Today I introduce you to a few others that focus on productivity in different ways and in parts. The two are already the Blog dealt with in detail streak.
Hello again to all the productivity jugglers out there!
We all know them: the Pomodoro technique with their 25-minute intervals and the 90-90-1 rule, At the beginning of the day, we focus on our most important task. But what if these proven methods don't quite fit your workflow or you just want to try something new? Don't worry, the world of productivity tools is huge and offers a plethora of exciting alternatives just waiting to be discovered by you!
52-17 method | Eisenhower matrix | Time blocking | Eat-the-Frog | Getting things done | Flowmodoro and Reverse Pomodoro | Ivy Lee method
The 52-17 method:
The rhythm of maximum concentration
The 52-17 method is less well known than Pomodoro, but extremely effective for many people. It is based on the idea that our concentration range is not infinite and pauses are crucial to prevent fatigue and maintain cognitive performance.
How it works’s: You are working 52 minutes Highly focused on a single task. During this time, you should fully focus on your work and minimize distractions.
Then you make one 17-minute break. This longer break allows you to really recover, whether it's by taking a short walk, making a tea, or just by moving away from the screen.
Benefits:
- Scientifically sound: Studies suggest that this rhythm is optimal for many people to maintain concentration.
- Promote in-depth work: The longer work phases of 52 minutes can help you really dive deep into complex tasks and reach the ‘flow state’.
- Sustainable energy: The generous 17-minute breaks prevent you from burning out quickly and help you stay productive throughout the day.
- Fewer interruptions: Compared to the shorter Pomodoro intervals, there are fewer transitions between work and rest, which can facilitate focus.
Ideal for: Tasks that require longer, uninterrupted concentration, such as writing, programming, detailed analysis, or creating concepts.
The Eisenhower matrix:
Prioritize Tasks Properly
The Eisenhower Matrix, also known as the Eisenhower Principle or Urgent Important Matrix, is a powerful tool for prioritizing tasks. It was developed by former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was known for being extremely productive. The matrix helps you to divide your tasks into four quadrants based on their urgency and importance.
The four quadrants:
- Important & Urgent (Tun): These tasks are critical and must be completed immediately. Often it is crises, tight deadlines or problems that require immediate action.
- Example: A customer complaint that requires immediate attention; A deadline that expires today.
- Example: A customer complaint that requires immediate attention; A deadline that expires today.
- Important & Not Urgent (Planning): These are the strategic tasks that create long-term value. They're important to your goals, but they don't have an immediate deadline.
- Example: Long-term project planning, competence expansion, building relationships. These are the tasks you should plan and work on regularly to avoid crises in the first quadrant.
- Example: Long-term project planning, competence expansion, building relationships. These are the tasks you should plan and work on regularly to avoid crises in the first quadrant.
- Not Important & Urgent (Delegate): These tasks require immediate attention, but don't directly contribute to your main goals.
- Example: Certain calls, unsolicited emails, some meetings. Try to delegate these tasks or do them as efficiently as possible.
- Example: Certain calls, unsolicited emails, some meetings. Try to delegate these tasks or do them as efficiently as possible.
- Not Important & Not Urgent (Eliminate): These tasks are distractions and should be avoided or greatly reduced.
- Example: Unnecessary scrolling on social media, some routine tasks that could be automated.
Benefits:
- Clarity: You get an instant overview of what tasks really deserve your attention.
- Focus on the essentials: Helps you focus on the important (and often non-urgent) tasks that bring the greatest long-term success.
- Stress reduction: Less the feeling of being overwhelmed by urgent but unimportant things.
- Better decisions: Helps you decide what to do, plan, delegate, or eliminate.
Ideal for: Anyone who struggles with an overwhelming to-do list and struggles to set priorities. Especially useful for managers and project managers.
Time blocking (Time blocking):
Your day as a master plan
Time blocking is a productivity technique in which you divide your day into fixed time blocks and assign a specific task or activity to each block. It's basically a very detailed schedule that helps you make conscious use of your time and avoid procrastination.
How it works’s: Take your calendar (digital or physical) and enter not only appointments, but also your work tasks. For example:
- 09:00 – 10:30: Focus time: Project X – Concept development
- 10:30 – 11:00: E-mails and communication
- 11:00 – 12:30: Meeting Y
- 13:30 – 15:00: In-depth work: Write report Z
Benefits:
- Structure and control: You have a clear overview of your day and feel less ‘driven’.
- Distraction reduction: Since every time serves a purpose, you're less inclined to let yourself be seduced by social media or other distractions.
- Realistic planning: You can see exactly how much time you have available for certain tasks and adjust your expectations accordingly.
