Let’s be honest—most “productivity hacks” sound like they were invented by a robot who’s never missed a deadline or spiraled into a three-hour scroll session. But 10 Simple Tricks to Boost Productivity Instantly isn’t that kind of list. This one’s different. Why? Because it’s built for real people who get distracted, lose momentum, and need simple fixes that actually work.
These tips aren’t about overhauling your life—they’re about tiny, clever changes you can make today. Whether it’s singing in the shower or finally using that “Do Not Disturb” mode, every trick here is designed to give you quick wins without burning you out. Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
1. Daily Innovation
Hey, how often do you let your mind wander? What’s that? Oh, yeah—maybe you doodle, daydream, or just get distracted by some random question. On the surface, it seems unproductive, right? Because you’re not accomplishing anything important. But is this mental deviation really a waste of time? No, not by a long shot.
When you let your mind wander, you open the door for innovation. You give yourself the unique opportunity to stray from your normal habits and routines.
When your mind is preoccupied with dreams and miscellaneous questions, you take a more creative and spontaneous approach to life. You play with fresh ideas, travel new paths, and can even discover hidden potential.
But your ultimate goal here probably isn’t to reinvent the wheel—you want to boost your productivity. Well, the good news is daily innovation does exactly that. Just start by simply blocking out some time to innovate.
You might set aside an hour each day to let your brain play with original concepts. You can think about your job, your goals, or just some crazy idea you’ve been fooling around with. It doesn’t really matter what you’re mulling over because this time is supposed to be experimental and unstructured.
Daily innovation should feel like a break from work. You can and should use it to rejuvenate your mind when you’re feeling lazy. Unlike watching TV or checking social media, innovation doesn’t slow you down—it gives your brain an outlet for all that pent-up creative energy without hurting your momentum.
That’s exactly why Google encourages its employees to use a whopping 20% of their day for innovation. It turns out their employees were more productive when they had space to explore their own ideas—not to mention the dozens of revolutionary inventions that came directly from these blocks of creativity.
So, find some time during your workday to let your mind wander. Be original, dare to experiment, and most of all—hey, try to have fun.
2. Power Naps
If you treasure every second asleep, then this productivity hack is gonna be music to your ears. Taking a nap can actually accelerate performance—as long as you don’t sleep too much or too little.
Researchers have broken down how much sleep you need to get the most out of your midday slumber:
- 10–25 minutes: To feel more alert, go for a shorter nap. When you sleep for such a brief period, your body can’t enter deep sleep, which is why you feel energetic right after waking up.
- 30 minutes: Grogginess starts here. You’ve entered deep sleep but can’t finish a REM cycle, so you feel worse than before.
- 90 minutes: This lets you complete one full REM cycle, rejuvenating your brain while also amplifying creativity and procedural memory.
By paying attention to how you sleep, napping can be one of the most productive ways to spend your time.
3. Phone-Free Mornings
What’s the first thing you do after you wake up? Most of us instinctively reach for our phones—responding to messages, checking email, and taking a quick peek at social media. It usually doesn’t take more than 20 minutes, but those 20 minutes change how the rest of your day plays out.
To be more productive, keep your phone out of your morning routine—especially right after waking up. Those first few minutes when you’re just opening your eyes and climbing out of bed are much more important than you realize.
You need that time to focus on your ultimate goals for the day, whether it’s a work project or a personal dream. Make that the very first thing on your mind—not random messages or emails from the night before.
This trick is especially helpful if you already wake up early. If you get up at 5:00 or 6:00 AM, you probably won’t receive many calls anyway, making it easier to ignore your phone and use that time to boost productivity.
4. Creating Templates
Are you tired of doing the same busy work over and over again? This repetitive grind can feel like a nightmare—it doesn’t leave you motivated or fulfilled. You spend the whole day wishing you were doing anything else.
So, how do you stop wasting so much time and effort on these boring responsibilities? What shortcuts can you use to work smart, not hard? Templates are a fantastic place to start. If you find yourself doing the same tasks every single day, one template can easily shave off hours of grueling work.
Yes, it takes extra time to set up, but that’s a small price to pay. Remember, you aren’t just doing this to save time—it’s about improving your mindset. Think about how motivating it is to skip your least favourite part of a project.
You’ll wield a more positive attitude, making you more enthusiastic about your work. And the more enthusiastic you are, the more productive you’ll be.
By using simple shortcuts, you can save yourself from days of frustration and fatigue. The best part? You can use this trick all the time, no matter what you’re doing. If you notice patterns in your work, find creative ways to minimize repetition and eliminate boredom.
