15 Productivity Tips That Actually Make Your Life Easier
You don’t need a bullet journal, five apps, or a 4:30am wake-up time to be more productive. The best productivity hacks are often the most practical, realistic, and low-effort. The best hacks are the ones that make sense in everyday life, whether you’re managing a team, a household, or just your own overloaded schedule.
Here are 15 tips that help you get more done with less stress.
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1. The 2-Minute Rule
If it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it now.
✔️ Toss the trash
✔️ Reply to that quick email
✔️ Wipe the counter
✔️ Hang up your coat
You’ll eliminate micro-clutter that silently builds up and drains your energy later.
2. Time Block Your Day
Rather than tackling your to-do list at random, assign specific time slots for certain tasks. Example: 9–11am for deep work, 2:30–3:30pm for admin, 4–4:30pm for emails. Structure creates flow.
3. Batch Tasks
Group similar tasks together to maintain momentum. Answer all emails in one sitting. Make all phone calls back-to-back. Run errands in one trip. It’s more efficient and reduces decision fatigue.
4. Create a “Later List”
Capture distracting thoughts in a “later list” instead of acting on them mid-task. Use Notes, voice memos, or a sticky note. It keeps you focused without losing those future to-dos. (But remember, if it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now!)
It can be helpful to keep your list somewhere central, like on a magnet on your refrigerator like this one.
5. Default to Done
Finish the small task once you start it. Avoid the temptation to half-start things and bounce away. One completed task is more valuable than five half-finished ones.
6. The 1-Minute Reset
At the end of each day, take 1 minute to reset your space. Tidy your desk. Close out tabs. Clear your sink. That 60 seconds helps tomorrow start fresh and focused.
7. Set Timers to Focus
Try a 25-minute timer to commit to a single task. This is the Pomodoro technique. 25 minutes is the sweet spot because it’s long enough to make progress, short enough to avoid burnout, and great for jumpstarting when you’re procrastinating.
8. Start With the Task You Dread
Tackle your least favorite task first thing. Once it’s done, everything else feels easier, and you avoid dragging it across your day.
You may have heard of this method as “Eat the Frog” colloquially. The idea is that you identify one challenging task (the frog) and complete the task first thing in the morning (eating it). If it sounds unpleasant, that’s because it is! But you’ll be happy once it’s done.
9. Use “While You Wait” Time
Waiting on hold? Commuting? Microwaving lunch? Use in-between moments to knock out microtasks: respond to texts, sort digital files, or brainstorm ideas.
10. One Inbox, One Calendar
Consolidate your life into one calendar and one inbox if possible. Too many apps = things falling through the cracks. Keep it simple.
11. Make a “Top 3” List Each Morning
Instead of an overwhelming to-do list, choose 3 things that must get done today. It’s focused, realistic, and more motivating than a never-ending list of 27 tasks. You’ll look at your list and know immediately where to start with an attitude of “I can do this.”
12. Clean as You Go
In the kitchen, while working, during routines… reset your space as you use it. Put things back in their place and you won’t end the day with an avalanche of cleanup.
We also recommend investing in your supplies to make cleaning as frictionless as possible. Take this as a sign to buy that Dyson vacuum you’ve always wanted, or a super satisfying extendable window cleaner. You’ll be cleaning for the rest of the life, so make it as enjoyable as possible.
13. Automate What You Can
Use auto-pay for bills. Schedule recurring grocery orders. Use calendar reminders. The less you have to remember, the more energy you free up for high-impact work.
Technology really can be your best friend. We love our robot vacuum and mop that operates on a set schedule. We love our Ember mugs that keep our drinks hot so we don’t waste time reheating cold tea. It might be a different set of products that bring you joy and save you time, but these things are definitely worth investing in if you need to boost your productivity.
14. Do a Weekly Reset
Once a week, review your calendar, check what’s coming up, clean your space, and brain-dump any lingering tasks. It’s a mini life audit that keeps everything on track.
15. Done > Perfect
Perfection is the enemy of progress. Sometimes, it’s better to complete something to a “good” level, rather than to strive for “great,” especially as the process of good-to-great oftentimes takes the most time! Ask yourself: “Is it really worth the extra time and effort?” Keep things moving, even if it’s imperfectly.
Final Thoughts
Productivity isn’t about being busy, it’s about making your time and energy work for you. These 15 tips are designed to help you do just that: get more done, with less friction, and more clarity. Start with one or two that resonate with you, try them for a week, and build from there. Small changes = big shifts. You’ve got this.
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