Source: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

  1. Adopt a “fixed volume” approach to productivity
    • Keep two todo lists, one unbounded and one limited to a certain number of items (max 10); you can’t add a task to the second list until you’ve completed a task
    • Might also need an “On Hold” or “Waiting For” todo list
    • Set predetermined boundaries for your daily work
  2. Focus on only one big project at a time
  3. Decide in advance what to “fail” at (“strategic underachievement”)
  4. Focus on what you’ve already completed, not just on what’s left to complete
  5. Consolidate your caring (pick your battles!)
  6. Embrace boring, single-purpose technology (like the Kindle)
  7. Seek out novelty in the mundane
  8. Be a “researcher” in relationships (be curious, on purpose)
  9. Cultivate instantaneous generosity (act on the impulse to be generous right away)
  10. Practice doing nothing