acute_strategies.md

• Do the hardest thing first
• Do the easiest thing first
• Choose three things to do and a reward for doing them
• Pomodoro Technique (short): 25 minutes working / 5 minute break
• Pomodoro Technique (medium): 25 minutes working / 5 minute break / repeat x 2
• Pomodoro Technique (long): 25 minutes working / 5 minute break / repeat x 4 / 25 minute break
• Do the next physically possible thing on your list
• Set timers for the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, …
• Set timers for an exponential sequence: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, …
• Set timers for tens of minutes: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, …
• Structured procrastination: Do the second most important thing on your list
• Structured procrastination: Do the second most urgent thing on your list
• Check in with an accountability buddy
• Tell someone you're going to work on something for a set time, then check in with them when you’re done
• Do a sprint: How many X can you do in Y minutes?
• Break it down: What's the next step? Can you can make it smaller or less complex?
• Close off a distraction: Block Twitter, put your phone in a drawer or bag, or go offline
• If it's worth doing, then it's worth doing half-assed
• Do a deliberately bad version of what you imagine you would do if you unlimited time, energy, and motivation
• Go through the motions: Find something you’re avoiding and do everything you would do to get ready to do that thing without committing to do it
• Five Minute Method: What's at the top of your mind? Work on it for five minutes
• Use the Ivy Lee Method: Pick six things to do, rank them, and work on them in order
• Have a glass of water
• Take a five-minute break
• Test an estimate: Estimate how long it takes to do, then start a stopwatch
• Clean sweep (short): Work on the oldest thing on your to do list for 5 minutes
• Clean sweep (medium): Work on the oldest thing on your to do list for 15 minutes
• Clean sweep (long): Work on the oldest thing on your to do list for 30 minutes
• Have a snack