22 One-Minute Habits to Save 25+ Hours Weekly

Productivity22 ONE-MINUTE Habits That Save Me 25+ Hours a Week

TL;DR

A productivity expert shares 22 simple one-minute habits—from calendar blocking to phone management to outsourcing—that collectively save 25+ hours per week through strategic focus and elimination of distractions.

Key Takeaways

1Start each day by identifying your single most important task and blocking it on your calendar; this is the foundation of all other productivity habits
2Minimize phone distractions by using Do Not Disturb, blocking apps after 9 PM, keeping your phone in another room, and removing it from the bedroom entirely
3Learn keyboard shortcuts and text expansion for repetitive tasks; small time savings compound significantly over years of computer use
4Use multimodal multitasking like walking during Zoom calls or listening to audiobooks while commuting to combine activities with different modalities
5Batch similar tasks together (e.g., booking multiple date nights at once) to reduce context switching and mental overhead
6Schedule important activities early in the morning to enforce better sleep and wake-time habits, which amplifies overall productivity
7Outsource non-enjoyable tasks like cleaning or email management if the outsourcing cost is less than your hourly earnings rate

Notable Quotes

“If it's not in the calendar, it does not get done.”
— Ali Abdaal

“Every time you get distracted, there is this thing called attention residue that makes it way harder for you to get back on task.”
— Ali Abdaal

“When you find a way to enjoy whatever task or project you are working on, it makes you more productive, it makes you more creative, it makes you less stressed.”
— Ali Abdaal

Chapters

1. Foundation: Daily Planning and Calendar Blocking

Frame your day by asking what today's adventure will be, identify your most important task, and block it in your calendar within 10 seconds. This forces prioritization and ensures your key goal gets done.

2. Digital Focus and Phone Management

Use focus timers, keep your phone face down or in another room, enable Do Not Disturb with exceptions, and block offending apps after 9 PM to eliminate notification distractions and attention residue.

3. Speed and Efficiency Tools

Master keyboard shortcuts, use text expansion for repetitive typing, rely on voice dictation tools, and learn to navigate without a mouse. These small skills compound into significant time savings.

4. Task Capture and Organization

Use a task management system like Things 3 to capture ideas within 5 seconds so you don't rely on memory. Organize contacts via WhatsApp lists with emojis to manage group messaging more efficiently.

5. Consuming Information Faster

Listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and videos at speed multiples (1.5x to 3.5x). Train your ear over time to understand content faster without sacrificing retention, especially for exploratory learning.

6. Multimodal Multitasking

Combine different types of activities: walk during Zoom calls to hit step goals, use a walking desk while working, or listen to audiobooks while commuting. Double-dip activities with different modalities without sacrificing quality.

7. Time-Saving Scheduling Strategies

Use recurring calendar blocks for date nights, gym sessions, and team meetings to eliminate coordination overhead. Schedule important activities early in the morning to enforce better sleep and wake routines.

8. Outsourcing and Delegation

Hire a cleaner or domestic helper if the cost is less than your hourly rate. Use services like Athena to hire an executive assistant to handle emails, calendars, and ad hoc tasks—especially valuable for business owners.

9. The Psychology of Productivity

Find ways to enjoy your work and projects. Enjoyment makes you more productive, creative, less stressed, and gives you more energy for other important life areas.

Key People & Entities

Ali Abdaal: World's most followed productivity expert; author of 'Feel Good Productivity'; shares personal productivity habits and philosophy
David Allen: Author of 'Getting Things Done'; source of the task capture habit concept
Trading 212: Online investing platform sponsor; offers stocks, ETFs, fractional shares, and a cash-back debit card
Things 3: Task management app used for capturing to-do items on iPhone
Athena: Executive assistant hiring service that matches assistants to help with emails, calendars, and ad hoc tasks
Alfred: Mac app for keyboard-based app launching and text expansion functionality
Voice Pal: Voice dictation app built by Ali Abdaal's team for quick note-taking and idea capture on the go

Glossary

Attention Residue: The mental leftover from a previous task that makes it harder to focus on a new task; reduced by minimizing distractions and notifications
Multimodal Multitasking: Combining two activities that use different types of mental or physical engagement (e.g., listening and walking) without sacrificing focus on either
Batching: Grouping similar tasks together and completing them in one session to reduce context switching and mental overhead
Text Expansion: A tool or feature that automatically expands a short keyboard shortcut into longer text (e.g., typing 'em' expands to your full email address)
Do Not Disturb: A phone setting that silences notifications with exceptions for selected contacts, reducing mental interruptions
Calendar Blocking: Scheduling specific time blocks for important tasks or activities directly in your calendar to ensure they happen

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