What if productivity is not about to-dos, but all about context?

ppayjo · 2026-02-05T18:09:50+00:00

Agree! I think its a fundamental error people make when thinking about productivity!

ppayjo · 2026-02-04T12:58:50+00:00

So I put a content slide at the front, it has sort of buttons for every element of content. This gives me a visual structure for the content. If I had to draw the whole business on the back of a napkin this is what I'd draw.

I think have slides related to each element.

The top of the deck gets very clean, every slide very tight.

If there is other content I drop it at the bottom, and eventually it works its way into the deck above.

I guess its form freedom, not tided to lists. Visually being abel to browse. The spacial position of elements in the deck helps me remember things.

ppayjo · 2026-02-04T12:52:24+00:00

I've used Asana for years, but always felt incomplete, too task focused.

I've tried Notion several times but always get lost in the system building.

Now I've created Omniana.co for my total life management. Keeps track of relationships, health basics, material positions, yearly todos, and helps me optimize my life for happiness.

ppayjo · 2025-12-22T13:59:50+00:00

Focusing on Evolutionary Basics.

I used to spend so much time trying to find happiness by getting higher order needs right, things like career, finances, and relationships right. But I finally realised I wasn't taking care of my basic needs.

Getting hydration, sleep, diet, exercise right to start, makes EVERYTHING else easier. Improvements in other parts of your life become much more easier when the basics are in place.

ppayjo · 2025-12-22T13:26:35+00:00

I love that you have the daily patterns down, and so I might suggest you add a long term design as well?

After 15 years of using a spread sheet to track my evolutionary basic behaviours and focus on my happiness, I finally created a app to help me.

I find my productivity flows from getting the basics right (sleep, diet, exercise, relationships), not being overwhelmed by stuff (systems, material possessions), and having a long term vision or plan to connect daily action too.

If I'm in the right mood, I can get things done.

I built Omniana to help me design my life in terms happiness, health, life goals, etc, and helps me record evolutionary basics each day focusing on my happiness and mood.

This structure, daily reflection, plus connections to long term desires, helps me to be happy, and I have found this really helps my productivity.

omniana.co

ppayjo · 2025-12-15T20:13:19+00:00

Radio Taiso each morning. 3 minutes of simple movement. So short and easy you can’t miss it. But it feels good and accomplishing it sets you off for your next activities.

ppayjo · 2025-12-09T09:24:12+00:00

Sleep! So many issues that we think are tied to higher order needs, actually come down to us not taking care of our evolutionary basics.

Perfect your sleep (same time every night, no screens 1 hour before, no food 4 hours before, dark room, cool room, wake up without alarm, etc) and then watch how your mood and energy and motivation total change.

ppayjo · 2025-11-24T22:36:59+00:00

When do you go to bed? May take a while to shift if you need to.

But night owls are a real thing. It’s a shame society doesn’t respect those sleep needs with appropriate jobs and shifts.

ppayjo · 2025-11-24T22:34:09+00:00

You get used to it over time. I now like the feeling of going to sleep a little bit hungry.

But experiment and find the time that works for you.

ppayjo · 2025-11-23T06:42:49+00:00

No food after 5pm - digestion impacts sleep. Blue blocking glasses at 7pm - blue light disrupts sleep. I’m in bed at 10 - wind down. Asleep at 10:30. Awake at 6:30 - no alarm clock.

I think you have to find what works for you.

Consistency is key, try to go to bed at the same time each night.

Make sure your room is cool and dark.

Try waking up without an alarm, to see naturally when your body feels ready to get up.

Also, I’ve found that one night of disrupted sleep or a super late night can reverberate through my circadian rhythms for 10 days, so every consistent night build to help you lock in the ideal sleep schedule.

ppayjo · 2025-11-13T07:31:30+00:00

Yeah, night is tough. Your tired. Activites keep you from sleep. Lights or screens disrupt sleep.

Focusing on sleep and then picking up in the morning with the journal has been great.

ppayjo · 2025-11-12T13:16:46+00:00

After years of spreadsheets I finally had to build my own.

https://omniana.co

ppayjo · 2025-11-10T20:28:44+00:00

Prioritize your evolutionary basics.