5. Sing in the Shower
Singing in the shower makes you a more productive person. Oh yeah—in 2004, researchers looked into the mental and physical effects of singing. They found that it significantly elevates your mood while also improving your body’s functionality. Your immune system, for example, works more efficiently after belting out your favourite song.
When you feel better, your performance automatically goes up. The physical and emotional boost from singing will carry you into a more productive day. So, if you like to take long showers in the morning and crank up the music—you’ll be doing your work ethic a huge favour.
6. Premade Lists
Do you have trouble keeping an organized to-do list? Does it always turn into a jumbled mess of outdated responsibilities and unfulfilled goals? Luckily, there’s an easier way. Instead of creating your own list, take advantage of pre-made layouts at your disposal.
There are dozens of note-taking applications that offer fluid and functional to-do lists. You can check off boxes or divide goals into categories, creating the perfect list for your unique lifestyle and career. Then, all you have to do is fill in the blanks.
Yes, it may take time to get used to, but you’ll be surprised at how huge of a difference these applications can make.
7. Tiny Crises
What do you do when your motivation is nowhere to be found? Nine times out of ten, you can rely on raw self-discipline to get you going. But every once in a while, you might need a little push.
To force yourself to be more productive, create an emergency. Many lazy people struggle most when there are no rules to keep them in line. If you have too much freedom, you slack off—you procrastinate. By creating a crisis, you’re supplying two powerful motivators: time and pressure.
Many of us naturally work harder and faster to finish on time. You’re probably at your most productive when there’s only five minutes before the deadline—because you can’t stall any longer. That’s the beauty of a work-related crisis: there’s zero wiggle room. It’s now or never.
Just like time, adding pressure has a positive effect on productivity. The idea of failing or letting someone down will always outweigh the couple of hours you’ll spend working. So whenever you’re feeling lazy, use these powerful motivators to increase productivity. When deadlines draw closer and pressure builds, you’ll find yourself at the top of your game.
8. Do Not Disturb
These days, most smartphones come with a “Do Not Disturb” function. All it does is prevent you from receiving calls or messages. Yeah, I know—it doesn’t sound like much. But think about how often a random text ruins your workflow or how often a phone call makes you forget your train of thought.
Flow is incredibly important throughout the day—just like momentum helps you build motivation. So don’t let a pointless message stop you in your tracks.
But what if you’re waiting on a call from your boss or a message from a client? Thankfully, you can choose whose calls to ignore and whose to let through. This lets you minimize distractions while ensuring you never miss anything important.
9. Ergonomic Flexibility
Around 70% of Americans spend the entire workday sitting in one place. You’ve probably heard how bad prolonged sitting is for your health—it’s linked to obesity and heart disease, and it’s just as bad for your brain. Prolonged sitting makes you lazy and tired, clouding your mind and making it harder to focus.
Instead of sitting all day, regularly change your body position. You might sit for an hour, stand for the next, and then lie down for a third. The key is to relieve mental and physical fatigue by diversifying your posture. It’s a small adjustment, but that’s all you need for a fresh burst of energy.
10. Individualize Your Lifestyle
Of all the productivity hacks on this list, this last one is the most important. You can use every single one of these tricks and still feel just as lazy. Why? Because productivity ultimately comes down to personal preference.
You need to find the right combination of tricks for your lifestyle. For example, you might think napping in the afternoon will increase productivity—but if you go to bed early, a nap won’t make you more efficient. It’ll just ruin your normal sleep cycle.
Before putting these life hacks into practice, consider what kind of person you really are:
- When do you perform at your best?
- What time of day are you most productive?
- What kind of environment do you work best in?
These questions not only help prevent laziness but also dramatically improve your work ethic.
Conclusion:
At the end of the day, boosting productivity doesn’t have to mean working harder—it’s about working smarter your way. From power naps to tiny fake crises, these tricks are just tools. The real magic happens when you experiment, explore, and customize your routine to fit who you are. Try one. Try them all. Then tweak, ditch, and repeat until you’ve built a rhythm that fuels your goals and your peace of mind.
Sources:
https://www.businessinsider.com/google-20-percent-time-policy-2015-4?r=US&IR=T
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15669447
https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/11-best-productivity-hacks-for-2016.html
https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/these-24-productivity-tips-will-help-you-start-off-2018-right.html
https://time.com/5613814/sitting-at-work-study
Founder and CEO of Lifestyleflux.com, I bring years of expertise in self-improvement, wellness, and personal development to help you lead a happier, more balanced life. Through practical insights, eBooks, and consultations, I share actionable strategies rooted in experience and a passion for empowering others to unlock their full potential.