The Salmon Saga: Viking Hacks 1
The first productivity hacks of 2020, an inspiration for better performance. Time to practice what we always preach.
Time to Read: 5 min
Hey, friend!
Time to become more productive. This is the first round of Viking Hacks that I share and my goal is to inspire you to try new ways of working, while also being critical towards the way you already work.
Before reading, let me remind you:
The most simple habit can cause the biggest change. This is why some of the tools are very simple. I would rather challenge myself to focus on consistency if I were you. I also encourage you to take honest action after reading. Putting advice into practice is the only way we can improve.
Last thing: different people have different needs. Find out what tools that leads you to better performance.
Hacks This Week1. MY ZONE
Set aside personal space in your calendar to work alone on a specific task. When you plan, be very specific when you answer the following questions:
> What are you going to do?
> Where are you going to do it?
> When are you going to do it?
> How are you going to do it?
Pick a task and set aside time in your calendar now. Make sure you work in a space without any distractions and follow the time-limit that you set for yourself. Write your answers down and start working.
2. QUICK WINS
Pick any project that you will be working on this week and break it into sub-goals. By dividing the work assignments into smaller sub-goals, it’s easier to motivate yourself and you feel more momentum.
Challenge: take your project and divide into a minimum five parts. Write it down now and set aside time in your calendar to work on it. Be specific about each sub-goal.
3. WORK MANAGEMENT
Try the pomodoro technique, a time management method developed in the late 1980s. It is a cyclical system where you work in short sprints, which makes sure you’re consistently productive. You also get to take regular breaks that bolster your motivation and keeps your creativity up.
How does it work?
> Choose a task to finish.
> Set a timer of 25 minutes.
> Work until the timer rings.
> Take a break for five minutes.
> Repeat this process four times.
> After 4 times you take a 15-minute break.
Use your phone as a timer and get started right away.
If you are still not sure about how this methods works, check out this YouTube video:
Those are the Viking Hacks for this week. In addition to these hacks, I will share a personal book recommendation every time. These books are all related to improving your productivity. This week’s book recommendation is:
Viking Hacks will be shared on Mondays only. You can expect the content to be short and involving actionable steps. My goal is to create a community where we share tips and experiences, while individually becoming more satisfied with our work balance.
If you have any tips you want to share, send me an email using marco.ab.hjorth@gmail.com or comment in the section below. I am sure people would like to know what you know and I am happy to learn more about what you know.
The next round of Viking Hacks will come out Monday 18th of May.
In the meantime, good luck with work and I hope these simple hacks can help you.
May the salmon be with you.
Yours,
Marco h.