips and come up with alternatives for each one.

1. SCHEDULE DIFFICULT TASKS FOR WHEN YOU’RE AT YOUR BESTThe Eat the Frog concept, created by author Brian Tracy, is all about doing your most important task first each day. While it can help make sure your top priority is taken care of, getting down to business first thing in the morning might not be the most convenient time for you.So if you’re not at peak performance until later in the day, try scheduling your top task for the time that suits you best. So, whether you’re most energized after your coffee break or more motivated just before leaving the office, do your most important work then.2. CREATE TINY TO-DOS YOU CAN COMPLETE IN 10 MINUTESThe Eisenhower Matrix method of classifying tasks by urgency and importance and doing them in that order can definitely work for some. But, if you struggle with getting started, the pressure of having to work on high-priority and high-urgency tasks can scare you into procrastinating.Read More →