How to figure out your productivity style

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to getting more done. Here’s how to figure out how you work best.

How do you account for the hours in a day? Even when my workday isn’t consumed by meetings, I often look up and feel surprised to find that it’s already afternoon and I don’t have nearly as many things crossed off of my to-do list as I planned. Distraction is a big culprit. The constant pings of emails and Slack notifications certainly feel like work, but I’m usually left with little to show for attending to them.

Over the years, I’ve found a few things that work for me when I need to focus: instrumental music in big headphones, shutting off notifications and using a timer to stay on task, and taking a 10-minute walk outside.

Here are a few ways to figure out your personal productivity style: