Spent

I always think about how to be more productive at work—through automation, ticketing mechanisms, and so on. But I already spend more than half of my waking hours working. The area that really needs a productivity boost is home.

There are some easy things we tend to outsource when we’re short on time—like food, often settling for something fast and less healthy. Then comes cutting down on hobbies or skipping workouts. But these sacrifices leave us feeling miserable.

So now, I want to shift my focus. Instead of only looking for ways to optimize my workday, I’m asking: what can I deprioritize at work—or automate at home—to reclaim energy and time?

One strategy—one that may sound dry but is incredibly powerful—is investing in productivity tools like calendar and note-taking apps. Believe me: if they weren’t effective, corporations wouldn’t rely on them to boost profits. We already know how to use these tools—so why not use them at home too? Our time there is even more limited, and arguably more important.

For example, I keep a list of things that excite me in my note-taking app. That way, when my willpower is low (as described in the excellent book Willpower by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney), I don’t have to rely on mental energy to decide what to do. I just pull out the list and see what I’m in the mood for.