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Top 10 Productivity Tips to Supercharge Your Day

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

TL;DR: Discover the top 10 productivity tips to help you supercharge your day, from prioritizing tasks to embracing self-care and refining your approach through reflection.


  1. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks: The Eisenhower Matrix helps you categorize tasks according to their urgency and importance. Doing so lets you focus on what truly matters and delegate or postpone less crucial tasks.

  2. Divide large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks: Breaking large tasks into smaller sections will reduce their daunting nature and make them more achievable. In addition, completing small tasks gives you a sense of accomplishment, which keeps you motivated.

  3. Eliminate distractions by using the Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused, 25-minute intervals (Pomodoros) followed by a 5-minute break. By using this technique, you will keep your brain fresh, prevent burnout, and be able to maintain focus throughout the day.

  4. To achieve better focus, set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. With this approach, you can track your progress and have a clear sense of direction.

  5. Organize your workspace for efficiency: Maintain a clutter-free and well-organized workspace. As a result, distractions are minimized, and you can locate essential items more quickly, resulting in increased productivity.

  6. Use technology to manage and track your tasks: Use apps and tools such as Trello, Asana, and Todoist to keep track of your tasks. Staying organized and accountable is made easier with these tools.

  7. Delegate and collaborate: When possible, avoid micromanaging and delegate tasks to others. By collaborating with others, you can come up with innovative ideas, reduce your workload, and increase your productivity.

  8. Create a morning routine: Establishing a consistent morning routine prepares you mentally and physically for the day ahead. Exercise, meditation, or planning your day's activities can all contribute to this.

  9. Schedule time for self-care: Make it a priority to take care of your physical and mental well-being. Maintaining high energy levels and productivity requires regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep.

  10. Review and adjust: At the end of each day, evaluate your accomplishments and identify areas for improvement. As you continue to reflect on your approach, you can refine your system and increase your productivity over time.


Keywords: Eisenhower Matrix, task prioritization, Pomodoro Technique, SMART goals, workspace organization, task management tools, delegation, morning routine, self-care, reflection

Maximizing Productivity with the 5S Japanese Management Philosophy

Edward Kiledjian

The 5S Japanese management philosophy is a system for organizing and optimizing the workspace to increase efficiency and productivity. It was developed in Japan in the 1980s as part of its efforts to become more competitive in the global market.

The 5S methodology is based on five principles: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. These principles are designed to help individuals and organizations create a clean, organized, and well-maintained work environment.

Here is a more detailed explanation of each principle:

  1. Sort: The first step in 5S is to sort through all the items in the workspace and eliminate anything that is unnecessary. This includes items that need to be fixed, obsolete, or unnecessary.

  2. Set in Order: The second step is to arrange the remaining items in an organized and logical way. This includes creating designated storage areas for different items and clearly labelling them.

  3. Shine: The third step is to clean and maintain the workspace regularly. This includes wiping down surfaces, sweeping the floors, and taking care of any maintenance tasks that need to be done.

  4. Standardize: The fourth step is to create standard procedures and guidelines for maintaining a clean and organized workspace. This includes establishing routines for cleaning, organizing, and restocking supplies.

  5. Sustain: The final step is ensuring the 5S principles are being followed consistently and continually reviewing and improving the system.

One example of how to use the 5S methodology is in an office setting. By implementing the principles of 5S, an office team can create a more efficient and organized workspace, which can help to increase productivity and reduce stress.

Many resources are available online for more information on the 5S Japanese management philosophy, including articles, videos, and training programs. Some good places to start include the International Association for Lean Construction, Lean.org, and the Lean Enterprise Institute.

Keywords:5S, Japanese management, productivity, organization, workspace, efficiency, International Association for Lean Construction, Lean Enterprise Institute

David Allen : How To Hack Your To-Do List

BusinessEdward Kiledjian

David Allen is the master of masters when it comes to simple and efficient productivity hacks. His Getting Things done is the no questions asked ultimate reference to handling your day to day work overload properly and elegantly. 

Epipheo interviewed him about how to manage your to do list... It's also a 2 minute primer on GTD.

Worth watching.

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What are the best tools for implementing GTD

GeneralEdward Kiledjian
Image by becosky used under Creative Commons License

Image by becosky used under Creative Commons License

A question I get asked very often when people realize I use the Getting Things Done system to organize myself is

What is the best tool to implement a GTD system?

And the magical answer you are waiting for is..... It doesn't matter. The importance is that you have a tool where you can offload it from your psyche.

Your tools can be as simple as paper, pen, folder and in baskets all the way to super modern hi-tech tools like The Brain. Experienced practitioners will usually choose a specific tool for each of the main GTD functions. 

As an example, in the GTD methodology, you need some kind of filling system for Reference. Some people, even David Allen, use a traditional filling cabinet and folders. Over the years I have tried different systems and have settled on using Evernote for my Reference system. 

This doesn't mean Evernote is necessarily the best tool for the Reference system in GTD but it is the easiest and best for me. Its the one I chose after testing various systems. Remember that your tool shouldn't be more complicated than the function you are trying to perform.

Evernote is also my capture and Tickler system. 

Don't forget that the core of GTD is lists (such as Next Actions, project, Some Day, Waiting for, etc). Lists are a simply thing and can be done and easily maintained on paper, on your smartphone's free note taking app, in Evernote, Google Keep, Workflowy, etc. The success of a GTD implementation is not the tool but rather the process. 

Some newcomers to GTD falsely believe that getting a "GTD purpose built tool" will make them better GTDers fast. This is false. If you never drove a stick shift and I gave you a Ferrari, chance are you wouldn't get very far.

The worst thing you can do it try to learn GTD at the same time as you are trying to learn a new tool. This is a recipe for disaster. Once you understand the different requirements of GTD, ask yourself which of your existing tools can help you?

Once I started really understanding GTD and became very proficient at it, I then started testing various tools to see if I could become even more productive. I tried several dozen tools and eventually came back to my original basic toolset of Evernote and my iPhone/iPad.

Remember that the most important element of GTD is keeping things simple. Don't try to over-complicate a methodology that tries to simplify your life. 

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