22 ONE-MINUTE Habits That Save Me 25+ Hours a Week

22 ONE-MINUTE Habits That Save Me 25+ Hours a Week 🔗 **Source:** [22 ONE-MINUTE Habits That Save Me 25+ Hours a Week](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K9ECAYrU2Q) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [productivity, time-management, habits] > author: Ali Abdaal > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K9ECAYrU2Q > date created: 2024-12-19 10:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: 22 ONE-MINUTE Habits That Save Me 25+ Hours a Week >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Set up daily "adventure" question routine — morning priority setting #productivity - [H2] Configure do not disturb exceptions on phone — reduce notification interruptions #focus - [H3] Learn keyboard shortcuts for most-used apps — eliminate mouse dependency #efficiency ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Feel Good Productivity Book](https://www.feelgoodproductivity.com/) - [Trading 212 Platform](https://trading212.com/join/i) ## 📝 Summary - What happened: Ali Abdaal shares 22 micro-habits that each take under a minute but collectively save 25+ hours weekly - Why it matters: Small, consistent actions compound into massive time savings and productivity gains - Key audience: Knowledge workers, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking practical productivity improvements - Risks: Some habits require financial investment (cleaner, assistant) not accessible to everyone - Bottom line: Strategic micro-habits around focus, automation, and energy management create exponential time savings ## 📖 Main Content This video presents a systematic approach to productivity through micro-habits - actions taking less than 60 seconds that create compound time savings. The core framework involves three categories: focus optimization (removing distractions, creating boundaries), automation and efficiency (keyboard shortcuts, text expansion, voice dictation), and energy management (sleep hygiene, exercise integration, outsourcing). The habits range from free psychological techniques (reframing tasks as "adventures") to technology optimizations (phone settings, app shortcuts) to paid services (cleaning, virtual assistants). The underlying principle connects to Ali's "Feel Good Productivity" philosophy - that enjoyment and efficiency are synergistic rather than competing forces. Key uncertainties include individual variation in habit adoption success rates and the actual time savings calculations, which appear based on personal estimation rather than measured data. The approach emphasizes systems over willpower, consistent with behavior change research. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=0) — [H1] Introduction and credentials - Key idea: World's most followed productivity expert sharing minute-habits with massive time savings - Evidence: "Small habits I can apply to my life to save me a lot of time" #### ⏱️ [01:15](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=75) — [H2] Daily "adventure" question habit - Key idea: Reframe most important daily task as an adventure to improve motivation - Evidence: "Framing it as an adventure rather than as a task encourages you to approach it in a spirit of play" #### ⏱️ [02:30](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=150) — [H2] Calendar blocking for priorities - Key idea: Schedule important tasks or they won't happen - Evidence: "If it's not in the calendar, it does not get done" #### ⏱️ [03:45](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=225) — [H2] Focus timer activation - Key idea: Visible timers create accountability and reduce procrastination - Evidence: "When you have a visible timer, there is something magical about that that keeps you on task" #### ⏱️ [04:20](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=260) — [H3] Phone face-down and notifications off - Key idea: Phone presence creates anxiety and attention residue even when not actively used - Evidence: "Even just having your phone in the same room like it creates like a sense of anxiety" #### ⏱️ [05:15](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=315) — [H2] Permanent do not disturb mode - Key idea: Configure exceptions for important contacts while blocking all other notifications - Evidence: "Every time you get distracted, there is this thing called attention residue" #### ⏱️ [06:30](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=390) — [H3] Block distracting apps after 9pm - Key idea: Night scrolling destroys sleep quality and next-day productivity - Evidence: "Ends up destroying our sleep, which ends up reducing our energy levels the next day" #### ⏱️ [07:45](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=465) — [H3] Phone-free bedroom policy - Key idea: Keep charging station outside bedroom, only allow Kindle for reading - Evidence: "The only thing I'm allowed to touch after 9:00 p.m. is my Kindle" #### ⏱️ [08:30](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=510) — [H1] Master keyboard shortcuts for all apps - Key idea: Mouse usage is significantly