It is a good idea to identify your weakness before committing to a productivity method. Most productivity method and apps promise help with one or more four basic aspects: collecting tasks and products from all your notebooks, calendars, files into an organizing system; deciding on next step and desired outcome for each item; organizing everything into categories, and making a habit of frequent checking and updating your to-dos and plans.

For example, the most popular productivity method is Mr. Allen’s Getting Things Done method. Others include the Pomodoro Technique, which trains users to focus on their tasks uninterrupted for 25 minutes; and a workload-tracking program called Rescue Time, which is my favorite. Rescue Time posts an alert on my computer screen if I spend too much time on Facebook or running blog. If I stray a second time, "Rescue Time” locks me out of non-work program and apps.