I Done This Support Never heard of Alan Turing, the math genius, wartime decoding hero, and computer pioneer? Check out this Radiolab episode in addition to Matthew Lasar’s great overview of the seven Turing Qualities of productivity.
The highly productive habits of Alan Turing
- Try to see things as they are.
- Don’t get sidetracked by ideologies.
- Be practical.
- Break big problems down into smaller tasks.
- Just keep going.
- Be playful.
- Remember that it is people who matter.
The most effective way to do it, is to do it. — Amelia Earhart
[T]ime management isn’t primarily about using minutes well, it’s about using yourself well. And using yourself well means spending most of your time in your sweet spot, which is at the intersection of your strengths, weaknesses, differences, and passions.
Peter Bregman found that many people “agree or strongly agree that they don’t spend enough time at work in their sweet spot, doing work they’re really good at and enjoy the most.”
Focusing at work isn’t just about concentrating on the tasks at hand, but also about focusing your talents. Stay in your sweet spot longer.
In bed or not, have a great Monday folks!
(the happy doodle by pi1ihp)
Don’t wait until you feel like doing something.
[W]e have one reservoir of willpower. It’s a highly limited resource, and it gets depleted by every act that requires its use.
Tony Schwartz, proponent of maintaining your energy levels for sustainable productivity, offers a Master Plan for Taking Control of Your Life back from all those temptations that ultimately deplete your tank of willpower.
His two tips related to eating and sleeping are great reminders to attend to your physical health in order to give your best during the day:
4. Sleep as much as you must to feel fully rested.
Enough with the “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality. That just makes you a zombie.
And:
6. Eat energy rich foods in small doses at frequent intervals.
Schwartz recommends refueling at least every three hours. Skip the mocha choco latte yeah yeah and donuts, and snack on lean proteins and complex carbohydrates for longer lasting energy boosts. Here are some helpful meal and snack ideas.
Leo Babauta of zen habits is all for killing time. To Leo, “killing” is a misnomer. Reframe killing time as enjoying time. Is this what our lives are to be? A non-stop stream of productive tasks? A life-long work day? A computer program optimized for productivity and efficiency? A cog in a machine? What about joy? What … Read more
We tend to think of following our passions or what we consider our true callings as either inevitable or the impossible dream. But remember that going all in requires calculation too.
(via smarterthaniam)
A little outtake from Miranda July’s The Future shows us a productivity tip that you won’t find on Lifehacker.
Bonus video: Miranda July talks about how her procrastination ended up being incorporated into her work.
Audrey Tan, founder of Waggit, has a neat productivity trick she calls “dip the ink” that keeps the work flow going after breaks and interruptions: If a friend asks me to take a coffee break or someone starts hovering at your desk as a sign they want to chat, I say – ‘gimme one sec’, get … Read more