Introduction
We often look for complex ways to be more productive.
New tools. New systems. New routines.
But in practice, it's often very small habits, repeated every day, that make the biggest difference.
Actions that take less than a minute.
But that, accumulated, save entire hours every week.
Here are 25 simple, field-tested micro-habits that help you work faster without burning out.
Start the day with a clear priority
1. Define your day's "adventure"
Before opening email or messages, ask yourself one question:
What's the single most important thing today?
Not a full to-do list.
One priority.
Framing it as an "adventure" instead of a task helps you start the day with more play and less pressure, which supports focus and creativity.
2. Block that priority in your calendar
An unplanned task stays an intention.
A planned task becomes a decision.
Taking a few seconds to create a dedicated time block is one of the most powerful ways to avoid procrastination.
3. Start with a ridiculously small action
When a task feels heavy, don't aim for the result.
Aim for the first move.
Open the document.
Write one sentence.
Send a message to schedule a call.
That's often enough to get momentum going, as explained in
fighting procrastination.
Make execution smoother
4. Use a visible timer
When it's time, start a focus timer - any duration works.
A simple countdown creates a gentle constraint that keeps you from drifting into useless distractions.
5. Close everything you don't need
Before starting an important task, close:
- unnecessary tabs
- apps you keep open "just in case"
- visible notifications
Fewer elements on screen means fewer decisions to make.
6. Finish what you start
Stacking half-done tasks costs more energy than finishing them.
A simple micro-rule:
if something takes under two minutes, do it right away, as in
the two-minute rule.
Cut distractions dramatically
7. Put your phone face down
Working with your phone in sight, even without checking it, consumes attention.
Turning it over or moving it away reduces mental load immediately.
8. Turn on Do Not Disturb by default
Every interruption leaves a trace.
This phenomenon, called attention residue, makes it harder to get back into the task.
Cutting notifications drastically helps preserve focus.
9. Block distracting apps at night
The hours you lose at night have a hidden cost:
they hurt your sleep, and therefore your energy tomorrow.
Protecting your evenings is protecting your mornings.
10. Keep your phone out of the bedroom
The less accessible your phone is, the less temptation exists.
Sleeping better remains one of the best long-term productivity levers.
Speed up everyday actions
11. Learn the essential keyboard shortcuts
Every mouse click is a tiny loss of time.
Keyboard shortcuts, learned gradually, save a few seconds on every action, as explained in
keyboard and mouse shortcuts.
12. Open apps with the keyboard
Using a launcher or keyboard search prevents you from hunting for icons.
Less movement, less friction.
13. Use text expansion
For anything you type regularly (email, address, templates), create text-expansion shortcuts.
Massive time savings over time, detailed in
text expanders to save time.
14. Dictate instead of typing when you can
Speaking is often faster than typing.
Dictation is ideal for ideas, rough drafts, or quick notes.
Free up mental space
15. Capture what crosses your mind immediately
Every unrecorded task stays running in the background.
Writing it down immediately frees up mental bandwidth and reduces stress.
16. Batch similar tasks
Doing the same kinds of tasks in a block reduces the cost of context switching.
This is the batching principle, explained in
automating repetitive tasks.
17. Be explicit about what you expect from others
A vague message creates back-and-forth.
Sharing context, objective, and deadline upfront saves a lot of time for everyone.
Save time through smart stacking
18. Consume content at a faster speed
For research and exploration, slightly increasing playback speed lets you consume more information in less time.
19. Combine compatible activities
Walk while listening to a podcast.
Drive while listening to an audiobook.
Not cognitive multitasking, but complementary multitasking.
20. Turn some meetings into walking calls
Walking during a call boosts energy and creativity, and helps you hit physical goals without adding dedicated time.
Reduce organizational overhead
21. Delegate what doesn't add value
If a task can be done by someone else for less than your hourly cost, delegation becomes an obvious lever.
Learning to delegate well is a key skill, detailed in
delegate, delegate, delegate.
22. Create recurring events
Anything that repeats deserves a fixed time slot.
Less coordination, fewer unnecessary decisions.
23. Decide once and for all
Morning outfit, breakfast type, weekly structure.
Fewer daily decisions = more energy for what truly matters.
Protect your energy over time
24. Schedule commitments early in the morning
Morning appointments encourage a more stable sleep rhythm and reduce procrastination.
Waking up earlier isn't a constraint - it's often a consequence.
25. Make work more enjoyable
Create a pleasant environment.
Put on the right music.
Change locations if possible.
When work is more enjoyable, it takes less effort and produces better results.
Conclusion
Productivity isn't about constant effort.
It's about removing friction.
These 25 small habits change almost nothing on their own.
But together, they deeply transform the way you work.
That's exactly the spirit of the
Work Faster chapter:
less resistance, more impact.
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