Productivity Hacks That Actually Work in 2025

After years of trying different productivity systems, I’ve finally settled on a combination that actually works for me. Here’s my current setup and the lessons I’ve learned.

The Core System

1. Time Blocking with Theme Days

Instead of traditional calendaring, I use theme days:

• Monday: Deep work (coding, analysis)
• Tuesday: Communications (meetings, emails)
• Wednesday: Learning (courses, reading)
• Thursday: Creation (writing, planning)
• Friday: Review & cleanup

This reduces decision fatigue and creates natural momentum.

2. The 2-2-2 Rule

• 2 hours: Deep focus work (no phone, no interruptions)
• 2 minutes: If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now
• 2 PM: Hard cutoff for checking social media

3. Investment in Automation

As a tech person, I automate everything possible:

# Daily standup script
#!/bin/bash
echo "Yesterday: $(git log --oneline -1)"
echo "Today: Check calendar and prioritize top 3"
echo "Blockers: Review pending PRs and emails"

Tools That Changed My Game

Digital Tools

1. Obsidian: For knowledge management and daily notes
2. Toggl: Time tracking to understand where hours actually go
3. Freedom: Website/app blocker during focus hours
4. Alfred: Mac automation for repetitive tasks

Physical Setup

• Standing desk with good lighting
• Noise-cancelling headphones (Sony WH-1000XM4)
• Physical notebook for brainstorming (still beats digital)
• Coffee station within arm’s reach ☕

The Anti-Productivity Insights

Sometimes being “unproductive” is the most productive thing:

Scheduled Downtime

• 20 minutes after lunch: Walk without phone
• Evening routine: No screens 1 hour before bed
• Weekend mornings: No agenda, just coffee and thinking

The “Good Enough” Principle

Perfect is the enemy of done. I aim for 80% quality on most tasks, reserving perfection for what truly matters.

What Doesn’t Work (For Me)

• Pomodoro Technique: Too rigid, breaks my flow state
• Complex task managers: Spending more time organizing than doing
• Extreme minimalism: Some mess is okay and natural
• Early morning routines: I’m not a 5 AM person, and that’s fine

The Numbers Game

After tracking for 6 months:

• Deep work: 2-3 hours of focused work beats 8 hours of distracted work
• Energy management: Working with my natural rhythms increased output by 40%
• Context switching: Each interruption costs ~15 minutes to refocus

Current Experiments

1. Energy-Based Scheduling

Instead of time-based, scheduling based on energy levels:

• High energy: Complex problem-solving
• Medium energy: Meetings and communication
• Low energy: Administrative tasks and cleanup

2. The “Hell Yes or No” Filter

Before committing to anything new, it has to be a “hell yes.” This has dramatically reduced overcommitment.

3. Investment Learning Blocks

Dedicating 30 minutes daily to learning about markets, new investment strategies, or economic trends. Small consistent effort compounds.

The Real Secret

The best productivity system is the one you’ll actually use consistently. Start with one change, make it a habit, then add the next one.

What productivity hacks have worked for you? Always curious to learn from others’ experiences!

Have a productivity tip that’s worked well for you? Drop me a line – I’m always experimenting with new approaches.