10.2 Use this "Spare Time" to Skyrocket Your Productivity

Another great use of this extra isolated time might be to tweak and fine-tune your day-to-day life systems, workflows, and routines. Some ideas:

  • organize your email folders (and finally catch up with replies!)
  • create email templates and filter rules for easier processing
  • build out SOPs (standard operating procedures) for things you often do (or don't do often enough)
  • create a chore chart for your household
  • write up recipe cards for regularly prepared foods, or a "trigger" shopping list (create a list of things you know you always need, then check your inventory against that before you go out so that you don't need to "remember" each item)
  • think through and write down a morning and evening ritual
  • create a new meal or exercise plan
  • clear out or reorganize your desk/room/closet, etc
  • close some loops (bite the bullet and knock out those "I'll get to it someday..." projects that continuously nag at you)


For the nerdier (or more adventurous):

Building automations is a fun hobby that can whet your critical thinking skills while making future-you foolproof.

See what you can do with IFTTT or Zapier.

If you're an iOS user, consider building out some Shortcuts to make quick work of what typically requires lots of tedious taps on your phone.

Here's one I built, for instance, when confirming a performance at one of the stages at the Austin Airport.

It lets me select the stage, date, and time, does all the time math for me, and puts it in my calendar.

So all I need to do is enter the essential information, and it does the rest of the thinking and input for me!

If you haven't messed around with it yet... guess what I'm about to say?

Now's a good time :)


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