Procrastination isn’t the enemy. Poor systems are.
18 game-changing productivity habits I learned in the ER.
As a doctor turned entrepreneur, I discovered that:
↳ Procrastination isn’t a weakness.
↳ It’s just a sign that your systems need an upgrade.
Steal my pressure-tested toolkit:
1) Follow the Domino Effect
↳ Order your tasks so that one paves way for the next.
(Just like our ER trauma protocols)
2) 1-3-5 Method
↳ Plan 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 small tasks.
3) Eisenhower Matrix
↳ Prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance.
↳ Plan: Do it now, Delay, Delegate, or Delete.
4) ABCDE
↳ Prioritize your tasks into five categories, from most important (A) to least important (E).
5) 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle)
↳ Focus on the 20% of tasks that yield 80% of the results.
(This saved countless lives in critical care)
6) Time Blocking
↳ Schedule a set block of time for each planned activity.
7) Task Batching
↳ Group similar tasks together.
8) Kanban boards
↳ Create 3 boards: ‘To Do’ > ‘In Progress’ > ‘Done’.
↳ Move tasks from one board to the next.
These aren’t just theoretical tools.
I’ve tested them in life-or-death situations.
Now I use them to run multiple businesses.
9) 3-3-3 Rule
↳ Every day, do 3 hours of deep work, 3 smaller tasks, and 3 maintenance activities.
10) 2-day rule
↳ Don’t miss 2 days in a row without taking action.
11) Pomodoro Technique
↳ Work for 25 minutes with 5-minute breaks in between.
↳ Do this 4x, then take a longer break.
12) Use Airplane and Silent modes
↳ Cut out alerts and notifications.
13) 2-minute rule
↳ If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now.
14) 5 Second Rule
↳ Count backwards from five, then start immediately.
15) Avoid Multitasking
↳ Attention residue steals your focus.
16) OHIO rule
↳ Only Handle It Once
17) Seesaw System
↳ Balance high-intensity tasks with low-stress activities
18) Shutdown Ritual
↳ Conclude your workday with a consistent routine to signal the end of work and begin rest.
P.S.
These aren’t just productivity hacks.
They’re survival tools from 18+ years in medicine and business.
What’s your favorite productivity habit?
Master Time Management
Kenrick Vaz 