My Productivity Regimen

Ammon Wiemers

Wake Up Early

• My day, for the last month, begins at 5 o'clock in the morning.

• This is admittedly lunacy.• I have always hated mornings.• If I am to get to work 1 hour before I'm required to be there, I

have to be there at 6.• So that means I have to wake up at 5.• I've found that the first hour of the day is very productive.• I think I'll continue doing this one.

http://zenhabits.net/how-i-became-early-riser/

MIT List

• The first thing I do when I get to work, while my computer is booting up, is start on my M(ost) I(mportant) T(hings) List

• I've tried using a task list in Outlook and Google before.• Those never worked.• For some reason the low-tech pad works much better.• I think I'll keep doing this.

http://zenhabits.net/purpose-your-day-most-important-task/

Hipster PDA

• I tried the hipster PDA• I don't know that I'll keep doing it.• I took it to all the meetings I attended.• I actually prefer taking my task list with me and taking

notes in the margins.  • I made my PDA out of waste paper from the copy room.  I

like this idea.  Perhaps I'll find a way to combine the Hipster PDA and the MIT list.

http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-pda

Inbox To Zero

• This is the one I was most excited to start.  • For the first time since I began using email in about 1996,

my inbox is zero.  • This was a lot of work.• Well worth continuing.

http://inboxzero.com/

Clean Desk

• Before I went home each day, I made sure I had a clean desk.

• I've always wanted to have a clean desk, but never really thought about how to make it happen in practice.

• Typically, I have told myself that I would clean the desk the next day -- that never happened.

• I'll keep doing this. http://zenhabits.net/steps-to-permanently-clear-desk/

Results of Implementation of Regimen• It has become much easier to get up for work in the

morning. I generally have a clear idea of what I need to accomplish that day.  

• I take much less time "checking" emails.  I make quick decisions and take care of immediate things right away.  I save time-taking emails for later.  

• I feel like I am better able to stay on top of tasks.• I have always shied away from productivity systems.  I've

always felt that they take more time and energy to learn and implement than they save.  

• I like the idea that there isn't a one-size-fits-all system forced upon us, but that we customize our own from those that we like.  

• I'll definitely keep working on fine tuning my own system.