Which productivity method is the right one for you?

The Pomodoro Technique, also known as the Tomato Timer Technique (“pomodoro” is tomato in Italian), is a popular time management method where you break your work time into short periods. You work in 25-minute periods, with five-minute breaks. Once you have completed four consecutive work intervals, you can take a longer break that typically lasts around 15 to 30 minutes.

The timer helps to instil a sense of urgency, allowing you to become more disciplined when working. Having dedicated break times also eliminates distractions.

A prioritisation system that’s often referred to as the UrgentImportant Matrix, the Eisenhower Matrix is designed to help you organise tasks by urgency and importance.

The method typically uses four quadrants: Urgent and important; Urgent but not important; Important but not urgent; Not urgent or important. These categories allow you to prioritise the tasks that require your attention the most, and thus you’ll be able to better manage your time and channel your efforts.

If you’re a visual learner, the Kanban method might suit you.

First, visualise your workflow. You can use a whiteboard, and list down individual tasks on sticky notes or cards.

In a classic Kanban board model, there are three columns: To Do, Doing, Done. Of course, you can modify these columns to as many as you need for elaborate workflows. Shift each task to its respective column, until all the tasks are completed.

This visualisation method helps you to identify the bottlenecks in your workflow, allowing you to effectively optimise your work process.

Renowned productivity consultant and author David Allen's GTD method offers a comprehensive approach to managing tasks, projects, and information to achieve a state of clarity, control, and focus. It's designed to help individuals effectively manage their work and personal lives by organising tasks, reducing stress, and enhancing productivity.

There are five steps to the GTD method:

1. Capture: The first step is to capture all tasks, ideas, and commitments that come to mind. This involves having a reliable system to record everything, whether it's a physical notebook, digital note-taking app, or voice recorder.

2. Clarify: Once you've captured all your tasks and ideas, it's time to clarify their nature and significance. Ask yourself whether each item is actionable. If it's not actionable, it might be something to file for reference, delegate to someone else, or simply discard.

3. Organise: After clarifying tasks, organise them into relevant categories or contexts. Contexts are the environments, tools, or situations in which a task can be completed. Common contexts might include "at the office," "at the computer," "phone calls," etc.

4. Reflect: Regularly reviewing your tasks and commitments is essential to maintaining a clear and up-to-date task list. This reflection time also enables you to make informed decisions about what to work on next and how to allocate your time and resources.

5. Engage: The final step of the GTD process is to engage in the actual execution of tasks. Once you've clarified, organised, and reviewed your tasks, you can confidently choose which tasks to work on based on their context, priority, and your available time and energy. By following the GTD workflow, you can tackle tasks with a clear mind and a sense of purpose.

It might not be as complex of a method as the rest on this list, but the 5-Second Rule is still pretty effective in its own right.

Developed by Mel Robbins, the 5-Second Rule is a simple technique to overcome procrastination and take immediate action. When you have an impulse to do something productive, count down from 5 and then physically move or start the task.

The idea behind the 5-Second Rule is that by counting down and moving quickly, you interrupt the cycle of overthinking, fear, and self-doubt that often prevents you from taking action. It creates a sense of urgency that helps you bypass the brain's natural resistance to change or discomfort.

The 5-Second Rule can be applied to various aspects of life, from simple tasks like getting out of bed in the morning to more significant actions like making important decisions or pursuing ambitious goals. It's particularly effective for tasks that involve stepping out of your comfort zone or breaking old habits.

While the rule itself is simple, incorporating it into your routine might take practice. The key is to be consistent in using the countdown and action steps whenever you notice hesitation creeping in.

The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a concept that suggests roughly 80 percent of effects come from 20 percent of causes. This principle finds application in various fields, including economics, business, and productivity.

In terms of productivity, it means identifying and focusing on the most crucial tasks that yield the most significant results, enabling more efficient use of time and resources. Constant reevaluation of these high-impact tasks is vital for adapting and maintaining productivity. Essentially, the rule guides individuals to focus on the most crucial 20 percent that yields 80 percent of the results, prioritising tasks by their impact to aim for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

"Eat That Frog!" is a productivity method popularised by Canadian-American motivational speaker Brian Tracy in his book of the same name. The central idea behind this method is tackling your most challenging or important task – the "frog" – first thing in the morning, before you do anything else.

Here's a deeper dive into the method:

– Identify Your Frog: The first step is to identify the task that is the most critical or challenging—the one you're most likely to procrastinate on. This task is your "frog."

– Start Early: Begin your day by focusing on your frog. By tackling it first thing in the morning, you're leveraging your peak energy and willpower, setting a positive tone for the rest of the day.

– Break It Down: If your frog is particularly large or complex, break it down into smaller, more manageable sub-tasks. This makes it less daunting and easier to approach.

– Eliminate Distractions: Minimise distractions and interruptions during your frog time. Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and create a conducive environment for focused work.

– Celebrate Progress: As you make progress on your frog, celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. This positive reinforcement can help maintain motivation and momentum.

– Move On to Other Tasks: Once you've completed your frog or made significant progress, you can move on to other tasks with a sense of accomplishment and momentum.