- Do less.
- Get good: I spent over a decade getting good at computer programming and technical writing. Creative innovation comes from rapidly iterating on many half-baked ideas. The better you are at your craft, the more times you can iterate per day, and the higher chance you will have of discovering something great.
- Like your work. Not love, since you can't be in love with your work all the time.
- Do useful work.
- One to-do list.
- Intensely single task. Don't context switch when changing modes, context-switching and multitasking ruins productivity.
- Ask for help.
- If you can't solve a problem after a few hours, step away. Let your brain unconsciously work on the problem as you rest.
- Productive rage: you can knock your mind off its comfortable pedestal and it forces you to devise alternative strategies or to seek assistance.
- Less input, more output.
- Always march forward. Even if tiny increments, even if you're not feeling it.
- Get organized first: you want to reduce the transaction cost of productive work.
- Prime the pump: at the end of each work day, prepare the first task you're planning to work on the next day.
- Burst then nurse. Burst of inspiration then nurse your creations to adulthood if you want them to succeed.
- Keep them separated (work and home).
- Don't procrastinate: procrastination is often a symptom of suboptimal work habits.
- Be healthy, have fun.