Productivity system: How to reclaim 2 hours a day, every day:

Hello friend! 👋

If it’s one thing I remember from reading the book ‘The One Thing’ by Keller and Papasan it would be this:

It takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to refocus fully after being distracted - according to a University of California Irvine study.

That’s 23 minutes of mediocre work, at best.

Moreover, since we live in a world full of distractions, you can guarantee yourself operating at sub-optimal focus all the time.

If sub-optimal for you is 80% focus (at best), that’s 20% of your productivity untapped. i.e. 20% of your time wasted. And, given that we spend at least 10 hours of the day engaged in something (work, side project, planning, studying, etc…), that’s at least 2 hours a day lost to sub-optimal focus.

(try the math for your own schedule to find the exact hours lost)

So how do you reclaim that focus (and accordingly that time)?

Hint: It's all about having a productivity system.

Mine has 6 tactics. Feel free to try it:

1️⃣ No email first.
↳ start your day working on what matters.

2️⃣ Schedule deep work slots.
↳ working on what you love crowds out distractions.

3️⃣ Work in waves not a flatline.
↳ 25 min + 5 min off (Pomodoro Technique)

4️⃣ Have a non-negotiable shutdown time.
↳ it force-s you to prioritize what matters.

5️⃣ Work in calendar not in inbox.
↳ it adds a third dimension (time) to your tasks.

6️⃣ Listen to focus music.
↳ synchronizes brain waves for mood & productivity.

There you have it. My recipe for reclaiming focus and time.

Which one will you try this week?

Let me know how you find it.

Have a Super Sunday! ⚡️

With much joy,

Hashim