Gear

Executive Producer

Five Things to Make You More Productive

Okay, no more messing around. You had your “spiritual health week.” You took your summer Fridays. Hell, you took your summer Thursdays. But now it’s time to get productive. Or at the very least, talk about a few things that might, someday in the future, help you get productive...

FOR TEDIOUS TASKS

An Online Army of Personal Assistants

The Problem: You’ve got 48 hours of work and only 24 hours of day.
The Solution: Outsourcing your menial tasks to this on-demand e-assistant concierge. They’ll book your hotels. Or make your appointments. Or save you 15% or more on car insurance by switching to GEICO.
Projected Productivity Increase: 33%.

FOR FORGETFULNESS

If the NSA Managed Your Calendar

The Problem: You have things to do, but nobody to follow you everywhere reminding you to do them.
The Solution: This GPS-enabled to-do list. Go by the bank: it’ll tell you to deposit that check. Pass by a supermarket: it’ll prompt you to buy milk. Assuming you need milk.
Projected Productivity Increase: 25%.

FOR PROCRASTINATION

Make the Internet Not Exist

The Problem: There’s this thing called the Internet. And it makes focusing on work very, very hard sometimes.
The Solution: This Google Chrome plug-in that lets you set browsing limits or ban yourself from distracting websites. Which you’ll do the minute you finish reading this Breaking Bad recap...
Projected Productivity Increase: 17%.

FOR THE MESS

The Most Organized Tumblr Ever

The Problem: It looks like a hurricane hit your desk.
The Solution: Baby steps. We suggest starting with some inspiration from this Tumblr dedicated to nothing but pictures of neatly organized stuff. Shells. Books. Cutlery. Everything. All. Very. Organized.
Projected Productivity Increase: 5%.

FOR REFOCUSING

Two Minutes of Absolutely Nothing

The Problem: You need some quiet time to jump-start your creative juices. Or you feel like doing nothing for 120 seconds.
The Solution: This curious website with a relaxing image of the ocean and a countdown timer. The idea: zone out and don’t touch your computer for two minutes. Sure thing.
Projected Productivity Increase: 2%.