Productivity | Kumaran Kumarathurai

1. Pomodoro

Choose a task

Set timer to 25 minutes and work the whole time

Take a break for 5 minutes

Repeat until the task is finished

Take a 30 minute break

Work in focused intervals (typically 25 minutes), interrupted by short breaks. The method helps fight procrastination and keeps your concentration sharp.

Pomofocus

StudyWithMe

Flocus

2. Eisenhower Matrix

Prioritise your tasks by how important and urgent they are.

URGENT

NOT URGENT

IMPORTANT

1. DO NOW

Important and urgent tasks

Crisis management
Pressing deadlines
Important meetings

2. PLAN

Important, but not urgent tasks

Planning and strategy
Skill development
Relationships and networking

NOT IMPORTANT

3. DELEGATE

Urgent, but not important tasks

Interruptions and disturbances
Some emails and calls
Routine tasks

4. DROP

Neither important nor urgent tasks

Time wasters (social media)
Unnecessary meetings
Activities without value

Use the Eisenhower Matrix in apps such as Todoist or Notion.

Eisenhower Matrix

3. Golden hours

Golden hours are the window of the day when you naturally have the most energy and sharpness. By placing your hardest tasks exactly there, you work with your biological rhythm instead of against it.

Benefits of golden hours

Higher quality: You solve complex tasks faster and with fewer mistakes.
Less wasted time: You avoid getting stuck in shallow work or becoming distracted.
Better energy: You work with your natural biological rhythm instead of against it.

How to find and use them

Know your energy level: Notice when during the day you feel most fresh and sharp. For some, it is early morning, for others, late evening.
Place the hard tasks here: Use your golden hours for difficult and creative work, and save easy tasks for the hours when you are tired.
Protect the time: Schedule your most important and demanding tasks in this window.
Remove distractions: Turn off emails, phones, and other interruptions while your golden hours are running.
Postpone the easy stuff: Save emails, meetings, and tidying up for the times of day when your energy dips.

4. Getting Things Done (GTD)

GTD is a method for freeing up mental capacity by getting all tasks, ideas, and commitments out of your head and into a reliable system. The method is built on five steps: capture, clarify, organise, reflect, and engage.