An Effective Time Management Method from a Lifehacker Reader

Recently, one of our readers shared a practical method for effective work time management in the comments section of one of our articles. We found Alex Gerashchenko's approach intriguing and decided to feature his detailed comment as a standalone post.

The following text is presented exactly as the author wrote it, preserving original spelling and punctuation.

The most reliable way to achieve your goals is to prioritize IMPORTANT tasks first (even if they can wait—actually, especially if they can wait), and then focus on urgent ones. Limit yourself to no more than 4–5 main tasks per day plus one additional task. Divide your workday into four 50-minute blocks (yes, you often work less than you think). You can choose any time frame, but during each 50-minute block, ensure no interruptions or distractions—completely disconnect from the outside world by turning off your phone and internet (unless required for the task) and concentrate fully on your goal. If you don’t finish a task within 50 minutes, stop anyway. Assign your tasks to the first three blocks, and use the fourth block to complete unfinished tasks. If all tasks are done on time, use the fourth block for the extra task. If a task takes less than 50 minutes, move immediately to the next one without breaks. Take a 10-minute break after each block. For tasks under 15 minutes, do them first and then proceed to the next. Remember, all tasks should be IMPORTANT, not just urgent.

A crucial point: the four blocks should be consecutive, and breaks must not exceed 10 minutes. During breaks, avoid activities like "having tea" or "snacking." Instead, do light stretching if your work is sedentary, listen to music, and think about something unrelated to work—family, travel, or simply daydream. Why keep breaks under 10 minutes? Because resting longer breaks your work momentum, making it nearly impossible to refocus (don’t fool yourself, this is true!), drastically reducing productivity.

Using this system, you can accomplish far more between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM than during a typical workday. Afterward, you can enjoy lunch and spend quality time with your loved ones, hit the gym, go rollerblading or cycling, visit museums, exhibitions, theaters, or dine out. Surely, this is far more effective and enjoyable than pretending to work from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, then coming home frustrated for not getting enough done, having dinner, watching TV, or browsing the internet (as if you hadn’t spent enough time online at work), and then going to bed.

From my own experience, after adopting this system about seven years ago, I managed to accomplish more than my boss—and soon after, I took his position. Wishing everyone success in achieving their goals!

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