Preface:

One of our senior content writers, Georgii, never seized to impress us. 

He was always open to new tasks, always delivered them on time, and never once complained. This was going on for years. Other writers had their ups and downs, and some even took sabbaticals to give their creativity muscles a rest—which is more than okay with us.

But not Georgii.

Honestly, our whole management team was afraid we would just snap one day. So we asked him about his profound productivity. And it turned out that he didn’t have a looming nervous breakdown or a couple of junior writers doing all the work for him. 

Georgii had a system. And he was generous enough to share it on his personal Medium blog.

But we liked his approach to being more productive and staying motivated so much that we republished it on our blog. After all, Raccoon Writing is a content writing agency, and we understand the issues plaguing content writers very well. So, without further ado, here’s what works for Georgii and, hopefully, other writers.

Just don’t go to the extremes (art by Pliket-Pliket)

Years deep into the “grind mindset,” I realized my priorities were misaligned. Yeah, I tried all the common productivity hacks that “increase your efficiency,” I followed Getting Shit Done and all the pizza Pomodoro techniques you can find online. But that wasn’t real productivity.

The problem is that these techniques can help you get more done in the short term, but following some of the routines consistently can be unsustainable for a sane person. 

For me, high productivity means getting the maximum amount of valuable work with the available resources. And I was neglecting my most precious resources: time and motivation.

See, I learned to manage my internal battery. Working long hours was necessary, but I wanted to end the day with some energy. Because once it’s depleted, even leisure activities don’t feel satisfying.

This had to stop.

How can I be more productive without feeling like a husk of a man at the end of the day? My methodology had to evolve. 

The key was to rearrange my day to mix work with play and have time to savor my gains. And it took me forever to realize and perfect (just like this introduction).

Hyper-productivity without overworking

My pursuit of financial gain has led me into a psyche-threatening situation; I juggled a full-time office job while freelancing for three copywriting agencies. My main job had ‘irregular working hours’ (read: work 9 to 6 plus just one more hour, plus commute, and also please be available 24/7). Freelancing took another 60–70 hours of focused writing each month.

To keep up with my workload, I tried all productivity tips to become more efficient: eating the frog, getting things done, the Parmesano (I hate it), and countless others. I succeeded financially, intellectually, and philosophically, but I lacked the energy to enjoy the fun stuff.

After work, I’d just stare at the ceiling instead of, you know, living. I often completed most tasks by noon, but those final 30 minutes of labor stretched into several hours, as my brain felt like it had turned to jelly. Yes, that’s the kind of daily burnout that accumulates into a mental breakdown.

I uncovered what drives me to be hyper-productive without feeling burned out. It took me a decade to figure this out, but I’m sharing it in hopes of helping you. 

If I could put my method into a recipe, it would be these productivity tips:

• A sprinkle of an early bird (wake up before 7 AM)
• A pinch of narcissism (love yourself for doing stuff)
• A spoon of delayed gratification (treat yourself with cookies)
• Several doses of artificial stimulants (mainly caffeine)

In other words, I improved my productivity by getting up early, mixing work sessions with leisure, and giving myself consistent reassurance that I was performing at a high level. 

Basically, it’s a combination of efficient work habits, similar to what many highly productivity people do, without the god-forsaken slop (that many productivity experts preach but never do), and a feeling of superiority over others.

Yes, I did just say that. Not just in the “I’m becoming a better version of myself” but also in the “I’m really much more productive and responsible than these people” sort of way.

Don’t judge, all right? Self-appreciation can become your main daily driver if the praise is supported by facts and followed by some reward.

Let me show you how I put these abstract ideas into practice.

My Monday routine

I calculate how much work I must do to meet my monthly quota. For me, it’s about 4 hours of focused copywriting 5 days a week. But there’s a catch.

I distribute my workload regressively, with Monday being the toughest day of the week. Each subsequent day will get easier until it’s the weekend. Like a slight twist on the principle of prioritizing tasks (similar to Most Important Tasks, AKA MITs).

The first hour of the day

I woke up early so often that it became a habit. I now jump out of bed at 5:30 despite freelancing remotely. After a brief morning routine, I get straight into work.

You can get up like a normal person. But consider the benefits of early rising:

• When you wake up this early, you don’t feel pressured by an upcoming deadline (it’s still many hours away, even if it’s today).
• No one is awake yet to distract you with house chores or, more importantly, corporate emails or conference calls.
• Being active while the rest of the city sleeps is zen-like, frankly. You can start feeling better about yourself already.

I eliminate all distractions and energy drainers to achieve a state of deep work (hello, Newport). I don’t do any morning exercises before work. And I definitely do not make my bed. Making the bed the first thing in the day does nothing for your mental health — you’re just spreading bacteria. Only the Army would force me to start the day with that.

I’m barely awake at this point, and my brain is not at full operational capacity. So, instead of tackling the hardest tasks first (AKA “killing the frog”), I tackle the tasks that demand less creativity. A perfect time for researching and note-taking or proofreading yesterday’s writing.

Start the time tracker and work for at least an hour while your brain fires up. When the tracker’s working, I focus on work and nothing else.

