French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said, “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” While the author of The Little Prince was referring to elegant design, this idea also works well for having a productive day. Instead of trying to cram in as many tasks as possible, it might be better to consider how few things you truly need to do—and then focus on doing them exceptionally well.
A to-do list is the best place to start. For those who are chronically overstressed, taking the time to write down everything you already know you need to do might seem like a waste, but it’s always worthwhile. Graham Allcott, author of How to Be a Productivity Ninja, explains, “You can’t prioritize tasks if you feel overwhelmed, but you can be totally overloaded and still not feel overwhelmed. The key is getting everything you have to work on out of your head so you can start to make sense of it all. Take a piece of paper and write down all the things you need to make progress on, anything that feels unfinished, and everything you care about that isn’t done. It will take longer than you think, but simply getting it all out of your head will give you clarity, perspective, and a sense of control.”
Building momentum is the next step, though opinions differ on how to do it. Some productivity experts recommend tackling the hardest task first, while others suggest starting with a few quick wins to build momentum. A good approach is to combine both: go through your list and handle anything you can do in under three minutes—like making a dentist appointment or sending a quick note to a friend or family member—then ride that wave of accomplishment into more challenging tasks.
Scott Clary, host of the Success Story podcast, notes, “Most people think they’re tired from overwork. They’re not—they’re tired from mental clutter. The unanswered text, the apology they’re avoiding, the decision they keep postponing. These run in the background of your mind all day like 20 browser tabs, draining your battery. Close those loops first thing, and your energy comes back immediately. The actual work of closing them is almost always less exhausting than carrying them around.” Research supports this: in a 2011 paper titled Consider it done!, psychologists EJ Masicampo and Roy F Baumeister found that while unfulfilled goals can drain you mentally, making plans to tackle them helps—as long as you follow through. Many books on planning essentially boil down to breaking things down: if there’s a big, daunting task you’ve been putting off, split it into smaller and smaller steps until you’re left with one “first thing” you can do right away.
Once you’re ready to settle into your workday, remember that not all hours are created equal. Allcott says, “Each of us has a very limited supply of what I call ‘proactive attention’—the two to three hours a day when we feel most alive and able to push things forward. It varies from person to person, but for most people, it’s in the morning after we’ve had coffee and woken up a bit. What we choose to focus on during these hours defines our productivity.” A key part of this, he adds, is protecting that proactive attention from distractions—”our phones, emails, meetings, other people. Put your phone on silent, step away from emails and messages, and close all the other windows on your laptop. Focus!”
Stop putting things off. There might be any number of…There are many reasons why you might put off certain tasks, but often procrastination is a way of coping with negative emotions that arise when you think about these jobs—from boredom and frustration to anxiety, insecurity, and self-doubt. The key is to resist the urge to criticize yourself for procrastinating and to avoid being too hard on yourself. In a 2010 study, researchers found that students who forgave themselves for procrastinating while studying for a first exam ended up procrastinating less when preparing for their next one. They concluded that self-forgiveness helps productivity by allowing “the individual to move past their maladaptive behavior and focus on the upcoming examination without the burden of past acts.”
One simple way to practice this is to mentally rehearse a procrastination scenario ahead of time. “Think of a situation you often find yourself in and the behavior you’ll adopt when it happens—this creates an association before you even start,” says Professor Benjamin Gardner, a behavioral change specialist at the University of Surrey. “The more specific, the better.” You might create what’s known as an “if-then” plan, such as, “If I catch myself procrastinating, I’ll gently return to my work without any self-criticism.”
Of course, avoiding social media like X and Instagram is good for your productivity (and possibly your mental well-being), but don’t stop there. “Setting usage limits on your phone or computer apps is a game-changer, but don’t just apply them to social media,” says productivity coach Teresa Richards, who believes in “achieving more by doing less.” “For my business, I limit emails to 20 minutes a day, which forces me to be intentional about which ones I reply to and stops me from wasting time reading every marketing newsletter. The same goes for news—there’s a fine line between being uninformed and becoming overwhelmed by world issues. Consider spending a little less time reading the news and using those saved minutes to do something more positive.” Need ideas? Look for “micro-volunteering” opportunities that interest you. For example, the Be My Eyes app lets you be on call to provide real-time assistance to people with visual impairments, while Macmillan Cancer Support often needs volunteers to handwrite thank-you notes.
And relax.
