21 one-time decisions that will 10x your productivity

Clothes Either go full Steve Jobs and wear the same outfit every day. Or Google "capsule wardrobe" and put together a minimalist wardrobe. Either way, reduce the decision-making involved in getting dressed.
Meals People spend 45+ mins/day sourcing and preparing meals. Save time with:
- Grocery delivery
- Full-meal delivery
- Bulk cooking on Sunday
- Meal replacement shakes
- Eating the same meals every day
Feed your purpose, not feelings.
Healthy Snacks People are the worst version of themselves when they’re hungry. Trust me: I use to wait tables in my early 20s. We’re mean to people we love and we make poor decisions. Stock your home, office, and car with healthy snacks.
Deep Work Find out your peak state of energy (morning for most). Time block 2-4 hours during that time for Maker’s Time. Show up at the same time—day by day, week by week. Do this for a few years, You'll never worry about money again.
Study & Work Music Selecting songs mid-work destroys your focus. Instead, use a pre-made playlist. Loop it. (Hat tip to Michael Lewis) The songs should be familiar, non-distracting. Remember: the aim is flow The best song for productivity is the one you never hear.
Finances Automate your bill payments and investments. “I Will Teach You to Be Rich” is the best personal money system by far (@rhamit) Benefits:
- Eliminate late fees.
- Save money before you ever see it.
- Reclaim time wasted on manual pay.
Ramit Sethi
Alcohol < 1 You went to the gym and ate clean all week. The fastest way to erode those gains? A reckless night of drinking. Make the single decision: Limit alcohol intake to 1. Club soda the rest of the night.
No Porn Avoid it. You'll lose time, energy, and your edge. You already know this. Onwards.
No Netflix You could be living your dreams, but instead, you decide to live someone else’s. TV is passive; reading is active. TV shuts off your brain; reading turns on your imagination. Your mind deserves better than Netflix. Cancel your subscription, and thank me later.
Quality > Quantity If you can’t choose between two items, then choose the one of higher quality. Furniture, clothes, food, etc. You can’t afford to buy cheap stuff.
Airline & Hotel Pick a hotel and airline that you like. When possible, always use ‘em. Your loyalty will be rewarded with:
- Perks
- Upgrades
- Experiences
- Free rooms/flights
This is free money.
Operating System Apple, Windows, or another? Whatever. I don’t care. Pick a single ecosystem (mobile, desktop, tablet, smartwatch, etc.) You’ll learn OS-specific shortcuts. Your tools (& life) will sync better.
Everyday Colors People love consistent brands. Create a personal brand. Pick 2-3 colors. Always purchase items within those colors. Notebooks, water bottles, phone cases, etc. You will look expensive.
Call Friends & Family For your inner circle, set a recurring calendar series. You can always opt out if you need to, The chances are you’ll stick with the status quo: Calling your people.
Laundry Pick a day of the week to do laundry (or bi-weekly). Consider outsourcing to a clean and fold service. Or, run the risk of wearing those argyle socks.
Personal Inventory Management Figure out your burn rate. You go through razors monthly? Cool, subscribe to them on Amazon. Ditto for other personal care items, pens, batteries, etc. Never waste time running out to the store for a single item.
Home Cleaning Signs of chaos beget more chaos. Establish a set time to clean (daily/weekly). Or, outsource to a cleaning service. Psychology says, purchases that save us time make us happy.
Dentist Experts recommend seeing your dentist every 6 months for a cleaning. Make a one-time decision: Set up a recurring appointment. Intelligent people do this That’s why it’s hard to get appointments on short notice.