Ask HN: Any good productivity tools out there?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44176352

by jenever • 1 year ago

2 15 1 year ago

news.ycombinator.com

I'm not talking about calendar or notes management like Gcal or Notion, something that actually helps you lock in and/or promotes deep work.

cebert3• 1 year ago

A pad of paper.

jenever4• 1 year ago

can't go wrong with writing stuff down, it's my ideal go to notetaking. but other than the physical mind-muscle connection it provides, is there any other advantage?

TheMongoose3• 1 year ago

It's a physical object that you don't have to remember to click on. But it's also not an app that's sending you annoying alerts at random times. It's just there, reminding you it exists and have things to do.

cebert3• 1 year ago

I hope individuals on this thread have better suggestions.

As a software engineer, I excessively complicated the use of productivity tools. It got to a point where the tools were more of a burden than a help. Consequently, I’ve transitioned to using paper more frequently, as it remains accessible and less complicated. This practice has become my preferred method for tracking tasks and notes. Daily, I reevaluate my goals and tasks, and I rewrite those that are worth retaining on a new list.

ednite2• 1 year ago

Not sure about digital tools, but I’ve leaned more into analog methods, specifically the Pomodoro technique.

I started with short intervals and gradually built up to 90-minute and sometimes longer focus sessions (which I wouldn’t recommend for everyone). For most people, 20 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break is a great entry point. It’s simple, low-tech, and surprisingly effective at training your brain to lock in.

jenever4• 1 year ago

do you ever have trouble locking in for those focused work sessions? I've tried pomodoro a few times and maybe it's just my adhd but too much willpower always goes into the context switching back from "play" to "work" and also all the information oversaturation that occurs while my do my work

cebert3• 1 year ago

I also have ADHD, and notifications and disruptions can easily distract me from my focus. When I work from home, I use an old-fashioned kitchen timer. I set it for a specific period and concentrate solely on the task I want to accomplish. Initially, you may only be able to focus for 5 minutes or so, but over time, you may be able to gradually extend the duration. For me, it’s crucial to turn off notifications on my work computer during my focus time. When I take a break, I check if I missed anything, look outside for a while, or go for a quick walk before returning to work.

lilerjee3• 1 year ago

Deep work, like the processes below:

Focus on a topic or multiple topics

Break down it or them into more specific topics

Think about every specific topics

Break down a specific topic into more little specific topics if necessary

Sometime you need to move and combine them

So you just need the better ways of thinking and some tools to help you in the process.

jenever4• 1 year ago

Completely agree. I've found in my workflow and my friends' that when you go an sit down to accomplish this and get in flow state, it's very easy to be distracted especially when the task is digital. Every tab switch, every prolonged digging for some some data or sentence in my emails, old tabs, a document, the context switches keep chipping away at my focused state. Do you have experience/thoughts on this?

lilerjee3• 1 year ago

- Change work environment

  Close unused apps
  Focus on the current work, and open the useful apps for it only

- Change the environment completely

  Go outside for a walk
  Ride a bike
  Go to a quiet place, e.g. Library

- Improve your workflow

  Thinking (at least the rough outline and flow) is the first before any work.
  
  If you have a clear overview of your work, you know how to do it and what work to do,
  and your mind will focus on them.

  Thinking while walking, riding, etc.

  Write the results of your thinking

lilerjee3• 1 year ago

Focus on the current work content, other than the tools, context, or other things outside of work

Ask HN: Any good productivity tools out there?

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