- Task batching: Similar tasks (e.g. answering emails, making calls) can be grouped into one block, which is more efficient.
- Visibility of gaps: You quickly realize where you still have time or where you have planned too much.
Ideal for: People who tend to procrastination, want to structure their day better or feel like their time is running through their fingers. Also good for freelancers and self-employed.
Eat-the-frog technique:
The frog must first!
This method was developed by Brian Tracy in His book Eat That Frog!“ popularised and is very simple, but psychologically very effective. Based on a quote by Mark Twain:
“Eat a live frog every morning and nothing worse will happen to you all day.”
How it works’s: At the end of the day or in the morning, identify your Most important and/or unpleasant task of the day – this is your ‘frog’. Begin your work day by completing this task first, even before dealing with emails, messages, or other minor things.
Benefits:
- Immediate success: Having done the most difficult task of the day early will give you a tremendous sense of relief and success.
- Motivation for the rest of the day: The rest of the day feels easier as the biggest hurdle has already been overcome.
- Avoidance of procrastination: You escape the temptation to push the unpleasant task further and further ahead of you.
- Focus on the most important: This method forces you to become aware of what really matters in the day, even before you get into the whirlpool of everyday life.
Ideal for: Anyone who tends to postpone important but unpopular tasks, or who needs a strong start to the day to stay motivated.
GTD (Getting things done):
The Mental Clarity System
GTD; Developed by David Allen, It is not a simple trick, but a holistic system for personal productivity. It aims to free your head from all unexplained thoughts and tasks by capturing and organizing them in a trusted system. The result is mental clarity and the ability to focus on what's important right now.
The five key steps of GTD:
- Capture: Collect everything that grabs your attention – ideas, tasks, commitments, worries – in an ‘inbox’. It can be physical or digital.
- Clarify: Go through your captured things and decide what they mean. Is it a task? A project? A reference information? If it is a task, what is the next concrete step?
- Organize (organize): Put the clarified things in the right place. These could be project lists, "Next steps" lists, a calendar list for appointments or a "Wait for" list.
- Reflect (reflect): Check your lists and system regularly (daily, weekly). This keeps your system up-to-date and helps you keep track.
- Commitment (engagement): Do the work! Based on your clarity and organization, you make conscious decisions about what to do next.
Benefits:
- Mental discharge: Your head is no longer the memory for all open loops.
- Control and overview: You know exactly what to do and where you stand.
- Reduction of stress: Less of a feeling of forgetting something important.
- Effective prioritization: The clear structure allows you to focus on the right things.
- Adaptability: The system is flexible and adapts to different living and working styles.
Ideal for: Anyone who feels overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information, tasks and obligations, and seeks a comprehensive system to bring order and clarity to their lives.
Other innovative approaches: Flowmodoro and Reverse Pomodoro Technique or Ivy-Lee
The world of productivity is constantly on the move, and interesting variations of established methods are constantly emerging:
- Flowmodoro technique: This is a further development of the Pomodoro technique. Instead of rigidly sticking to the 25-minute intervals, you work here as long as you are in the ‘flow’ – i.e. highly concentrated and undisturbed. Only when you notice that your concentration is decreasing or you need a break do you take this break.
The focus is on not artificially interrupting the state of maximum productivity.
Advantage: Maximises time in flow and adapts to your natural concentration range. - Reverse Pomodoro technique: Here you turn the principle around: The breaks are longer than the work phases (e.g. 15 minutes work, 30 minutes break). This may sound counterproductive, but it can be very useful for certain creative tasks or professions that require a lot of thought and incubation.
Often the best ideas arise in phases of relaxation.
Advantage: Promotes creative thinking, ideal for ‘thinking’ and when you are easily overstimulated. - Ivy Lee method: The Ivy Lee method is a simple time management tool that helps you focus on the most important tasks and become more productive. At the end of each working day, you write down the six most important tasks for the next day and prioritize them. The next day you work on the tasks one after the other, starting with the most important one, focusing fully on the respective task. Unfinished tasks will be moved to the next day's list.
Benefits: - Prevents decision fatigue: You already have a plan for the next day in the evening, which helps you to start the day focused.
- Concentration promotes: By focusing on one task at a time, you can minimize distractions and increase your concentration.
- Reduced overload: Limiting to six tasks will help you create realistic planning and avoid overburdening.
- Motivation increases: Checking off completed tasks can create a sense of fulfillment and motivation.
So there are many ways to become more productive, and the best way is the one that best suits you and your current tasks. Be open to experimentation and don't be afraid to try out and adapt different methods. The journey to better productivity is an ongoing process of learning and optimization!
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