🌻7 Quick Decisions That Might Save You 100+ Hours Every Year

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> > — Naval Ravikant# Create a bulletproof task and goal management system.To save time, you need _systems. _One of those should help you manage your time, priorities, and, ultimately, _your life._Anytime you come across a new piece of information you want to memorize or act upon, you should know _exactly_ how to store it.As David Allen writes in [_Getting Things Done_](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1633.Getting_Things_Done)_:_> “Your mind is for **having ideas, not holding them**.”Over the last five years, I’ve read over 50 productivity books and watched hundreds of Youtube videos of productivity nerds. Even though I occasionally come across exciting insights, **most of the information is repetitive and _too much._**Most people who teach productivity overcomplicate it.They want you to use ten different apps and establish routines that require hours per day. That’s neither realistic nor fun.If you want to save time, you have to [keep things _simple._](https://medium.com/personal-growth/how-to-get-more-done-by-simplifying-your-life-8b6747492b97)I use [Todoist](https://todoist.com/home?gspk=c2VtYW50aWNsYWJzNzMxNw&gsxid=VdT58OQx65vF&sid=1-g-EAIaIQobChMIw-SOl6W6-wIVQofVCh1hAgkXEAAYASAAEgLim_D_BwE&utm_campaign=strategic_partner&utm_content=semanticlabs7317&utm_medium=strategic_partner&utm_source=partnerstack) as my task manager and [Trello](https://trello.com/home) for project management.Both apps are synced across all my devices, so I can immediately capture new ideas, even when I’m on the go.When I come across an interesting link on my phone or tablet, I send it to Todoist so I can check it when I’m back at my desk.When I have a new idea for an article or newsletter, I create a new task in Todoist for the next workday.Anything I want to do (professional or personal) is captured on Todoist, Trello, or my calendar. This includes workouts, social events, date nights with my fiancé, self-care sessions, cleaning, meal prepping, and anything else I want to get done.If I don’t schedule it, I’ll forget it.I’ve trained myself to _rely on my systems_because I know they’re more reliable than my memory. I know I can trust my tools because I’ve been consistent about capturing ideas and to-dos for _years._Luckily, _which _tools you use doesn’t matter too much. The key is to find out what works best for you and _stick to it_ instead of setting up a new productivity system every few weeks.I’ve been using Todoist and Trello for the past 5+ years.I don’t think this is the best productivity system on the planet. But it’s the one that works best for me, and as long as that’s the case, I won’t change it.# Follow the Japanese 80% rule.Most people experience a dip in energy levels after lunch, also known as the _afternoon slump_. This has become so common that many people think it’s normal.But it’s not.Food is fuel. If you feel _tired _after a meal, the odds are high that you ate the wrong foods or you ate too much.The primary purpose of food is to _give_ us energy, not to make us sleepy.The faster you eat, the more likely you are to overeat. A simple rule to avoid the typical afternoon slump is **_only eating until you’re about 80% full_**_._If you stop eating on time, you might end up being 100% full anyway because it takes us about 20 minutes to realize we’re not hungry anymore.In Japan, this concept is known as [_Getting Things Done_](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dont-eat-until-youre-full-instead-mind-your-hara-hachi-bu-point/#:~:text=Hara%20hachi%20bu%20is%20a,a%20fairly%20long%20life%20expectancy.)__and has been practiced for centuries, particularly in [Okinawa, where people live longer than average](https://medium.com/personal-growth/these-blue-zone-habits-can-help-you-live-a-longer-and-happier-life-2423ba2e1e2c).By eating slower _and less, _you’re being more mindful and saving calories.Oh, and by the way: Drink more water.The [majority of your brain consists of water](https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-you-water-and-human-body#:~:text=According%20to%20Mitchell%20and%20others,amount%20of%20water%20to%20survive.). If you’re dehydrated, decision-making becomes even more complex and costs you extra energy.If you want to think more clearly and use your time better, don’t ignore essentials like proper hydration.# Decide to prioritize sleep.[Most people are sleep deprived](https://medium.com/mind-cafe/how-to-sleep-well-and-wake-up-full-of-energy-c80e3d94d5f9): They snooze, wake up [feeling tired](https://medium.com/personal-growth/how-to-stop-feeling-tired-all-the-time-7f94a755d60e), need a shot of caffeine before they can think clearly, scroll through social media for hours, spend too much time on their devices throughout the day, mess up with the quality of their sleep in the evening, and repeat that cycle on most days.Even though toxic hustle culture promotes _sleeping less_ so we can “work more,” the truth is it doesn’t work that way.You’re a human being, not a machine. If you’re sleep deprived, anything you do will:- Take longer- Be of poorer quality- Be less enjoyableI know this sounds contradictory, but if you want to _save_ time, you must prioritize high-quality sleep.[Research](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/) proves sleep deprivation leads to stress and decreases creativity plus productivity. As sleep expert Shawn Stevenson [writes](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114128-sleep-smarter):> _”You will factually work better, be more efficient, and get more stuff done when you’re properly rested.”_Here are a few basic rules that’ll help you sleep more and better:- **Stop trying to “get things done” until the last minute of your day.** Set clear boundaries and stop work at a reasonable time. Give yourself enough time to [wind down before going to bed.](https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/if-you-only-do-a-few-things-before-going-to-bed-do-these-d416ac2f44d2)- **Don’t consume mainstream media late at night. **Your mind is not a trash dump. Be selective about the information you consume. Staying up to date on world news or occasionally checking social media are fine, but those shouldn’t happen late at night.- **Build a simple [_Getting Things Done_](https://medium.com/publishous/9-life-changing-evening-routines-you-need-to-consider-6869b9744e3e)** to help you wind down. **You could read, listen to calming music, write in a journal, draw, paint, talk to your favorite people, take a hot bath, or do anything else that helps you relax.- **Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and calm. **You can use sleep masks and earplugs to make this easier.# Define your peak hours (for different seasons of your life).Some people perform at their best in the early morning, while others thrive late at night.Surprisingly, very feel people feel most productive around noon or in the afternoon when most of us are _expected to work._If you can create your own schedule, make sure you’re aware of your peak hours and use them wisely. Block that time of your day to use it productively, and don’t let anything interfere.The most important part of my work is _writing. _And I know I write best when I do it as early in the day as possible. That’s why I never schedule anything else for mornings. I don’t check emails, I don’t plan meetings, and I don’t set any deadlines to happen in the morning.Your peak hours can change depending on different seasons of your life, like a career change, a newborn kid, etc.Make sure you’re consciously determining which times of your day you can use most productively at each season so you don’t waste your peak hours.Ideally, you’ll block your calendar and use that time for the most critical task of your day.# Always end your day well-prepared for the next one.As mentioned before, our willpower is limited. That’s why we want to automate as many decisions and processes as possible.If we need to make too many decisions early in the day, we feel depleted and unfocused by the time we start to work.To avoid this, you must prepare your next day _before_ it starts.When you’re done with work, clean your desk, desktop, and inboxes. Get rid of anything you don’t need so you return to a clean digital and physical space the next day.Also, prepare the next day’s to-do list. That way, you know what you’ll need to do and won’t face any big surprises early in the morning.You can do this for most other areas of your life too. For instance, prepare your workout clothes if you’re planning to exercise. Or create a simple meal plan, so you don’t have to think about what to eat every single day.The fewer obstacles you face, the higher your chances of [getting things done instead of procrastinating.](https://medium.com/publishous/7-practical-ways-to-stop-procrastination-6d894ac4bb5c)# Create “response blocks.”Notifications are some of the biggest obstacles we face when trying to be productive. Email, Whatsapp, and social media keep us alert and distracted, even when there’s nothing urgent or important going on.If possible, create _”response blocks” _in your calendar and eliminate all notifications on your devices.The truth is, most emails and messages you receive aren’t urgent anyway.Pick specific time slots, create recurring events in your calendar (or on your digital to-do list), and only check your notifications during those specified times.If you believe this is rude, you can clearly communicate your response blocks in your email signature or your Whatsapp status, so your friends and colleagues are familiar with your boundaries.# Create signature outfits (or a signature wardrobe).I’m not a fashionista, but I can’t deny that I like shopping. Yet, for the majority of my life, I bought the wrong items and ended up with a wardrobe that made me feel miserable because:- It was full of random items that didn’t go well together.- The majority of my clothes were for “special occasions.”- And I didn’t feel comfortable in most of my clothes because they didn’t fit perfectly.For years, I had a crammed wardrobe but nothing to wear.There are two ways to avoid this: You can go full Steve Jobs and only wear one signature outfit, _or_(and this one is the more realistic alternative) you get familiar with the concept of a [_Getting Things Done_](https://www.instyle.com/fashion/clothing/what-is-a-capsule-wardrobe)_._A capsule wardrobe consists of few pieces of clothing that fit together. The core idea is to mostly own basic pieces you can wear frequently and combine in various ways.I came across this concept a while ago but didn’t want to throw away everything I own, so I’m still in a transition period: I only buy items that make sense in a capsule wardrobe but still have lots of items that I’ve purchased previously.Instead of throwing everything away, I regularly declutter my wardrobe and hope to eventually end up with a clean and neat capsule wardrobe within the next 1–2 years.My fiancè has been applying this concept too: He only owns black, white, and grey shirts. He has the same sweater in three colors: Black, grey, and dark blue. And he owns a couple of basic pants that go well with anything else he owns.He shops once per year and replaces the items that are worn out. He never wastes a minute thinking about _what to wear_ because everything fits well and looks good, regardless of how he combines it.The ultimate goals here are to _reduce_ the energy you spend on decision-making _and_ feel more comfortable in your daily life because you only own and wear items that look and feel good.# Final thoughtsAs Mike Murdock once said:> _”The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.”_If we want to have more time for our loved ones, hobbies, or _resting_, we need to **reduce the amount of time we spend on redundant or repetitive tasks.**This isn’t about becoming a productivity machine but about having more time for things and people we care about.Ultimately, the majority of our lives consist of repetitive tasks and occurrences. Luckily, we create smart routines and workarounds that help us save time, willpower, and energy.Contributed by Sinem GumelRegardless of your job and personal duties, most of your days are chains of decisions. As soon as you wake up, you make dozens of micro choices, like what to wear or what to eat for breakfast.

Even though most of these decisions aren’t significant, they add up. And we eventually feel drained because we face decision fatigue and struggle to complete essential tasks_ _that require mental energy and focus.

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Luckily, there’s a solution: Eliminating repetitive decisions and optimizing our lives for efficiency, so we have more time and energy for unexpected challenges and opportunities.

“Do not waste your time. This doesn’t mean you can’t relax. As long as you’re doing what you want, it’s not a waste of your time. But if you’re not spending your time doing what you want, and you’re not earning, and you’re not learning — what the heck are you doing?”

— Naval Ravikant

Create a bulletproof task and goal management system.

To save time, you need systems. _One of those should help you manage your time, priorities, and, ultimately, _your life.

Anytime you come across a new piece of information you want to memorize or act upon, you should know exactly how to store it.

As David Allen writes in Getting Things Done:

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.”

Over the last five years, I’ve read over 50 productivity books and watched hundreds of Youtube videos of productivity nerds. Even though I occasionally come across exciting insights, most of the information is repetitive and too much.

Most people who teach productivity overcomplicate it.

They want you to use ten different apps and establish routines that require hours per day. That’s neither realistic nor fun.

If you want to save time, you have to keep things simple.

I use Todoist as my task manager and Trello for project management.

Both apps are synced across all my devices, so I can immediately capture new ideas, even when I’m on the go.

When I come across an interesting link on my phone or tablet, I send it to Todoist so I can check it when I’m back at my desk.

When I have a new idea for an article or newsletter, I create a new task in Todoist for the next workday.

Anything I want to do (professional or personal) is captured on Todoist, Trello, or my calendar. This includes workouts, social events, date nights with my fiancé, self-care sessions, cleaning, meal prepping, and anything else I want to get done.

If I don’t schedule it, I’ll forget it.

I’ve trained myself to rely on my systems_because I know they’re more reliable than my memory. I know I can trust my tools because I’ve been consistent about capturing ideas and to-dos for _years.

Luckily, which _tools you use doesn’t matter too much. The key is to find out what works best for you and _stick to it instead of setting up a new productivity system every few weeks.

I’ve been using Todoist and Trello for the past 5+ years.

I don’t think this is the best productivity system on the planet. But it’s the one that works best for me, and as long as that’s the case, I won’t change it.

Follow the Japanese 80% rule.

Most people experience a dip in energy levels after lunch, also known as the afternoon slump. This has become so common that many people think it’s normal.

But it’s not.

Food is fuel. If you feel _tired _after a meal, the odds are high that you ate the wrong foods or you ate too much.

The primary purpose of food is to give us energy, not to make us sleepy.

The faster you eat, the more likely you are to overeat. A simple rule to avoid the typical afternoon slump is only eating until you’re about 80% full.

If you stop eating on time, you might end up being 100% full anyway because it takes us about 20 minutes to realize we’re not hungry anymore.

In Japan, this concept is known as Getting Things Done__and has been practiced for centuries, particularly in Okinawa, where people live longer than average.

By eating slower _and less, _you’re being more mindful and saving calories.

Oh, and by the way: Drink more water.

The majority of your brain consists of water. If you’re dehydrated, decision-making becomes even more complex and costs you extra energy.

If you want to think more clearly and use your time better, don’t ignore essentials like proper hydration.

Decide to prioritize sleep.

Most people are sleep deprived: They snooze, wake up feeling tired, need a shot of caffeine before they can think clearly, scroll through social media for hours, spend too much time on their devices throughout the day, mess up with the quality of their sleep in the evening, and repeat that cycle on most days.

Even though toxic hustle culture promotes sleeping less so we can “work more,” the truth is it doesn’t work that way.

You’re a human being, not a machine. If you’re sleep deprived, anything you do will:

• Take longer
• Be of poorer quality
• Be less enjoyable

I know this sounds contradictory, but if you want to save time, you must prioritize high-quality sleep.

Research proves sleep deprivation leads to stress and decreases creativity plus productivity. As sleep expert Shawn Stevenson writes:

“You will factually work better, be more efficient, and get more stuff done when you’re properly rested.”

Here are a few basic rules that’ll help you sleep more and better:

• Stop trying to “get things done” until the last minute of your day. Set clear boundaries and stop work at a reasonable time. Give yourself enough time to wind down before going to bed.
• **Don’t consume mainstream media late at night. **Your mind is not a trash dump. Be selective about the information you consume. Staying up to date on world news or occasionally checking social media are fine, but those shouldn’t happen late at night.
• Build a simple Getting Things Done to help you wind down. **You could read, listen to calming music, write in a journal, draw, paint, talk to your favorite people, take a hot bath, or do anything else that helps you relax.
• **Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and calm. **You can use sleep masks and earplugs to make this easier.

Define your peak hours (for different seasons of your life).

Some people perform at their best in the early morning, while others thrive late at night.

Surprisingly, very feel people feel most productive around noon or in the afternoon when most of us are expected to work.

If you can create your own schedule, make sure you’re aware of your peak hours and use them wisely. Block that time of your day to use it productively, and don’t let anything interfere.