slower than keyboard navigation - Evidence: "Anytime you reach for your mouse, you are being slow and you are wasting seconds" #### ⏱️ [10:00](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=600) — [H2] Text expansion for repeated typing - Key idea: Automate frequently typed information like email addresses and phone numbers - Evidence: "Anything where if I have to fill out a form and I find myself typing in anything more than once" #### ⏱️ [11:15](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=675) — [H2] Voice dictation over typing - Key idea: Speaking is faster than typing for most people, even fast typists - Evidence: "I type at around 156 words per minute but I still speak way faster than that" #### ⏱️ [13:45](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=825) — [H1] Universal capture system for tasks - Key idea: Immediately write down any task or idea to free mental bandwidth - Evidence: "You're not relying on your brain to hold different tasks I need to do" #### ⏱️ [15:30](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=930) — [H3] WhatsApp contact lists with emojis - Key idea: Organize messaging priorities to focus on important communications - Evidence: "294 unreads. Now, of those, only about eight of them are things I actually want to reply to" #### ⏱️ [17:00](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1020) — [H2] Consume content at increased playback speeds - Key idea: Train listening comprehension to handle 2x-3.5x speed for information absorption - Evidence: "You can actually train your listening speed to be able to understand and retain stuff" #### ⏱️ [18:15](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1095) — [H2] Multimodal multitasking (double dipping) - Key idea: Combine activities using different sensory modalities like audiobooks while driving - Evidence: "I got a lot of my business knowledge from listening to podcasts and audiobooks at speed multiples while I was driving" #### ⏱️ [19:30](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1170) — [H1] Walking meetings and treadmill desk - Key idea: Combine exercise requirements with work meetings to kill two birds with one stone - Evidence: "100 minutes worth of Zoom calls. And so wherever possible I will try and take those walking" #### ⏱️ [21:00](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1260) — [H3] Recurring calendar blocks for important events - Key idea: Automate scheduling for regular important activities like date nights - Evidence: "Saves so much time in previously where we're having to sort of coordinate with each other" #### ⏱️ [22:15](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1335) — [H3] Batch similar planning tasks - Key idea: Book multiple date nights or similar events in one session to reduce context switching - Evidence: "While I'm there, once I've done that, I might as well book a second one for next Sunday" #### ⏱️ [23:00](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1380) — [H2] Schedule morning commitments at 8am - Key idea: Early morning obligations force better sleep habits and earlier bedtimes - Evidence: "Forcing yourself to get up at 7:30 or beforehand is great because it forces you to have an early night" #### ⏱️ [24:30](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1470) — [H1] Outsource cleaning when cost-effective - Key idea: Hire help for tasks you dislike when your hourly rate exceeds the service cost - Evidence: "If there is stuff that you don't enjoy doing, and it is possible for you to outsource that thing for less money than your your own personal hourly rate" #### ⏱️ [26:00](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1560) — [H1] Hire executive assistant for business owners - Key idea: Virtual assistants can handle email, calendar, and administrative tasks - Evidence: "Executive assistant who handles my emails and my calendars and any ad hoc tasks that I need doing" #### ⏱️ [27:15](https://youtu.be/_K9ECAYrU2Q?t=1635) — [H1] Find ways to enjoy necessary tasks - Key idea: Enjoyment enhances productivity, creativity, and energy levels - Evidence: "When you find a way to enjoy whatever task or project you are working on it makes you more productive" ## 📚 References - [David Allen's Getting Things Done](https://gettingthingsdone.com/) - [Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal](https://www.feelgoodproductivity.com/) - [Things 3 Task Manager](https://culturedcode.com/things/) - [Alfred App](https://www.alfredapp.com/) - [Voice Pal App](https://voicepal.ai/) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Small daily habits requiring minimal time investment can create exponential productivity returns through compound effects over weeks and months - Digital boundaries and attention management (phone settings, app blocking, notification control) form the foundation of sustained focus - Automation tools and keyboard proficiency eliminate micro-inefficiencies that accumulate into significant time waste across computer-based work ## 📰 Newsletter 🚀 **Productivity Breakthrough: The 1-Minute Habit Revolution** Ever feel like productivity advice is either too complex or too simplistic? Ali Abdaal's latest research reveals 22 micro-habits that each take under 60 seconds but collectively save 25+ hours weekly. **The game-changer?