If you’ve been here before, you’ve noticed the silence. I’ve started plenty of posts over the last several years and let every one go stale — not because life wasn’t full (a pandemic, a new relationship, moving, a new puppy, an engagement, becoming a property manager -whew!), but because the systems I used to write stopped being front of mind. There was nothing new to report.

But then AI entered the picture, and before I continue, I want to mention, I’m grateful that my employer has encouraged exploring AI which is what initially led me to Copilot and the rest of this post. 

My ever-present productivity gremlin led me to tap on one of Microsoft Copilot’s suggested prompts  – “suggest a daily routine to help me stay organized at work”. 

The routine it suggested was, much to my surprise, nearly identical to the routine I’ve habitually followed each day for a while now, no AI suggestions needed. 

For transparency, here is what it suggested in its entirety. I’ve added checkmarks and a few notes to indicate what I already do.

Sure, I’d be happy to help you create a daily routine to stay organized at work! Here’s a suggested routine that you can adapt to fit your specific needs:

Morning

1. Start Early: Aim to start your day early to give yourself a head start. ✔️
2. Morning Ritual: Begin with a short meditation or exercise to clear your mind. ✔️
3. Review Your Schedule: Take 10-15 minutes to review your calendar and to-do list. ✔️
4. Prioritize Tasks: Identify the top 3 tasks that need to be completed today. ✔️

Mid-Morning

1. Focused Work: Dedicate this time to your most important tasks. Avoid distractions and use techniques like the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break). ✔️
2. Check Emails: Allocate a specific time to check and respond to emails, rather than doing it continuously. (I do this in my morning planning, before lunch, and as I’m wrapping up my day, so I’ll consider it a check.) ✔️

Lunch Break

1. Take a Break: Step away from your desk, have a healthy lunch, and take a short walk if possible. ✔️

Afternoon

1. Meetings and Collaboration: Schedule meetings and collaborative work during this time. (I prefer to schedule meetings mid-morning where I’m most alert. I struggle to focus in meetings after lunch.)
2. Review Progress: Take a few minutes to review what you’ve accomplished so far and adjust your plan if needed. ✔️

Late Afternoon

1. Wrap Up Tasks: Focus on finishing up any remaining tasks and preparing for the next day. ✔️
2. Check Emails Again: Do a final check of your emails and respond to any urgent ones. ✔️

End of Day

1. Plan for Tomorrow: Spend the last 10-15 minutes planning your tasks for the next day. ✔️
2. Unwind: Take a few minutes to unwind and reflect on your day. ✔️

Tips for Staying Organized

• Use Tools: Utilize tools like task managers (e.g., Todoist, Trello) and calendar apps to keep track of your tasks and deadlines. ✔️
• Declutter: Keep your workspace tidy to minimize distractions. ✔️
• Set Boundaries: Set clear boundaries for work and personal time to maintain a healthy work-life balance. ✔️

Feel free to adjust this routine to better suit your work style and responsibilities. How does this routine sound to you?

My reaction to that response was “Duh! I already do that,” and I moved on.

That night, however, I happened to be listening to an episode of Cal Newport’s podcast where he was discussing productivity rain dances, and that Copilot answer, thanks to my ever present productivity gremlin, and his podcast have stuck with me not just later that evening, but for months later…

Productivity “experts” like David Allen, Cal Newport, Oliver Burkeman, Mike Vardy, David Sparks, and Carl Pullein have been stepping away from complex productivity systems for a while now. But what if it’s not because those things are no longer important, but rather their baseline of productivity has increased to the point they no longer need to spend effort thinking about these rain dances. They’re habitual.

What if I was struggling to write about productivity, not because I stopped caring about it or wasn’t getting any better at it, but because I had actually gotten good enough at it? It never stopped mattering. My habits and routine became part of my life.

And wasn’t that the point of this whole blog? To make life less complicated?

Maybe my productivity rain dance works, and now it just rains.