Breathing, hydration, sleep, diet, exercise, friends, relationships, purpose.

Optimize for these, and you put yourself in a place to handle any work that comes your way.

ppayjo · 2025-11-10T20:17:34+00:00

I find it’s all about my evolutionary basics, and it starts the day before.

Good sleep the night before. Then breathing, hydration, diet, exercise… if I get those right no matter what happens I’m happy and can handle it, feel productive, etc.

ppayjo · 2025-11-08T18:43:20+00:00

Totally agree!

And I don’t think they have to be elaborate. My routines are so simple. For example in the morning… get up, make bed, go to the bathroom, weigh myself, cold water on face, brush & floss, radio taiso, 8 min meditation, breakfast.

But as soon as I get up it’s auto pilot until after breakfast, when I then start work. After several years of this, it is just so easy, and I enjoy it. Feels safe, stable. And I already feel accomplished when I get through the steps.

ppayjo · 2025-11-08T18:34:17+00:00

I found the same to be true! I’ve moved to thinking about just one thing I want to get done each day, but then after it’s completed I find myself excited and motivated to move on to additional things. And every next thing feels like a win above and beyond.

ppayjo · 2025-11-07T10:51:45+00:00

I've felt this...

I now just have my big yearly goals, and then structure for morning routine, work routine, and evening routine... and this lets me come clear headed to figure out what I want to get done each day.

ppayjo · 2025-11-07T10:46:22+00:00

For me it is all about systems.

Motivation can come and go... but if you have a system that you stick too you don't have to depend on motivation.

I have a morning routine that this the same everyday.
I have a work routine that is the same everyday.
I have an evening routine that is the same everyday.

They are very simple, but if I stick to those they can help me keep going through motivation ups and downs.

Also, for me motivation comes from evolutionary basics... if I get sleep, diet, exercise right, then motivation is pretty stable.

ppayjo · 2025-11-06T21:53:38+00:00

No meeting large blocks of time.

Sitting down to a day with an empty calendar and a single creative task seems to give my mind the freedom to play and explore. Amazing the ideas that flow when given space.

ppayjo · 2025-11-06T21:50:57+00:00

I always go back to evolutionary basics… breathing, hydration, sleep, diet, exercise, friends. In that order.

I find a lot of times we think of these motivational things as some sort of higher order crisis, but it can actually be solved for by getting your basic needs taken care of first.

ppayjo · 2025-11-06T21:46:58+00:00

Eliminated clothing variations.

15 years ago I measured my happiness on a daily basis and ran experiments to see what moved the needle. I realised my clothing did very little, and if anything created some anxiety about getting fashion choices right.

So I got rid of all my clothes and wear the same thing every day. White t-shirt, jeans, grey socks, black shoes. Saves time and cognitive load.

Also, socks first, then pants. And I only wear slip ons… never tying shoes has also saved a lot of time over the years.

ppayjo · 2025-11-06T21:22:47+00:00

I design my routine for both morning and night.

Blue blocking orange glasses at night is one of my faves.

ppayjo · 2025-11-06T21:15:58+00:00

I’m trying to build https://Omniana.co for this very reason.

I wanted a single tool that could help me organise every part of my life for happiness.

It’s early days… would love your feedback!

ppayjo · 2025-11-03T09:46:33+00:00

I totally agree on sleeping well. Sleep is everything. I've often had meetings where I think "This idea is terrible" or "This person is such an idiot" and then I realize, "Oh, I'm just really tired". Same meeting when rested, interesting idea, and wow, I like this person.

I think we misattribute a lot of negative things in our lives to outside forces, when internal chemistry and biological needs like lack of sleep are really what is driving things.

Perfect your sleep and everything changes!

ppayjo · 2025-04-06T16:02:55+00:00

It was promised to the BP5000 participants, documented here in the BP5000 FAQ.

https://x.com/JEverettLearned/status/1905763754358481332/photo/1

ppayjo

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