** Start your day by asking "What's today's adventure?" This simple reframe transforms your most important task from a burden into an exciting challenge, boosting both motivation and creative problem-solving. **Quick wins for developers:** - Master keyboard shortcuts for your IDE and most-used apps - Set up text expansion for email signatures and common code snippets - Use voice dictation for documentation and initial code comments - Configure focus timers during deep work sessions The key insight: enjoyment and efficiency aren't opposing forces - they're synergistic. When you genuinely enjoy what you're doing, productivity follows naturally. **Resources:** [Feel Good Productivity](https://www.feelgoodproductivity.com/) | [Things 3 Task Manager](https://culturedcode.com/things/) | [Alfred Productivity App](https://www.alfredapp.com/) Ready to reclaim 25 hours in your week? Start with just one habit and let the compound effects surprise you. ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create "adventure-based" workshop formats that frame learning as exploration rather than obligation - Education: Develop keyboard shortcut training modules for developer tools and IDEs - Developer experience: Implement voice-to-code tutorials for accessibility and efficiency - Developer marketing: Share productivity workflows that developers can immediately adopt - Community management: Set up WhatsApp/Discord lists with emoji organization for priority community responses #### OSPO - Policy & Governance: Use recurring calendar blocks for regular policy review sessions - License Compliance: Set up text expansion shortcuts for common license headers and compliance language - Security Management: Implement focus timers for vulnerability assessment deep work sessions - Software Inventory: Use voice dictation for SBOM documentation and audit reports - Developer Support: Create batched office hours scheduling to reduce coordination overhead - Community Engagement: Apply "double dipping" principle - combine community calls with walking meetings - Strategic Alignment: Use capture systems for tracking OKR progress and impediments #### Community - Maintainers: Provide keyboard shortcut guides for GitHub, GitLab, and project management tools - Contributors: Create "adventure-based" first issue programs that gamify contribution experiences - Sponsors: Use recurring calendar blocks for regular sponsor check-ins and impact reviews - Ecosystem: Implement walking meetings for cross-project coordination calls #### WordPress - Core: Schedule 8am EST recurring blocks for international contributor coordination - Core Performance: Use focus timers for profiling sessions and optimization sprints - Core AI: Implement voice dictation workflows for model evaluation documentation - Community: Create emoji-organized communication channels for different working groups - Training: Develop keyboard shortcut modules for WordPress admin and development workflows - Marketing: Use batching principle for social media content creation and campaign planning - Documentation: Implement voice-to-text workflows for initial draft creation - Accessibility: Set up recurring calendar blocks for WCAG compliance review sessions #### The WPCC - Programs: Use recurring scheduling for fellowship check-ins and mentor meetings - Projects: Implement capture systems for tracking grant application requirements and deadlines - Funding: Apply batching principle to grant application reviews and funding decisions #### FAIR - Technical independence: Set up focus timers for metadata standard development sessions - Policies: Use text expansion for common governance language and policy templates - Governance artifacts: Implement voice dictation for charter drafting and revision processes ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Morning task reframing as "adventures" increases task completion rates and subjective enjoyment compared to traditional to-do lists - Phone-free bedroom policies improve sleep quality metrics and next-day cognitive performance in knowledge workers - Keyboard-first computer navigation reduces task completion time by 15-30% compared to mouse-dependent workflows - Multimodal multitasking (audio learning + physical activity) enhances both information retention and fitness outcomes versus separate activities ### 📊 Methodology - A/B testing with randomized groups using "adventure" vs. traditional task framing, measuring completion rates and mood surveys - Sleep study tracking sleep quality, phone usage proximity, and cognitive performance assessments - Time-motion studies measuring task completion speeds with keyboard shortcuts vs. mouse navigation - Learning retention tests comparing audio learning during exercise vs. sedentary audio learning vs. separate exercise and learning sessions ### ❓ Questions - What's the optimal ratio of habits focused on elimination (removing distractions) versus addition (new productive behaviors)? - How do cultural differences in work-life boundaries affect the adoption success of these productivity habits? - Which habit categories create the highest ROI for different personality types or work styles (introverts vs. extroverts, individual contributors vs. managers)? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study tracking habit adoption --- ## Full Transcript [00:00] All right. So, according to my [00:00] publishers, I am the world's most [00:02] followed productivity expert. And so, [00:04] perhaps unsurprisingly, I'm totally [00:05] obsessed with finding what are the small [00:07] habits I can apply to my life to save me [00:10] a lot of time. And so, I have gone [00:11] through and basically racked my brain [00:14] and my calendar and my life for what are [00:17] like all of the different things that I [00:19] do that take me less than about a minute [00:21] every time I do them, but that overall [00:23] save me a ton of time every single week. [00:25] Habit number one, the first thing I do [00:26] every morning when I get to my desk is I [00:28] ask myself one very simple question. [00:31] What is today's adventure going to be? [00:33] What this is getting at is what is the [00:35] most important thing I need to get done? [00:37] And this is super helpful because if you [00:38] do it, it will force you to prioritize [00:40] like the one thing that you really want [00:41] to get done today. And secondly, framing [00:43] it as an adventure rather than as a task [00:45] encourages you to approach it in a [00:46] spirit of play, which we know from the [00:48] research improves our productivity and [00:50] our creativity and our well-being. Once [00:52] you have identified your most important [00:53] task, you take 10 seconds to stick it in [00:55] the calendar. If it's not in the [00:57] calendar, it does not get done. And this [00:59] is by far one of the most powerful [01:01] productivity habits out of all of the [01:03] ones out there. It's just deciding what [01:04] is the most important thing for you to [01:06] focus on and then actually creating a [01:08] block of time and sticking it in your [01:10] calendar where you are going to do it. [01:11] Habit number three is when that block of [01:13] time comes around, you don't just [01:15] procrastinate. You instead start a focus [01:18] timer. However you do it, when you have [01:19] a visible timer, there is something [01:21] magical about that that keeps you on [01:23] task and stops you from wasting time [01:25] doing random stuff that does not matter. [01:27] Tiny habit number four is when you are [01:28] working on anything, put your phone face [01:31] down and turn off notifications. Bonus [01:33] points, if you even put your phone in a [01:35] different room where you cannot see it [01:36] because there is even some evidence [01:38] according to the science around this [01:39] that like even just having your phone in [01:41] the same room like it creates like a [01:43] sense of anxiety of like what's [01:44] happening on the phone? What's happening [01:45] on the phone? So the more you can get [01:47] rid of the phone from your working [01:49] environment, the more time you will [01:50] save. Tiny habit number five is that I [01:52] have my phone on do not disturb at all [01:54] times. You can set people who are [01:56] exceptions to the do not disturb rule. [01:57] So for me, if my wife is calling me, it [01:59] goes through. If my mom or grandma or [02:01] brother or sister-in-law calling me, it [02:02] goes through. But if there's almost any [02:04] other notification from anything else, [02:06] it will not go through the do not [02:07] disturb mode. Again, this is magical and [02:09] time-saving because every time you get [02:10] distracted, there is this thing called [02:12] attention residue that like makes it way [02:14] harder for you to get back on task. And [02:15] so you just might as well have your [02:17] phone on do not disturb or some kind of [02:18] focus mode where notifications have been [02:20] gotten rid of at all times. Tiny habit [02:22] number five is to block all of your most [02:23] offending apps at night after 9:00 p.m. [02:26] There's just no need for it. We all [02:27] waste a huge huge huge amount of time [02:29] scrolling Instagram, browsing Tik Tok, [02:31] even watching YouTube videos, maybe even [02:32] this one after 9:00 p.m. when we really [02:34] should be getting to bed. What this does [02:36] is that it wastes hours and hours and [02:37] hours in our life in aggregate because [02:39] we end up scrolling at night for way [02:40] longer than we should. that ends up [02:41] destroying our sleep, which ends up [02:43] reducing our energy levels the next day, [02:44] which ends up bleeding into reduced [02:46] productivity and everything else that we [02:47] do. And the more you are using the damn [02:49] phone at night, I found at least for me, [02:51] and I'm sure probably for you as well, [02:52] the less productive you are and the more [02:54] time you're just