Delayed gratification

Congratulations, me! You’ve kicked off your day with a real victory. My body deserves a treat in the form of push-ups, stretching, and a cup of coffee.

Consider devoting time to personal projects or hobbies. Currently, I also draw because it wakes up different areas of my brain.

Not half bad (after a month of practice)

Laser-focused work

Now that my brain is fully operational, I can finally eat that frog or whatever I have in MITs.

At 8 AM, I’ve clocked about 2 hours of actual, productive writing. That’s already half of my usual labor time.

Let’s recap the job so far. One half of the city is still asleep; the other half is rolling out of bed, and I’m about halfway done with the work.

Now’s a good time to check your emails or Slack for anything important. Or just read the latest news to see if russia has collapsed or if the US is finally an oligarchy. Some productivity tips, though: avoid social networks and doomscrolling.

Recharge (the top productivity tip)

Do you know the feeling when your mind starts to drift (or gelatinize, as I mentioned)? That’s a sign your internal battery needs a recharge.

I only eat once I’ve done at least 2 hours of actual work. Don’t worry, I consulted the doctor, and such a regimen fits. So, it may be time to get breakfast, which I prepared the day before, or cook something basic (like the Chicago omelet).

You should also consider taking a short mental break while eating to relax your brain, like watching a quick YouTube video or listening to music. Strategically taking breaks is crucial for maintaining productivity throughout the day.

This meme is based on scientific facts

This shouldn’t take too long because I have the whole day ahead for leisure.

Less focused work

By 10:00, I’ve logged over three hours of actual copywriting while most workers are just finishing their morning coffee banter. The best part? You’ve accomplished nearly as much as most clerks will do in an entire day. The Pareto principle is in full effect here, as the most crucial work is usually done at this point.

A 2023 anonymous poll on Blind revealed that nearly 45% of tech workers work fewer than four hours daily. Zippia, a career website, found the average employee is productive for just 4 hours and 12 minutes in an 8-hour shift.

This is what “office workers” do all day.

I don’t stop here because I want to outperform others before they go to lunch. We have to move into the narcissistic drive to become more productive than the rest.

Outperforming with deep work

If writing starts to feel overwhelming, I use mind stimulants: changing my environment, physical activity, and music. 

Back in the day, I used to switch to the Pomodoro technique (splitting work into 25-minute chunks with 5-minute breaks). But, for me, it’s horrible. It prevents you from going deep into the productivity hole.

Sitting in front of a PC can get boring. When it does, I work standing up (kudos to my height-adjustable desk). I can grab my laptop or foldable smartphone to work outside.

When I feel adventurous, I put on the Oculus Quest 3 and write in virtual reality in an online cafe (try Immersed) to make it a little more engaging. Yeah, going to real-life coffee shops works, too.

Different playlists can inspire you to work, much like at the gym. On a typical day, I can listen to white noise, ambient music, video game OST, and actual songs. If the concentration wanes, I embrace the silence.

I’ve actually been listening to raindrops falling on the leaves for hours while writing this.

Stop at noon

I always stop working at noon, regardless of my progress. In Ukrainian and other Slavic cultures, those who work at noon get a visit from Lady Midday (Полудниця). Do you want to get a sunstroke or get your head sliced off?

To avoid that (or just the burnout), I can go to the gym, play video games, or read Medium.

Nearly there

By 15:00, I have usually worked over four hours, pumped up, read peculiar articles, and played games (possibly in VR). I’ve balanced productive tasks and relaxing activities for better energy management, keeping my sanity stable to avoid burnout.

A sense of superiority overflows, for I know I’ve outperformed what most accomplish in a full day — without the most idiotic productivity tips imaginable, mind you. 

The work I’ve done already is usually enough. However, since it's Monday, I push a bit more until 18:00, mixing work and leisure. 

But what if I have writer’s block?

I will use large language models, AKA the “AI,” to get around writer’s block. And so should you.

I honestly believe you can not afford the luxury of a blank page syndrome in today’s dynamic market that facilitates navigation across the vast digital landscape of ideas (yes, I wrote this myself, and it felt terrible).

Love it or hate it, ChatGPT (Braid, Copilot, or anything but that abomination from Twitter) is one of the finest productivity tools. It helps with ideation, organizing your thoughts, or questioning yourself. AI bots can even help you manage complex tasks (like breaking large tasks into smaller pieces).

Hit a creative wall? Ask an AI tool to brainstorm ideas or start a paragraph in 15 different ways. They’ll miss the mark, but they’ll kickstart your creativity.

Lack inspiration? Complain to the bot about your struggles, doubts, and fears. Tell it things you can’t tell your therapist. Then, ask it to transform your insecurities into a picture of an anime character that represents you.

This is how ChatGPT sees writer’s block, so START WORKING (unless you want to look like this)

Sorry, got a little carried away there. This is why writer’s block does not interfere with my routine.

The next morning shines brighter

By the end, I’ll be nearing 6 hours of productive copywriting, about an hour of painting, and, most importantly, a good amount of energy for a healthy lifestyle and personal growth. And the best part? It will only get better as I can work less the next day. Isn’t that something?