Productivity Fundamentals
Productivity Making progress on what matters most. Not mere busyness, but meaningful output aligned with values and goals.
Efficiency Doing things right — minimizing wasted effort and resources in completing tasks.
Effectiveness Doing the right things — working on tasks that actually matter and move toward goals.
Throughput The amount of work completed in a given time period.
Leverage Activities where small inputs create disproportionate outputs. High-leverage work produces more results per unit of effort.
Time Management
Time Blocking Scheduling specific tasks for specific time periods, treating tasks like appointments.
Time Boxing Committing to work on a task for a fixed duration, regardless of completion.
Calendar Blocking Reserving time on your calendar for specific types of work or priorities.
Batch Processing Grouping similar tasks together to do at once, reducing context-switching costs.
Theming Dedicating specific days or time periods to specific types of work.
Buffer Time Unscheduled time built into plans to accommodate overruns and unexpected demands.
Attention and Focus
Deep Work Cognitively demanding work performed in a state of distraction-free concentration. Produces high-value output and skill development.
Shallow Work Logistically necessary but not cognitively demanding tasks. Email, scheduling, administrative work.
Flow State State of complete absorption in a task where time seems to disappear and work feels effortless.
Attention Residue Cognitive residue that remains from a previous task, reducing focus on the current task.
Context Switching Moving attention from one task to another, which incurs cognitive costs.
Single-Tasking Focusing on one task at a time rather than attempting to multitask.
Multitasking Attempting to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. For cognitive work, actually rapid task-switching with performance costs.
Planning and Goal Setting
SMART Goals Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) Goal-setting framework pairing ambitious objectives with measurable key results.
Implementation Intention Plan specifying when, where, and how you will take action: "If [situation], then I will [behavior]."
Backward Planning Planning by starting from the end goal and working backward to identify required steps.
Weekly Review Regular practice of reviewing projects, processing inputs, and planning the week ahead.
Daily Planning Brief daily practice of identifying top priorities and planning the day.
Eisenhower Matrix Framework categorizing tasks by urgency and importance into four quadrants: Do, Schedule, Delegate, Delete.
Habits and Behavior Change
Habit Loop The cycle underlying habits: Cue → Craving → Response → Reward.
Cue Trigger that initiates a habitual behavior.
Keystone Habit A habit that, when changed, triggers positive changes in other behaviors.
Habit Stacking Building new habits by linking them to existing habits: "After [current habit], I will [new habit]."
Two-Minute Rule Starting a habit with a version that takes two minutes or less to complete.
Temptation Bundling Pairing a behavior you need to do with a behavior you enjoy.
Identity-Based Habits Focusing on who you want to become rather than what you want to achieve.
Streak Consecutive days of performing a habit, used for motivation and tracking.
Environment Design Shaping your physical and digital environment to make good habits easier and bad habits harder.
Energy and Performance
Energy Management Managing physical, mental, and emotional energy to sustain performance.
Circadian Rhythm The natural 24-hour cycle affecting alertness, energy, and optimal performance times.
Ultradian Rhythm Natural 90-120 minute cycles of peak focus followed by need for rest.
Peak Hours Times of day when you have highest mental energy and capacity for demanding work.
Energy Audit Assessment of what activities drain vs. replenish your energy.
Recovery Intentional rest and renewal to restore capacity for high performance.
Burnout State of chronic exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness from sustained overwork without adequate recovery.
Procrastination
Procrastination Voluntarily delaying intended tasks despite expecting negative consequences. Primarily an emotion regulation problem.
Akrasia Acting against one's better judgment; doing what you know you shouldn't do.
Present Bias Tendency to heavily discount future rewards and consequences relative to immediate ones.
Task Aversion Resistance to starting or working on a task due to associated negative emotions.
Activation Energy The initial effort required to start a task, often the biggest barrier.
Two-Minute Start Beginning a task by committing only to the first two minutes.
Smallest Next Action The very next physical, concrete step required to move a project forward.
Focus and Distraction
Attention Hijacking Design tactics that capture attention against your interests (notifications, infinite scroll, etc.).
Dopamine Loop Cycle of seeking novelty and reward that drives compulsive checking of phones and social media.
Digital Minimalism Philosophy of carefully curating digital tools to serve your values rather than compete for attention.
Notification Hygiene Practice of deliberately managing which notifications you receive and when.
Focus Block Protected time period for concentrated work with no interruptions.
Pomodoro Technique Working in 25-minute focused intervals followed by 5-minute breaks.
Deep Focus Extended periods of uninterrupted concentration, typically 90+ minutes.
Personal Systems
Capture System Method for reliably collecting all tasks, ideas, and commitments externally.
Trusted System External system you rely on completely, allowing your mind to release things without fear of forgetting.
Inbox Zero Practice of regularly processing email inbox to empty (not necessarily zero emails total).
Getting Things Done (GTD) David Allen's productivity methodology emphasizing capture, clarify, organize, reflect, engage.
Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) Systems for capturing, organizing, and retrieving personal knowledge and information.
Second Brain External system for storing and organizing information, ideas, and resources.
Mindset and Psychology
Growth Mindset Belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning.
Fixed Mindset Belief that abilities are innate and unchangeable.
Self-Efficacy Belief in your ability to accomplish specific tasks and achieve goals.
Willpower Depletion Theory that self-control is a limited resource that depletes with use.
Decision Fatigue Degraded quality of decisions after making many decisions.
Analysis Paralysis Inability to make decisions or take action due to overthinking.
Perfectionism Setting excessively high standards that can impede action and completion.
Self-Compassion Treating yourself with kindness and understanding during failure or difficulty.
Work Concepts
Maker Schedule vs. Manager Schedule Paul Graham's distinction between schedules organized around creating (large blocks) versus coordinating (meetings).
Parkinson's Law Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.
80/20 Principle (Pareto Principle) Roughly 80% of results come from 20% of efforts.
Meetings Tax The hidden cost of meetings: preparation time, recovery time, fragmented schedules.
Asynchronous Communication Communication that doesn't require simultaneous participation (email, messages vs. calls, meetings).
Knowledge Work Work that primarily involves thinking, analyzing, and creating rather than physical labor.
Physical Foundations
Sleep Hygiene Practices that support quality sleep: consistent schedule, dark room, limited screens.
Chronotype Natural tendency toward being a morning person (early chronotype) or evening person (late chronotype).
Exercise Effect Cognitive and mood benefits of physical exercise, including improved focus and energy.
Nutrition Impact Effects of diet on cognitive function, energy levels, and mood.
Hydration Maintaining adequate water intake, important for cognitive function.
Tools and Methods
Todo List List of tasks to complete, ranging from simple lists to elaborate systems.
Kanban Visual system using boards and cards to track work through stages.
Bullet Journal Analog system combining task management, journaling, and planning in a notebook.
Calendar Integration Linking task management with calendar for time-aware planning.
Review Cadence Regular rhythm of reviewing and updating your productivity system (daily, weekly, monthly).