# 5 productivity tips I am taking with me into 2025. ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Hh8-6girIrU/hqdefault.jpg) ## intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=0s) - There are numerous productivity strategies available, and trying to use all of them at once can be chaotic [(00:00:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=1s). - To address this issue, a review of various planners, products, methods, and ideas has been conducted to identify key principles for improvement [(00:00:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=13s). - Five key principles have been identified as potentially helpful in improving life in 2025, and these principles will be shared and explained throughout the video [(00:00:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=16s). - The five principles will be discussed in detail, and at the end of the video, it will be shown how they all fit together to form a cohesive approach to productivity [(00:00:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=29s). ## tip 1: trackers [(00:00:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=31s) - A key productivity tip is to find a method of tracking goal progress that works for the individual, as tracking progress provides immediate feedback that is motivating and helps to stay on track with goals [(00:00:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=44s). - A basic progress bar is a favorite tracking method, as seen in a hobonichi weeks journal from 2022, which was used to track progress through a Master's Degree program [(00:01:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=67s). - The progress bar was transferred from planner to planner, as it was important to have it in all planners, and it helped to stay motivated by seeing the progress made towards the goal [(00:01:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=104s). - The progress bar was used to track the completion of semesters, with each box representing a semester, and it was colored in at the end of each semester to denote completion [(00:02:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=144s). - This method was helpful in staying on track with goals and feeling motivated to complete them, unlike regular daily trackers that were not as effective [(00:03:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=196s). - Another example of using progress bars is a reading journal from 2023, where progress bars were used to track the completion of books, with start and end dates, and a rating system at the end [(00:03:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=203s). - The progress bars were filled in as the books were read, and it was motivating to see the progress made, with some books not being completed, but the tracker still being useful [(00:03:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=230s). - The progress bars were sometimes broken down into percentages, such as 25%, 50%, and 75%, or by chapter, to track progress in a more detailed way [(00:04:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=248s). ## tip 2: power of the pen [(00:04:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=284s) - Handwriting everything is a principle being taken into 2025, with a few exceptions, such as the calendar, as it is a tool for productivity, creativity, and memory retention [(00:04:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=286s). - The benefits of handwriting include being less distracted compared to taking notes on devices like phones or computers, which have distracting elements like social media and the internet [(00:04:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=298s). - A pocket notebook will be used as a catchall capture method to write down things that come through life on a day-to-day basis, instead of using a notes app on a phone [(00:05:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=330s). - A common planner will be used for note-taking, with a specific method of use demonstrated in a separate video on the 2025 productivity system [(00:05:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=343s). - Handwriting has been helpful in plotting and replotting a story, allowing for a good handle on it through writing and rewriting plot points and making sure everything is figured out [(00:06:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=367s). - Digital tools will still be used for certain tasks, such as writing fiction, but handwriting is preferred for note-taking and brainstorming due to its benefits for creativity and memory retention [(00:06:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=401s). - A video was made on the benefits of writing for creativity and memory retention, and it may be updated with new information in the future [(00:07:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=431s). ## tip 3: nail down the task management system [(00:07:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=455s) - Having one trusted place to keep track of tasks and projects is crucial for productivity, and the goal is to have all tasks and projects in one place where they can be easily added, changed, and updated [(00:07:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=458s). - Currently, tasks are scattered in multiple different systems that don't communicate with each other, making it essential to narrow down the task management systems being used [(00:07:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=472s). - Using multiple notebooks or systems can lead to a lack of trust in those systems, resulting in relying on memory to keep track of tasks, which can be overwhelming [(00:08:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=513s). - To alleviate this burden, it's necessary to choose specific places to write down tasks, where they can be easily found and accessed when needed [(00:08:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=529s). - A manager's notebook is being used as a primary place for handwritten task management, alongside digital tools to ensure a complete and streamlined system [(00:09:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=541s). - [[ClickUp]] is a digital tool that has been experimented with, offering an all-in-one productivity management system that can consolidate tasks, project boards, and documents in one place [(00:09:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=557s). - ClickUp provides a customizable interface, allowing users to design their workspace, and features like board view and built-in docs to manage projects and collaborate with others [(00:09:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=592s). - Using ClickUp has helped reduce distractions, increase focus, and enable the completion of more projects, providing a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment [(00:10:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=613s). - Viewers can try ClickUp for free using the code "Rachel" and receive 20% off when upgrading [(00:10:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=626s). ## tip 4: delegation [(00:10:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=640s) - Mastering delegation is a skill that can be useful in both personal and professional life, even if you don't manage a team, as it allows you to free up time to focus on important tasks by giving others tasks you don't want or need to do [(00:11:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=678s). - Delegation involves giving someone else a task that you don't want or need to do, and its importance lies in freeing up your time to work on the most important things [(00:11:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=680s). - A handy [[The Matrix | Matrix]] can be used to figure out how to delegate tasks effectively, which examines the skill and internal drive of the person you're delegating to [(00:11:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=700s). - The Matrix categorizes people into four quadrants based on their skill and internal drive: high skill and low internal drive (need coaching), high internal drive and low skill (need support), high skill and high internal drive (can delegate to without fear), and low skill and low internal drive (need micromanaging) [(00:12:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=730s). - People with high skill but low internal drive need coaching, while those with high internal drive but low skill need support, and those with high skill and high internal drive are ideal for delegation [(00:12:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=738s). - Even if you're not in a workplace setting, you can still apply the delegation Matrix to your personal life, such as delegating tasks to family members or hiring professionals to do tasks you don't have the time or skill for [(00:13:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=785s). - The Matrix can be applied to various situations, including delegating tasks to a housekeeper or other professionals who have high skill and internal drive [(00:13:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=802s). ## tip 5: respect the routine [(00:14:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=840s) - The goal is to respect planning routines, which has been challenging, especially when working alone, as accountability to oneself can be harder than being accountable to others [(00:14:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=841s). - A monthly brain dump will be done at the beginning of every month, where tasks are written down on a blank piece of paper, and then organized in a digital task management system or a manager's notebook [(00:14:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=887s). - Tasks will be organized according to who should do them and when they should be done, and will be tracked in a digital system for work tasks and in a manager's notebook for personal projects [(00:15:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=901s). - Every week, the brain dump will be reviewed, and tasks will be scheduled and plugged into the weekly page of the manager's notebook, which has space for daily priorities, time blocking, and other functionality [(00:15:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=929s). - Each day, the schedule and tasks will be reviewed, and a capture method will be used to collect and sort random tasks and ideas into the brain dump, task management system, and calendars as needed [(00:16:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=977s). - The productivity planning routine will be done once a month and once a week, with review and reflection on what has been done and what needs to be done, and will help to create a structure to support plans and reduce stress [(00:16:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=1001s). - The routine will be done on a Sunday or the first Sunday of every month, and will involve reviewing and reflecting on progress, and making adjustments as needed [(00:16:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=1004s). - The importance of honoring and respecting planning routines is emphasized, as it helps to create a structure to support plans and reduce stress [(00:17:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh8-6girIrU&t=1028s).