10 Ways to Stay Productive (Online and Offline)

Here is a neat list of ways you can stay productive online and offline.

The other day I was thinking about how I always managed to complete tasks on time for my college classes, even when I started the assignment 24 hours before it was due. I reflected back when I read Tim Ferriss‘ book The 4-Hour Workweek and he mentioned the Parkinson’s Law, the law states that a task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion.

If its possible for my college assignments it must be possible for your own projects. Give yourself a deadline and you’ll be surprised by how much your can get done. Here are list of tools that can help you.

Online

1. E.gg Timer

Remember that cool egg timer your grandmother used to know when the cookies were finished baking? Well now you can use an online egg timer. Set the time you wish to use to complete a task and it will alert you when times up. It useful when you set a deadline for yourself.

2. Focus Booster

Focus Booster is a really cool app that you can use of your MAC, Windows, or Linux computer. It has a countdown timer set on 25 minutes (or adjust it to the time your desire) and alerts you when time is almost up. After 25 minutes its gives you a 5 minute break to recharge. This method is called the Pomodoro Technique created by Francesco Cirillo.

3. Rescue Time

RescueTime is a web-based time management and analytics tool, it helps you get more done.

4. Leech Block

I know, its sometimes hard to not be able to open a window and see if somebody commented on your latest status update on facebook. If you’re really serious about getting a project done use Leech Block for you’re FireFox browser. Its a plug-in that blocks websites of your choice certain times of the day to help you overcome your weakness of surfing the web.

5. Freedom

Freedom disables the network on your Apple computer freeing you from using the internet during selective hours.

6. Ta-da Lists

Ta-da Lists is a web-based to do list that you can share with your co-workers for group projects, or you can just use it yourself.

7. Rough Under Belly

Rough Under Belly is like an online CEO. You can set your deadline, make a to do list, and a graph is made to show your productivity.

Offline

8. Action List

I like to make an action list the night before I go to bed so I wake up the next morning knowing what I have to do. I rate the actions 1 being a priority and 3 being less of a priority. Make the list short and simple so you don’t overwhelm yourself.

9. Eliminate Multitasking

Multitasking can really bog up your flow. To some it may seem productive to be able to complete little sections of tasks here and there but if your really just focus on what needs to get done you’ll eventually have more time to complete the next task.

10. Let People Know What’s Up

Tell your significant other, friends, or family members that you have a project you really want to get done. They will understand and won’t bother you till you complete your task. Then you have move time for loved ones once your done.

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What ways do you stay productive, online or offline, perhaps both?

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