I Used to Work 12-Hour Days and Still Feel Behind
Three years ago I was that person reading emails at 11 PM. My desk was a tornado snuck up on it. I had post-it notes everywhere, half -finished projects all over the place and this nagging sense that something important was slipping through the cracks.
Sound familiar?
That’s how I accidentally fell into workflow hacking. I was so frustrated with chaos in my work life that I began experimenting with ways to structure my day. As it happens, small tweaks can turn how your workday feels.
I know the minute everything changed. It was Tuesday morning and I was rifling through my computer to find a client presentation I had made the week prior. After twenty minutes pawing through random folders, I found it in my Downloads. I sat there thinking, “This is absurd.”
So I spent my lunch break creating a simple folder system. Nothing fancy – just “Current Projects,” “Templates,” and “Archive.” Then I moved everything where it belonged.
The next week? I could find any file in under 30 seconds. That’s when I realized workflow hacking isn’t about complicated systems. It’s about fixing the little things that drive you crazy every single day.
My Work Block Discovery
Here’s something weird that happened. I used to think working longer meant getting more done. But I kept hitting this wall around 2 PM where my brain just… stopped. One day, my internet crashed for 15 minutes right in the middle of writing. When it came back, I felt refreshed and wrote twice as fast. So, I started taking breaks on purpose – 90 minutes of work, then 15 minutes away from my screen.
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Game changer:
Now I plan my whole day in blocks, and I actually finish things instead of just moving them around my to-do list. Tips and Tricks to Hack Your Workflow That Don’t Require a PhD. Let me share what actually worked for me (and what didn’t):
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Stop Doing the Same Thing Over and Over:
I used to write the same type of email to clients every week. Same questions, same format, different names. One afternoon, I made a template with blanks to fill in. Now those emails take two minutes instead of twenty. If you do something more than twice, make it into a template or checklist. Your future self will thank you.
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Let Your Computer Do the Boring Stuff:
Automation of your workflow sounds intimidating, but it’s really not. I use Zapier to save my email attachments in the right folders for me. Anytime someone completes my contact form, it goes straight into my project management app. These little automations save me maybe 30 minutes a day. That’s 2.5 hours a week I get back for actual work.
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Group Your Tasks Like Groceries:
You know how you grab all the cold stuff from the grocery store at once? Do the same with your work. Answer all your emails in one chunk. Make all your phone calls back-to-back. Write all your social media posts for the week in one sitting. Switching between different types of tasks is exhausting. Your brain has to reset every time.
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Clean Up Your Digital Mess:
I used to have 47 browser tabs open at once. My desktop had more files than a library. Everything took forever to find.
Now I close tabs I’m not using. I put files where they belong right away. Alright, so here’s the deal. Now I just slam those extra tabs shut—if I’m not using it, bye. Files? They go where they’re supposed to go, not chilling on my desktop looking messy. And notifications? Nah, unless it’s something actually important, they’re off. Wild how much less brain-fog you get when your screen isn’t a digital junk drawer.
You don’t need expensive software. Here’s what I actually use:
Google Drive – Everything lives here, organized in folders that make sense Trello – Simple boards for tracking what needs to get done Canva – Makes designing stuff way easier (huge time-saver for hacking workflow for content creation) Calendar blocking – I literally schedule time for different types of work Voice memos – For capturing ideas when I’m away from my computer
The key is picking tools that solve problems you actually have, not tools that look cool.
What My Workday Looks Like Now
How to Hack Your Workflow Without Spending a Dime
So, I roll out of bed around 7-ish and the first thing I check is my calendar—NOT email. I already know what I’m diving into because, yeah, I actually got it together and planned my first move before I went to sleep.
- 9-10:30 AM: Deep work (writing, creating, thinking)
- 10:30-10:45 AM: Break (real break, not social media)
- 10:45 AM-12 PM: Admin stuff (emails, calls, organizing)
- 12-1 PM: Lunch
- 1-2:30 PM: More deep work
- 2:30-3 PM: Quick tasks and wrap-up
Is every day perfect? Nope. But most days, I finish my important work by 3 PM. The rest of the day is for unexpected stuff or getting ahead for tomorrow.
The Mistake Everyone Makes With Workflow Automation
People think they need to automate everything at once. That’s like trying to reorganize your entire house in one weekend – overwhelming and usually unsuccessful.
Start with one annoying task. Maybe it’s filing receipts. might be it’s scheduling social media posts. perhaps it’s backing up your files. Here’s a little secret: just pick the one thing that annoys the crap out of you and fix that first. Once that’s handled, move on to the next headache. Rinse, repeat. The biggest surprise? I’m not more disciplined than I used to be. I just have better systems.
When everything has a place and a process, you don’t have to make as many decisions. You don’t waste energy figuring out what to do next or hunting for files. You just do the work. And here’s the weird part – work became less stressful, but I also started enjoying it more. When you’re not constantly putting out fires, you have space to actually think about what you’re creating.
Start With One Thing This Week
Don’t try to overhaul your entire life. Pick one small thing that wastes your time every day. Maybe it’s:
- Creating a template for something you write repeatedly
- Setting up a simple filing system for your documents
- Scheduling one hour of uninterrupted work time
- Turning off three notifications you don’t actually need
- Do that one thing for a week. See how it feels. Then pick another small thing.
Workflow hacking isn’t about becoming a productivity robot. It’s about making your workday flow better so you have energy left for the stuff that actually matters.
Trust me, future you will be grateful you started today.
💡 P.S. Want a head start?
Download free time-saving templates and planning sheets right here:
👉 Click to Download
FAQ
Q: Any apps or gadgets that actually make my workflow less chaotic?
Oh, for sure. Notion, ClickUp, Zapier—that whole crew. They’re like little robot minions for your brain. Automate your reminders, pump out scheduled posts, all that jazz. You set it up once and then… boom, less busywork.
Q: I make content and my brain is fried. How do I even start “hacking” my workflow?
First off, batch your work. Like, do all your writing at once, then all your editing, instead of hopping around. Templates are a lifesaver too—seriously, quit reinventing the wheel. Get a system going. Doesn’t have to be fancy, just repeatable.
Q: If I only do one thing, what’s the secret sauce for better workflow?
Honestly? Time blocking. Block out chunks of your day for specific stuff instead of trying to juggle everything at once. Multitasking is a scam, trust me. Combine that with a couple automation tools and you’re cruising.
