Do people have suggestions for productivity techniques that they would recommend trying in a system like this?
I work full time as a researcher and I do something a bit like a simplified version of the system in this post. However, I’ve run out of ideas of things to try. I’m wondering if any one has tried any variations to their routine or work habits that they have found particularly valuable and would be able to recommend trying?
Some things I’ve tried and found helpful, as examples (or in case any readers find them helpful suggestions):
Experimenting with pomodoros, sprints, longer sessions of deepwork (I’ve opted for a hybrid where I do work for about 1 to 3 hours straight, with a 5 minute break in the middle, then a 20 to 45 minute break at the end. I do 4 or 5 of these per day. I stop when I feel I’m losing motivation/concentration, rather than after an preset time has elapsed).
Experimenting with my morning routine / how I interact with my flatmates (I managed to add about 45 mins to my productive working day this way)
Experimenting with when I do my admin and miscellaneous EA tasks that aren’t to do with my research (I used to try and do this on one or two evenings a week but I found this v emotionally draining for v little time input. Now I just get up early on one day each weekend to do these tasks, because I don’t really this. Sometimes I do these tasks on evenings if I feel like it, such as now, but I don’t expect anything of myself or schedule it into my calendar etc)
I work slightly more efficiently if I work in the British Library, rather than in my flat, but I’m not sure if this is 1) because it’s somewhere other than my flat, 2) because when I work there I’m reading books, not online articles, 3) because I have a slightly longer lunchbreak than usual while I travel there.
(I could also share variations I’ve tested but haven’t found useful, if anyone’s interested in those too).
Mind/body stuff: improving diet, intermittent fasting, intense exercise 2-4 times a week, getting enough sleep (which for me is between 7 and 9 hours each night; see also Gwern on sleep)
If you normally sleep less than seven hours a night, you could experiment with sleeping an extra hour every night for a week and see how it affects your productivity.
Do people have suggestions for productivity techniques that they would recommend trying in a system like this?
I work full time as a researcher and I do something a bit like a simplified version of the system in this post. However, I’ve run out of ideas of things to try. I’m wondering if any one has tried any variations to their routine or work habits that they have found particularly valuable and would be able to recommend trying?
Some things I’ve tried and found helpful, as examples (or in case any readers find them helpful suggestions):
Experimenting with pomodoros, sprints, longer sessions of deepwork (I’ve opted for a hybrid where I do work for about 1 to 3 hours straight, with a 5 minute break in the middle, then a 20 to 45 minute break at the end. I do 4 or 5 of these per day. I stop when I feel I’m losing motivation/concentration, rather than after an preset time has elapsed).
Experimenting with my morning routine / how I interact with my flatmates (I managed to add about 45 mins to my productive working day this way)
Experimenting with when I do my admin and miscellaneous EA tasks that aren’t to do with my research (I used to try and do this on one or two evenings a week but I found this v emotionally draining for v little time input. Now I just get up early on one day each weekend to do these tasks, because I don’t really this. Sometimes I do these tasks on evenings if I feel like it, such as now, but I don’t expect anything of myself or schedule it into my calendar etc)
I work slightly more efficiently if I work in the British Library, rather than in my flat, but I’m not sure if this is 1) because it’s somewhere other than my flat, 2) because when I work there I’m reading books, not online articles, 3) because I have a slightly longer lunchbreak than usual while I travel there.
(I could also share variations I’ve tested but haven’t found useful, if anyone’s interested in those too).
Things that have increased my productivity:
Concentration & awareness practices
Mind/body stuff: improving diet, intermittent fasting, intense exercise 2-4 times a week, getting enough sleep (which for me is between 7 and 9 hours each night; see also Gwern on sleep)
Figuring out how to use caffeine and other supplements
Resolving emotional blocks
Getting clearer about the motivations that lead me to spend time on each specific thing I do (somewhat related)
Increased feeling of being safe & emotionally supported by many different people
Tooling my computer to make it more of a servant, less of a master
Anki (in this direction, Tools for thought seems generally promising)
If you normally sleep less than seven hours a night, you could experiment with sleeping an extra hour every night for a week and see how it affects your productivity.