Thesis for a Productive Work Schedule

Introduction

I'm hereby going to outline a thesis for a productive work schedule. This is a guide built from my own findings, from my own personal experiences. I'm working to make sure that I continue to improve my own practices and habits. However, this list is the list of things that I've found to work best for myself.

What is a work schedule?

A work schedule a way of working. This goes a little bit further beyond that. I'm trying to outline a way of thinking as well as a way of achieving. A typical work schedule would outline how to structure your time and how to execute on getting things done. This partially does that as well as outlining a mindset for achieving.

What is productivity?

Productivity is a measure for how to execute on tasks and challenges. This methodology can be applied to work, life, learning or anything.

The problem

The problem is that most people just aren't productive. I feel like I started out as somebody who is totally not productive and had to adapt to try and make myself as productive as possible. In addition, I have phases of hyper productivity and then lows of no productivity. I want to write this as a thesis for how to continue to be productive, it's easy to forget key features.

The solution

Sleep

Sleep is the absolute bedrock to continuing to execute. This is something I did incredibly well during university but not so well recently. When I'm in a good sleeping routine, I get things done. I tend to wake up at 6:30 and go to sleep at 22:00.

Low information diet

A low information diet is the idea of absorbing the absolute minimum amount of information to achieve the tasks you have in front of you. The news, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, etc are all battling for our attention. They grab our attention by feeding us information, interesting information. We must battle against and understand we can only absorb so much information per day.

Exercise

I've always tried to maintain the minimum amount of exercise possible. This includes running and a light 7 minute workout every morning. The key is consistency and making it part of a routine. I find morning exercise sets me up for the perfect work day. Unstructured exercise becomes a chore and is bad for productivity.

Positive affirmations

It's so easy to get bogged down in negative thoughts. They consume us all. I'm vulnerable to thinking negative thoughts that dominate my mind if things aren't going well. The key I've found it to repeat positive affirmations that are important and meaningful to yourself. It's often productive to do so when you don't have distractions, such as on a run.

Pomodoros

Pomodoros are working to a set timetable. That is 25 minutes of work, 5 minutes of break. Routine is important, this gives us that. That's 25 minutes are absolutely focused uninterrupted work.

How to utilise pomodoro breaks

The key to maintaining productive pomodoros is to utilise the breaks effectively. This is to maintain a low-information break. This means either doing nothing, or doing low information tasks such as a washing dishes or doing laundry.

Time estimates

The other key is to effectively estimate the size of a task or work. It's challenging to maintain morale if a task continues going on and on. This can be counter balanced by effectively planning and estimating the size of a task. Tasks can be effectively estimated by over estimating! It's incredibly rewarding getting a task done ahead of schedule.

Time schedule

• TODO - discipline
• TODO - explain how this fits with your time estimates

A time schedule is very important. In a similar way to the Swiss rail system, you work on clear intervals, not overrunning. This is important because:

• Gives you time to think - like a full stop at the end of a sentence

• Gives you a break if you finish early

• Forces you to make decisions and cut scope if it's too big

• Always try to finish ahead of time

Focus

Focus is absolutely paramount. How to maintain focus when you've done all the above successfully? The solution is to maintain being in the now. It's so easy to day dream, but stay focused. Subvocalise your problems and thoughts. Read out loud the code. Write down your thoughts. Anything you find effective to stay in the now.

Learning and reading

As always, make time to keep learning and reading. Without this you will forever be bogged down in an endless stream of unimproving work.

Conclusion

In conclusion, follow a standard set of principles to maintain and protect productive work. This allows us to be more productive during work time and enjoy our downtime more. In addition, it gives us more downtime! Keep working hard, stay focused, keep positive.

TODO - Feedback

• P
  • the first four sections into one
    • they're a bit too wordy and contain not much useful information
  • support opinions with arguments
  • telling that I personally do this but not why you think this would be good for other people
  • more elaboration
  • more explanation
• C
  • add motivation for achievement
  • having a goal will help improve productivity
  • how did you find the motivation to keep working hard
  • people usually do things because they assigned rather than want to which affects their focus and productivity
  • improve quality of article