How often should you take breaks? It depends on how demanding your work is and what suits you. Many people follow the popular “Pomodoro” method—using an app, online timer, or even a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to work for 25 minutes, take a five-minute break, and repeat until lunch. It’s certainly worth trying. Recently, there’s been a shift toward longer periods of concentration: time management expert Nir Eyal reports good results from 45-minute sprints, while Cal Newport, author of Slow Productivity, suggests that you need at least 60 minutes of uninterrupted time to get things done. For beginners, however, it might help to start the other way around: Progressive Pomodoro, a flexible alternative to the traditional method, aims to ease users into a “flow” state by starting with shorter work blocks and gradually increasing them. To try it, begin with just five minutes of work. Afterward, take a short break and decide how long your next block should be. Eventually, the theory goes, you’ll become fully immersed in deep work and (hopefully) enjoy at least some of it.Movement is essential for boosting productivity. What you do during your breaks will partly depend on whether you’re in the office or working from home, but either way, staying active is a must. A growing body of research shows that taking active breaks—even something as simple as stretching or walking to the kettle—can provide measurable benefits for office workers. These benefits include improved wellbeing and health, and possibly even increased productivity.
For example, a recent study of 70 remote administrative workers found that those encouraged to take active micro-breaks reported less post-lunch sleepiness, lower perceived stress, and reduced bodily discomfort. An active micro-break could be as easy as standing up, moving around a bit, and then sitting back down with good posture—anything that counteracts sitting in one position all day. The doorway stretch is a great example: bend one elbow and place your forearm vertically against a doorframe, with your elbow just above your shoulder. Then step forward until you feel a stretch across your chest and shoulder. Hold for three deep breaths and repeat on the other side (or do both at once if you’re short on time) to help undo the forward hunch developed from hours at the keyboard.
At lunchtime, try to get outside for a walk if you can—and if you can pass by some trees, even better. Spending time in nature, especially wooded areas, can boost your mood by increasing positive feelings like happiness and optimism, reducing rumination, and buffering against everyday stress. Don’t let rain stop you—many people find the smell of wet earth oddly soothing. Our noses are highly sensitive to geosmin, the compound responsible for that fragrance, likely because it helped our ancestors locate water.
What about the afternoon slump? Factors like poor sleep, diet, dehydration, and stress can make it worse, but there’s increasing evidence that it’s a natural part of human life due to a dip in your body’s circadian rhythm. Some researchers from Loughborough University suggest it has less to do with a carb-heavy lunch and more to do with our evolved tendency to want a nap every 12 hours or so. If you can manage an afternoon nap, great—five to 15 minutes is ideal for gaining cognitive benefits without dealing with sleep inertia afterward. If napping isn’t an option, a short walk and a drink of water are the next best thing. And if you regularly feel sluggish in the afternoon, plan around it: schedule low-effort tasks like making appointments, replying to emails, or handling invoicing for after 3 p.m., when tackling anything else might feel like wading through treacle.
At the end of the day, try to finish on a positive note and set yourself up for success the next morning. Productivity trainer and speaker Liz Hardwick recommends scheduling three check-ins each week: “On Monday, set three clear goals for the week. On Wednesday, take time for a midweek reflection: What’s working? What needs tweaking? What would make you feel good to finish by the end of the week? And, if you’re up for it, use your last working day to look back: What made the biggest impact? What should you refocus on next week?” Finally, take 30 seconds to clear any obvious clutter from your desk—some studies link office clutter to a higher risk of burnout—close all your tabs, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.Well done. Tomorrow’s another day.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs The Perfect Workday
Beginner Foundational Questions
1 What exactly is a perfect workday
Its a day where you accomplish your most important tasks efficiently feel in control of your time and end the day with energynot burnout Its about productivity with peace of mind not just checking off boxes
2 Whats the biggest benefit of structuring my day this way
The biggest benefit is reduced stress When you have a clear plan and realistic expectations you eliminate the anxiety of chaos and the guilt of an unfinished todo list leading to better focus and satisfaction
3 Im overwhelmed from the start Where do I even begin
Start the night before Spend 5 minutes writing down your 13 Most Important Tasks for the next day This simple act clears your mind and gives you immediate direction in the morning
4 Do I need to wake up at 5 AM to have a perfect workday
Absolutely not While a consistent morning routine helps the perfect time is what works sustainably for you The key is protecting your first 6090 minutes for focused work not the specific hour you start
5 How do I deal with constant interruptions and meetings
Proactively block your calendar Schedule Focus Blocks for deep work and treat them as unbreakable appointments For interruptions politely communicate your availability
Common Problems Solutions
6 My plan always falls apart by 10 AM What am I doing wrong
Youre likely overscheduling Dont plan every minute Schedule your 23 critical tasks and 12 shorter tasks then leave open buffer time for the unexpected A plan that cant flex will always break
7 How do I stay focused when I constantly want to check email or social media
Use timeblocking and the Do Not Disturb function Try the Pomodoro Technique work for 25 minutes then take a 5minute break During the work sprint close all unrelated tabs and apps
8 What if I have too much to do and cant possibly finish it all
This is the core issue You must
