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Here’s a simple but powerful productivity tactic for you as you kick off the week: consider theming your days. This is especially powerful when you’re going through a period when you’re juggling a lot of different commitments.
Right now, I’m juggling a lot of different projects and priorities at work. There’s a new productivity book I’m writing (and editing), consulting work I’m completing, talks I’m mapping out, a course I’m creating, and topics I’m researching. The list goes on. If you’re a knowledge worker, you likely also have a similar list of priorities that you regularly tackle.
Switching between different work priorities can be tiring and lead to a certain kind of mental whiplash. As I write about in my book Hyperfocus, this switching also makes us less effective. Because of a phenomenon called “attention residue,” a part of our mind is perpetually thinking about what we were just working on. It’s far more productive to maintain one area of focus for longer.
One of my favorite ways to do this is to theme my days. The tactic is simple: When planning your week, you designate what overall project areas you’ll work on and when. I like to stick to either half or full days. (It helps to do this after you’ve narrowed down your work priorities.)
This is what this week looks like:
- Monday: Speaking (creating and giving talks);
- Tuesday: Book editing;
- Wednesday: Research and Consulting;
- Thursday: Speaking;
- Friday: Admin and Consulting.
This tactic works best when you have more autonomy and flexibility in structuring your days. Those of us with many competing priorities typically have more control over how we spend our time.
One of the more difficult parts about working in a job with more autonomy is that this lack of structure can lead to greater procrastination, more time wasted, and less productive days overall.
Themed days can add a lot of structure to your work. If you juggle a lot, give them a shot.
