All this talk about productivity ... some of it may be right

There's loads of stuff people say, write, link and tweet and blog about productivity.
I've come to realise most of them don't mean sh***. It's a statistical rule, don't look at me.

However, every now and then, something passes your sight, as mine did just now (while not being productive), something worth sharing. Either that or it's just a statistical error, if you catch my drift.

8 Things Productive People Do During the Workday <link here>

Highlights for me are numbers 4 and 7:

1. Create a smaller to-do list.
2. Take breaks. You know that ache that fills your brain when you’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to your brain using up glucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather than a signal to take a break. Go take a walk, grab something to eat, workout, or meditate – give your brain some resting time. Achieve more productivity during your workday by making a point to regularly clear your head. You’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.

This, I find particularly useful. Though I fail to see how watching/reading news is just another form of other contents giving you direction instead of your own self. So scratch that one out.

4. Start your day by focusing on yourself.
If you begin your morning by checking your email, it allows others to dictate what you accomplish. Set yourself in the right direction by ignoring your emails and taking the morning to focus on yourself, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or read the news.

5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out your most challenging work when your brain is most fresh. Save your busy work – if you have any – for when your afternoon slump rolls in.

6. Pick up the phone. (And call people instead of mailing them, if possible.)
If you receive an email where many people are CC'd, do everyone a favor by BCCing them on your reply. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase your productivity by scheduling a call.

7. Create a system. If you know certain things are ruining your daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do you check your emails throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for managing your email. Otherwise, you’ll get distracted from accomplishing more important goals throughout the day.

8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness.