Mike McCracken

I am constantly cultivating my capacity for productivity, so I have decided to put my ideas down for future reference. Since I am doing that, I might as well share them. Please feel free to put any important points you think I have missed in the comments.

Clean Environment

While working, being in a clean environment can be incredible important for maintaining the focus you need for maximum productivity. If your environment is too messy, leave and go to a coffee shop where you’ll be surrounded by people having loud, often inane conversations. If for some reason you can’t do that (say, you are having a war against your stupid laptop) try really hard to ignore your mess.

Think About What You’re Doing

Even if you’re working really hard, it doesn’t count as productivity if you’re doing something wrong, or something that will ultimately be usless. Yeah, what can I say, this list isn’t intended to be any fun. Speaking of that…

No Blogs

Blogs are a huge time sink and seldom render any actual benefit beyond a mere chuckle. They are only to be approached when you have 4 or more hours in which you are ok with a complete lack of productivity, and if that’s the case, you should really go to a bar. Hey. What are you doing reading this?

No Email Lists

See above. Email lists are essentially blogs that people are less discriminate about posting to.

Get Wasted Early

If you’re going to get hammered, start immediately after work and get into it quickly. The goal is to pass out by 9:00 so that you’ll get plenty of sleep and be bright and perky the next day.

Pants

I know, I know, no one likes pants, but I’ve found (much to my chagrin) that wearing pants improves productivity. Dresses are ok if you are a woman, but they are certainly NOT ok if you are a man. It is very easy to get distracted if you are a man wearing a dress trying to work.