Productivity hacks for the super-busy (and we don’t just mean putting on your super-cool business socks)

Time is precious and every moment counts. The world is smaller and smaller and moving faster and faster – something has gotta give.

So what’s the answer? Productivity. Saving every second count, and we’ve got the productivity hacks to help you speed through your day and make time for the fun things in life. Read on!

Time-saving apps you must download

As the old saying goes, apps make the world go ‘round. (NB: not an old saying.) Here are some of our favourites.

• Waze – live traffic updates for your commute, with Bluetooth connectivity for your music or podcasts

• RescueTime – this app assesses how much time you’re spending on your computer or phone and what you’re actually doing with that time, then collates that information in a report at the end of each day. We all know how easy it is to get lost in an Instagram time vortex or end up with too many tabs open looking at business socks (or is that just us?)…

• And Co – track how much time you’re spending on any given task so that you know how much to charge or what to outsource, plus where your energy is flowing

• Freedom – this app shuts down your digital vices (Instagram, Facebook) when you’re at work so you don’t get too distracted and can focus on the task at hand

• Tomato Timer – it’s a timer that challenges you to focus on one task (not several!) for 25 minutes, with a 5-minute break at the end before starting the next task. Research proven!

• Asana – a useful tool for tracking your to-do list! Delegate, collaborate, or just tick things off your to-do list – this clears out your email clutter and makes project management a snap

• Headspace – in the busyness and business of life, it’s important to take care of your mental wellbeing, even while you’re ticking boxes in your career. So try to tune into a Headspace meditation each day to ease stress, tension and learn to relax. Your productivity will thank you for it!

Outsource everything

Okay, maybe not everything – you can put your own business socks on each morning at least. But if you haven’t yet experienced the joy of having someone else organising parts of your life for you, then you need to jump on that train immediately. Think about the areas of your life or your workday that take up the most time, drain your energy, or make you feel like there’s surely something more productive you could or should be doing right now. The answer? Outsource. You can seriously outsource anything and everything – from hiring and firing, to answering emails and washing your dishes. Here are some thought starters:

• Crying in a sea of crumpled receipts at tax time every year? Hire a bookkeeper to manage the money, and sleep a little easier at night.

• Need someone to wade through your inbox and answer what needs answering? Book your next holiday? Organise date night? We have two words for you. Virtual Assistants. If you don’t have your own EA (yet), employ your own.

• Getting your shirts dry-cleaned is convenient, but do you know what’s more convenient? Getting someone to pick them up and drop them off for you. Jump onto Airtasker and get someone to do the running around for you.

Subscriptions are the new black

Here’s why we love subscriptions: a) the delight of snail mail to your door (it’s pretty rare in this internet age!), and b) the pure, unadulterated ease – it’s one less thing; to think about!

Is it time to restock the loo paper in the household? Never fear: It’s already on its way, thanks to the handy subscription you already set up with Who Gives a Crap. Try using Dirt for eco laundry liquid, Vino Mofo for wine, and of course Don Sox for all your stylish business socks. There’s even a subscription for an online dating service that filters out everyone who doesn’t fit your criteria. Hey, it’s 2020!