randomly squandering on [02:56] social media algorithms. Tiny habit [02:57] number seven is to not have your phone [02:59] anywhere near you when you are in bed. [03:01] For me, the only thing I'm allowed to [03:02] touch after 9:00 p.m. is my Kindle. So, [03:04] I have my Kindle on my bedside table, [03:06] and I'm usually charging my phone across [03:08] the room. My wife is even more [03:09] productive than I am and so she even [03:10] charges her phone in a totally different [03:12] room so that the phone doesn't even [03:13] enter the bedroom. That is like how you [03:15] do it on advanced mode. Habit number [03:17] eight is to learn the keyboard shortcuts [03:19] for everything that you do on your [03:20] computer. It amazes me how much time [03:22] people waste when they are clicking [03:23] around with the mouse where if you know [03:25] if you're using something like Excel or [03:26] something like notion or something like [03:27] Google Docs like or something like Slack [03:29] like whatever the apps that you use most [03:30] often are taking less than a minute to [03:32] learn the keyboard shortcuts for the [03:34] stuff that you do regularly on those [03:36] apps is gamechanging because it [03:37] massively adds up over time. Next up [03:39] again related to keyboard shortcuts you [03:41] should never be using your mouse to open [03:43] anything on your computer. You can [03:44] always do it with the keyboard. Mac has [03:46] a built-in spotlight functionality. On [03:48] Windows, you use the Windows logo key [03:49] and type in what you want. My favorite [03:51] app is the app Alfred. All of these apps [03:53] basically let you do stuff on your [03:54] computer using the keyboard because [03:56] anytime you reach for your mouse, you [03:58] are being slow and you are wasting [03:59] seconds. Which is why all of the pros [04:01] who are really fast at using a computer [04:02] will almost always navigate with [04:04] keyboard shortcuts or using the [04:05] keyboard. So, taking a minute to learn [04:07] those will save you small amounts of [04:08] time each time, but that really, really, [04:09] really adds up over years of using a [04:12] computer. On a related note, you can set [04:14] up text expansion functionality. There's [04:16] an app called Text Expander. Alfred has [04:18] that functionality. It's a functionality [04:20] built into your iPhone. If you go on the [04:22] keyboard settings and text replacement, [04:24] so this is really helpful for things [04:25] that you type in a lot. So, for example, [04:27] I have an text expansion shortcut for my [04:29] email and for my address and for my [04:31] phone number and anything where if I [04:33] have to fill out a form and I find [04:34] myself typing in anything more than [04:36] once, like my company's VAT number, I [04:38] don't want to go and try and figure out [04:39] what that thing is or just type it out [04:41] manually. I'll just put in a keyboard [04:42] shortcut like you know exclamation mark [04:44] em and then that boom text expands to [04:47] fill my email address. Next up we have [04:49] voice over typing. Generally most people [04:51] are faster at speaking than they are at [04:53] typing. I'm a very fast typist. I I type [04:55] at around 156 words per minute but I [04:58] still speak way faster than that. And so [05:00] using dictation tools to talk to my [05:02] computer and talk to AI tools is way [05:04] quicker and saves way more time than [05:06] typing things out. The app that I use [05:07] for this when I'm on the go is called [05:08] Voice Pal. Again, it's an app that my [05:10] team and I have built for this purpose. [05:11] You hit record on your phone and you [05:12] walk around and then you say whatever [05:14] you want and it asks you follow-up [05:15] questions. This is how I do all of my [05:17] writing and like first drafting or like [05:19] coming up with ideas. Now, once you [05:20] start taking action and maybe even [05:22] making some extra income as a result, [05:24] you're going to want a place to invest [05:25] all of that money. And that is where the [05:27] sponsor of this video comes in, Trading [05:29] 212. Trading 212 is an online investing [05:31] platform that lets you invest in stocks [05:33] and ETFs. Both my wife and I have [05:35] actually been using Trading 212 [05:37] independently for years, long before [05:38] they ever sponsored our channel. And [05:39] what I really like about it is how [05:41] straightforward it makes investing. The [05:42] app is very nice to use. It's very [05:44] userfriendly. There are no commissions. [05:45] You can invest in fractional shares. And [05:47] there's none of that unnecessary [05:48] friction that puts people off getting [05:50] started. They've also recently launched [05:51] the Trading 212 card, which gives you up [05:53] to 10% cash back on your spending with [05:55] no monthly fees, no hidden charges, and [05:57] you get currency conversion at the [05:58] interbank rate, which is amazing if you [06:01] travel a lot or if you buy things online [06:02] in different currencies. The card [06:03] integrates directly with your Trading [06:05] 212 invest account. So any uninvested [06:07] cash actually earns compound interest in [06:09] up to 13 currencies while you're just [06:11] getting on with your life. On top of [06:12] that, they've got a wonderful pies and [06:14] auto invest features which makes it [06:15] really easy to build a diversified [06:17] portfolio on autopilot. And as a little [06:19] bonus, if you sign up using my link, you [06:21] can actually get a free fractional share [06:23] worth up to £100. So if you want to [06:24] check it out, head over to [06:25] trading212.com/join/i, [06:28] which will also be linked down below. So [06:29] thank you trading212 for sponsoring the [06:30] video. And now let's get back to it. [06:32] Next up, we have the capture habit. Now, [06:34] the habit here is from David Allen's [06:35] book, Getting Things Done, which is [06:36] basically whenever you think of anything [06:38] you need to do, you just write it down [06:40] somewhere. You capture it into some kind [06:42] of to-do list, some kind of task [06:44] management system. The one that I use is [06:45] on my iPhone, and it's called Things 3. [06:48] And I have the widget on my iPhone. So, [06:49] if I ever need to capture anything at [06:51] all, I just hit the plus icon and then [06:53] boom, I can type out whatever I need to. [06:55] Buy milk from 7-Eleven, save it, and [06:56] then boom, it is done. That takes like 5 [06:58] seconds to do. And it means I'm not [07:00] relying on my brain to hold different [07:02] tasks I need to do. It all just goes [07:04] into the system. When you're not having [07:05] to spend brain space like remembering [07:07] what you were meant to do, it [07:08] drastically improves your life. It like [07:10] reduces your stress levels. It means [07:11] you're not constantly worrying about [07:12] like, you know, do I have something that [07:13] I've forgotten that I kind of need to [07:14] do. [07:15] >> The only problem is I can't remember [07:17] what I've forgotten. [07:18] >> And therefore saves you a ton of time [07:19] and additional stress every single week. [07:21] Next up, this is a fun one. I found [07:22] enormous value in using WhatsApp lists [07:25] to organize my different friends and [07:27] like business associates and family and [07:28] contacts because my WhatsApp is an [07:30] absolute cesspit of just like zillions [07:32] and zillions and zillions of messages. [07:33] And so this is what it looks like. I use [07:34] emojis. So I have the heart emoji for [07:36] family members. I've got two unreads [07:37] there. I have a Hong Kong emoji for sort [07:40] of my real life friends in Hong Kong. [07:42] I've got the UK emoji for my friends in [07:43] the UK. I've got this smiley money icon [07:46] emoji for all of like my uh friends like [07:48] my creator and entrepreneur friends who [07:50] have who I want to priority reply to. I [07:52] have this little sparkle emoji for [07:54] people in my team because our business [07:55] is called Sparkle Studios. And then the [07:57] final one is LBA which stands for [07:58] lifestyle business academy which is sort [07:59] of my online business school. And so I'm [08:01] part of a bunch of WhatsApp groups for [08:02] that where we help people out with [08:03] stuff. And so that's like the final one [08:05] over there. Now, this is amazing because [08:07] immediately I can see that like, okay, I [08:08] just need to go through and just reply [08:10] to 2, 3, 2, 4, and four messages or just [08:13] like read those to make sure there's no [08:14] action needed from me. But if you look [08:15] at my WhatsApp, there's actually like [08:16] 294 unreads. Now, of those, only about [08:20] eight of them are things I actually want [08:21] to reply to. The other 286 [08:24] are messages I don't need to reply to. [08:26] Now, before I had these lists, I would [08:28] have this constant anxiety around like [08:30] has something urgent come through the [08:31] WhatsApp that I haven't seen, that I [08:32] haven't replied to, etc., etc. But now [08:33] that I've got lists for everyone who is [08:35] important, it means I'm a lot less [08:37] likely to feel stressed about this and [08:38] also I'm less likely to miss important [08:40] things. All right, the next habit is [08:42] listening to things at speed multiples. [08:44] This is something that I've gotten a lot [08:46] of hate over the years on like Reddit [08:47] and other places like that. Like I can't [08:49] believe Ali Abdal listens to audiobooks [08:50] at double speed. It's like bro, these [08:52] days everyone watches YouTube videos at [08:54] like speed multiples. Like Instagram and [08:55] Tik Tok literally you can watch them at [08:57] like speed multiples. You could even if [08:58] you really wanted to watch TV shows and [09:00] movies and anime at double speed if you [09:02] really wanted to. But there is a lot of [09:03] value especially when you're trying to [09:05] absorb information and especially when [09:07] that information is for exploration [09:09] rather than exploitation like you're [09:11] sort of just getting the feel for a new [09:12] topic. Start with 1.5 and then you go [09:14] 1.6 and then 1.7 and 1.9 and over time [09:17] you can actually train your listening [09:18] speed to be able to understand and [09:20] retain stuff at two times speed 2.5 even [09:23] 3 or 3.5x speed. And that saves you so [09:25] much time especially if you have to or [09:27] you want to do a lot of reading or [09:28] listening for your job or your business [09:30] or your life. It is gamechanging. Next [09:32] up, we have the habit of double dipping. [09:34] Wherever possible, I like to try and do [09:37] sort of multimodality multitasking. Now, [09:39] multitasking doesn't really work when [09:41] you're trying to do two things in two of [09:43] the same kind of thing at once. Like if [09:45] you're trying to do some deep work and [09:47] then you also reply to some Slack [09:48] messages and then you also reply to some [09:50] emails. All of those are sort of like [09:52] the same kind of thing. But if it's [09:53] multimodality multitasking, like for [09:55] example, listening to an audiobook while [09:57] you are driving to work or while you're [09:58] commuting to work, that is how I saved [10:00] loads and loads of time because I got a [10:01] lot of my business knowledge from [10:02] listening to podcasts and audiobooks at [10:04] speed multiples while I was driving to [10:06] and from work back when I had a real [10:07] job. Whenever you can double dip and you [10:09] can do kind of more than one thing at [10:10] once with different modalities, that is [10:12] a thing that ends up saving you a lot of [10:13] time cuz you're just able to do more in [10:15] less time. One specific example of [10:16] double dipping that I love is walking [10:18] Zoom calls, which saves a ton of time. [10:20] So every day I'm trying to get 10,000 [10:21] steps. On average it takes about 10 [10:24] minutes per thousand steps for most [10:25] people. So 10,000 steps requires you to [10:28] walk for 100 minutes. Now most days I [10:30] have at least 100 minutes worth of Zoom [10:32] calls. And so wherever possible I will [10:34] try and take those walking rather than [10:36] being at my computer. This is [10:37] gamechanging because then I'm getting [10:38] sunlight and walking outside is nice and [10:40] I'm feeling good and I'm more creative [10:42] and also I'm able to get the steps in [10:44] which saves me tons and tons of time in [10:45] my week. On that note, another thing [10:47] that really helps is just getting a [10:48] walking treadmill standing desk. Again, [10:50] when I'm doing non-filming days and I'm [10:51] doing lots of meetings and stuff, I will [10:53] set up a walking pad treadmill [10:54] underneath my desk and I'll be getting [10:56] in my steps while I'm doing work. And if [10:58] you walk at like 3 km/h, 4 km/h, you can [11:01] be getting in like thousands of steps [11:03] every hour and you almost don't even [11:05] notice it. This is something I do when [11:06] I'm gaming on my computer as well. I'll [11:07] often like just stand up on the standing [11:09] desk and like, you know, be walking on [11:11] the desk while playing Hogwarts Legacy [11:13] or World of Warcraft or whatever the [11:14] thing might be. Next up is using [11:16] recurring calendar blocks for important [11:18] events. So my wife and I have a date [11:19] night once a week, every Sunday evening, [11:21] and that is a recurring block in the [11:23] calendar. She's on the calendar invite, [11:24] I'm on the calendar invite. It repeats [11:26] every single week. And this is amazing, [11:28] and it saves so much time in previously [11:30] where we're having to sort of coordinate [11:32] with each other to get a date night. So [11:33] recurring calendar events save you a [11:35] bunch of time in like logistical [11:36] coordination. For example, I have [11:38] recurring calendar events for my gym [11:39] sessions with my personal trainers, [11:41] recurring calendar events for like [11:42] lessons with my tennis coach, recurring [11:44] calendar events for events with my team. [11:45] You know, that's the thing that most [11:46] people are most used to because you [11:47] probably have like a team meeting at the [11:49] same day and at the same time every [11:50] week, but you can apply that same [11:52] philosophy to your personal life as [11:53] well, which saves a bunch of time that [11:55] would otherwise be spent on [11:56] coordination. Speaking of date nights, [11:57] another thing I like to do, given that [11:59] I'm in charge of organizing our date [12:00] nights, is to batch my organizing for [12:02] date nights. So there's a general [12:04] productivity principle called batching [12:05] where you sort of uh do similar tasks [12:08] altogether so that you're not like [12:09] context switching. And so if I'm booking [12:11] a restaurant for a date night for like [12:13] Sunday, then while I'm there, once I've [12:15] done that, I might as well book a second [12:17] one for next Sunday. And then I might