The most important part of my work is _writing. _And I know I write best when I do it as early in the day as possible. That’s why I never schedule anything else for mornings. I don’t check emails, I don’t plan meetings, and I don’t set any deadlines to happen in the morning.

Your peak hours can change depending on different seasons of your life, like a career change, a newborn kid, etc.

Make sure you’re consciously determining which times of your day you can use most productively at each season so you don’t waste your peak hours.

Ideally, you’ll block your calendar and use that time for the most critical task of your day.

Always end your day well-prepared for the next one.

As mentioned before, our willpower is limited. That’s why we want to automate as many decisions and processes as possible.

If we need to make too many decisions early in the day, we feel depleted and unfocused by the time we start to work.

To avoid this, you must prepare your next day before it starts.

When you’re done with work, clean your desk, desktop, and inboxes. Get rid of anything you don’t need so you return to a clean digital and physical space the next day.

Also, prepare the next day’s to-do list. That way, you know what you’ll need to do and won’t face any big surprises early in the morning.

You can do this for most other areas of your life too. For instance, prepare your workout clothes if you’re planning to exercise. Or create a simple meal plan, so you don’t have to think about what to eat every single day.

The fewer obstacles you face, the higher your chances of getting things done instead of procrastinating.

Create “response blocks.”

Notifications are some of the biggest obstacles we face when trying to be productive. Email, Whatsapp, and social media keep us alert and distracted, even when there’s nothing urgent or important going on.

If possible, create _”response blocks” _in your calendar and eliminate all notifications on your devices.

The truth is, most emails and messages you receive aren’t urgent anyway.

Pick specific time slots, create recurring events in your calendar (or on your digital to-do list), and only check your notifications during those specified times.

If you believe this is rude, you can clearly communicate your response blocks in your email signature or your Whatsapp status, so your friends and colleagues are familiar with your boundaries.

Create signature outfits (or a signature wardrobe).

I’m not a fashionista, but I can’t deny that I like shopping. Yet, for the majority of my life, I bought the wrong items and ended up with a wardrobe that made me feel miserable because:

• It was full of random items that didn’t go well together.
• The majority of my clothes were for “special occasions.”
• And I didn’t feel comfortable in most of my clothes because they didn’t fit perfectly.

For years, I had a crammed wardrobe but nothing to wear.

There are two ways to avoid this: You can go full Steve Jobs and only wear one signature outfit, or(and this one is the more realistic alternative) you get familiar with the concept of a Getting Things Done.

A capsule wardrobe consists of few pieces of clothing that fit together. The core idea is to mostly own basic pieces you can wear frequently and combine in various ways.

I came across this concept a while ago but didn’t want to throw away everything I own, so I’m still in a transition period: I only buy items that make sense in a capsule wardrobe but still have lots of items that I’ve purchased previously.

Instead of throwing everything away, I regularly declutter my wardrobe and hope to eventually end up with a clean and neat capsule wardrobe within the next 1–2 years.

My fiancè has been applying this concept too: He only owns black, white, and grey shirts. He has the same sweater in three colors: Black, grey, and dark blue. And he owns a couple of basic pants that go well with anything else he owns.

He shops once per year and replaces the items that are worn out. He never wastes a minute thinking about what to wear because everything fits well and looks good, regardless of how he combines it.

The ultimate goals here are to reduce the energy you spend on decision-making and feel more comfortable in your daily life because you only own and wear items that look and feel good.

Read also: 35 little ways to live a good life

Final thoughts

As Mike Murdock once said:

“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.”

If we want to have more time for our loved ones, hobbies, or resting, we need to reduce the amount of time we spend on redundant or repetitive tasks.

This isn’t about becoming a productivity machine but about having more time for things and people we care about.

Ultimately, the majority of our lives consist of repetitive tasks and occurrences. Luckily, we create smart routines and workarounds that help us save time, willpower, and energy.

Contributed by Sinem Gumel

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