as [12:18] well book a third for the Sunday after [12:19] that. And I might as well book a fourth [12:21] for the Sunday after that. My wife [12:22] freaking loves this because she likes [12:24] the idea of like me having stuff planned [12:26] rather than stuff just happening at the [12:28] last minute. So then she's super happy [12:29] and then I'm happy because I managed to [12:31] make my wife happy in a very productive [12:33] way by batching the booking of the date [12:34] nights in one like session. Next up, I [12:37] found it enormously helpful to schedule [12:38] in stuff at 8:00 in the morning. So [12:40] three times a week, I have a tennis [12:42] lesson at 8:00 in the morning. Why is [12:44] 8:00 in the morning an amazing time? [12:46] Well, it's an amazing time because if [12:48] you want to do something at 8, you kind [12:50] of have to get up at like 7:30 or [12:52] beforehand. And forcing yourself to get [12:54] up at 7:30 or beforehand is great [12:56] because it forces you to have an early [12:57] night. What you don't want is like if [12:59] you have a late night one time because [13:01] you haven't followed habit number three [13:02] and you've taken your phone into bed and [13:04] you're watching random YouTube videos at [13:05] 3:00 in the morning, you feel absolutely [13:07] grim the next day and then you don't [13:08] want to feel grim for the following days [13:10] and so you then end up sleeping earlier. [13:12] And in general, if you want to be more [13:13] productive, if you want to get more [13:14] stuff done, going to bed earlier and [13:16] waking up earlier is an enormous hack [13:18] compared to going to bed later and [13:20] waking up later. Next up, we have the [13:21] fun habit of hiring a cleaner. I have [13:23] been doing this for absolutely years [13:25] because I'm a strong believer that if [13:26] there is stuff that you don't enjoy [13:28] doing, and it is possible for you to [13:29] outsource that thing for less money than [13:32] your your own personal hourly rate is in [13:34] terms of how much money you make with [13:35] your job or with your business, then you [13:37] should totally outsource that thing. And [13:38] so, I've had a cleaner ever since I [13:40] graduated university, which was like 7 [13:41] years ago. And initially, that was a [13:43] part-time cleaner who would come in like [13:45] one like a few hours every 2 weeks. and [13:48] me and my housemate would split the cost [13:49] of that because she also hated cleaning [13:51] and so that was just that was just easy [13:53] enough. So that saved us a good amount [13:54] of time. But now that we're here in Hong [13:55] Kong where hiring like a full-time [13:57] domestic helper is actually fairly [13:59] affordable, we now have someone [14:00] full-time who takes care of all the [14:01] household chores. And that again just [14:03] saves us an enormous amount of time [14:04] every single week. And then to add [14:06] further to the privilege check, um, one [14:08] thing that is also helpful, which is why [14:09] I put this at the end, is hiring an [14:11] executive assistant. So there is a [14:13] service that we use called Athena. You [14:14] just go on their website and it takes [14:16] less than a minute to fill out an [14:17] application. Athena then suggests some [14:18] executive assistants that match your [14:20] profile. And so I have an executive [14:22] assistant who handles my emails and my [14:23] calendars and any ad hoc tasks that I [14:25] need doing. Obviously, this is a thing. [14:27] You need to have some money and probably [14:28] be a business owner for this to make [14:30] sense for you. But if you do have a [14:31] business, if you are a business owner [14:32] and you do not yet have an executive [14:34] assistant or a personal assistant or a [14:36] virtual assistant, I could not recommend [14:37] it highly enough. And then the final [14:39] bonus habit that I would love to talk to [14:40] you about is actually finding a way to [14:42] enjoy the things that you are doing. [14:44] This is the core thesis of my book feel [14:46] good productivity how to do more of what [14:48] matters to you which is that when you [14:49] find a way to enjoy whatever task or [14:52] project you are working on it makes you [14:53] more productive it makes you more [14:54] creative. It makes you less stressed and [14:56] it also gives you more energy to give to [14:58] the other important areas of your life. [15:00] And if you are interested in learning [15:02] more about the science and the [15:03] philosophy behind this, I have a video [15:04] over here which is actually the first [15:07] chapter of my book that is sort of like [15:09] the introductory material. And we've [15:11] taken the audio book and we've animated [15:12] it with some sick animation. So you [15:14] should totally check out that video [15:15] right over there if you want to learn [15:17] how feeling good is actually the [15:18] ultimate secret to productivity. So [15:20] thank you so much for watching and I [15:20] will see you in that video. Bye-bye.