If you spend a few minutes on #ProductivityTok, you’ll find dozens of productivity hacks, some of which directly contradict each other.
One influencer might tell you to throw your phone away, and another might list off all of the productivity apps they use all day every day. A whole bunch of them are there solely to sell you things like clacky keyboards and expensive organizers.
Influencers have a lot to say about productivity, and a lot of the advice is solid. Some of the tips you’ll find there, however, may only work for some people—or simply don’t work at all.
To make things even more complicated, sometimes the good productivity advice can actually work against you if you take it too far.
Which tips can you trust? Here are a few examples of productivity hacks from TikTok that are (or aren’t) worth trying.
Prepare for your future career
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Build skills that matter: communication, leadership, time management. Your future self will thank you.
You need a solid tracking system
To maintain stamina with your productivity, you need to be able to track your tasks and your progress. If you don’t have a solid system in place, you’re liable to fall behind on deadlines and misplace information, which isn’t very good for productivity.
Beyond that, a good tracking system helps you focus on progress not perfection, which is the only way to truly be productive for long periods of time. Your tracking system will help you see how far you’ve come, and plan your next moves as you move along your life journey.
There is no shortage of influencers showing you their tracking systems, and you’ll find advocates for handwriting your lists or using apps like Notion or Trello. There are so many options, the key is finding out which ones work for you.
To help you decide, we have two articles you can bookmark for later:
Pen and paper are incredible productivity tools
Over and over again on TikTok, you’ll see influencers advocating one very simple productivity hack: writing things down.
Journaling or creating lists seems to be the most common trait among productivity influencers, and while some are using digital tools to record their thoughts and plans, most are using old-fashioned paper and pencil.
@daveothomas My daily productivity routine and how to build your own system and set up! Hope this gives you a general idea of how I actually use my journal. I’m launching ‘Stuff and Things’ tomorrow so if you’d like to buy a journal here’s your chance:) thank you for all your lovely feedback! #journalling #journal #booktok #books #journalsetup #productivity #productivitysystem #commonplacebook #selfdiscovery #learning #study #organisation #writing #foryou #fypシ゚ #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Daveo Thomas
Many people, like this influencer, like to get very involved with their journals, and use them as a central hub for all of their to-do lists, big and small. Others (like me) prefer to keep it simple—I write three pages of stream-of-consciousness thoughts every morning, and then I’m done with it.
Whatever system you use, you’ll likely find that journaling has knock-on effects that improve productivity in a few ways. You have an easier time remembering things when you write them down, and journaling (especially in the mornings and/or evenings) can clear up mental clutter so you can think more clearly when you’re trying to be productive.
Multitasking is the enemy of productivity
It’s ironic to watch productivity videos on TikTok, because TikTok and other addictive apps are one of the biggest obstacles preventing deep focus, which is where the real productivity happens.
This breakdown from Olivia Unplugged does an excellent job of showing how multitasking makes it hard for our brains to enter a flow state. Switching from task to task (for example, picking up your phone to check Instagram in the middle of writing a report) is like hitting a circuit-breaker. If you can’t focus on one task without interruption for a long time (more than 20 minutes), that means none of your tasks will be done efficiently or effectively.
@olivia.unplugged What if I told you going back to school or work doesn’t have to be the worst thing ever? Here’s how to make most of your time focusing. 😌 #90minuterule #focushack #productivity #selfimprovement ♬ original sound – Olivia Unplugged
So what can be done about it? Simple: reduce your distractions. You must remove the things that pull your attention away from the task at hand, which for most people means setting some serious boundaries around their phone.
The simplest way to reduce phone distraction that I’ve found is to simply leave my phone in another room when I’m trying to focus. I do not have a phone charger in my office or bedroom spaces, and I make ample use of app blockers and focus settings.
Try the “Treat Yourself” method
There’s a buzzword on #ProductivityTok that pops up every few videos: “dopamine.”
It’s true that dopamine, a brain chemical, plays a role in our ability to focus and our motivation. However, it’s an overused and often misunderstood term. Terminology aside, there is a good productivity hack that aligns with what many influencers talk about. I prefer to call it the “treat yourself method,” but here’s a breakdown:
@mohaewithjennypark Steal this life hack and you’ll be way more productive!! #bigsisteradvice #lifetips #dopaminemenu #howtobemoreproductive #goals #productivitytips #lifeadvice #20sontiktok #adhdinwomen #adhdtips ♬ original sound – jenny park
As this influencer explains, this productivity trick involves rewarding yourself for doing tasks that are challenging. For many people, it’s simple chores that actually get in the way of productivity: washing the dishes, paying bills, doing the laundry, or taking care of that tedious work project.
By rewarding yourself with something pleasant at the same time, you are essentially manufacturing motivation. Sure, maybe you’re actually motivated to drink that special latte vs. the chore of going to the laundromat—but if the motivation of the coffee is enough to get you to the washing machines, who cares?
Want to be productive? Make space for boredom
In today’s world, you don’t have to be bored if you don’t want to.
There is always more to scroll through, more to watch, more to read. All these viral clips and binge-worthy TV shows make it very easy to put off important tasks and veg out.
Let me pause here and say: There is nothing wrong with vegging out. In fact, giving yourself time to relax and switch off your brain after a draining day is essential if you want to avoid burnout. Engaging with media in a healthy, mindful way can reduce stress and expand creativity.
But constant stimulation is not good for productivity. The ubiquitousness and ease of these distractions means we can put off unpleasant but necessary tasks for a long time. You may say, Just a few more swipes before I start studying, but suddenly an hour has gone by, and your brain is exhausted from all the stimulation you’ve absorbed in that time.
Making space for boredom—true boredom, where you aren’t distracted by anything all—makes it much easier to be productive. It can be very uncomfortable to be left alone with your thoughts, but once you sink into boredom, your brain starts to do incredible things. It begins to think of ways to get you out of boredom. It will remove the mental block you have on a task, simply as a way to give you something to do.
This TikToker shows how it works perfectly:
@joshotusanya The Secret To Being More Productive 🤯 (Thoughts?) #tiktoktaughtme #productivity #productive #wisdom #joshosays ♬ original sound – Josh Otusanya 🇳🇬
Of course, the hard part about this productivity hack is that you have to make yourself bored. That means, once again, putting your phone out of reach and turning off your laptop and television.
This TikToker suggests staring at the ceiling while you wait for boredom to drive you in the right direction. That certainly works, but you can also try going outside for a walk—spending time in nature is proven to have positive impacts on mental health, and the fresh air can help you reset your focus.
Productivity is not a competition or a grind
When you’re watching influencers give you advice about productivity, you are going to come across certain people who make it look like a competitive sport.
These are the influencers who boast about going to the gym, cooking a healthy breakfast, doing a nine-step skincare routine, journaling for an hour, writing out a neat to-do list, walking their dog, and meditating all before 9am.
@pasha let’s agree once and for all: waking up at 5am to be productive is the same thing as going to bed at 2am, if you get the same amount of work done! unrealistic morning routine standards – bye bye! x #comedy ♬ I shower in kombucha – Pasha Grozdov
That’s not realistic—that’s just someone looking for views. Sure, there are people who have elaborate morning routines (I have one of my own). But when someone is showing all of this simply to feed their own need for attention or to make their viewers feel guilty, that’s manipulative and best ignored.
The same can be said for #Grind culture. There are people on every social media platform who want you to believe that the only way to be productive is to sleep three hours a night and work 14 hours a day, hustling so that you can buy a Ferrari and a penthouse apartment in Dubai.
The truth is, that kind of grinding only leads to burnout, which is the inverse of productivity. There’s even a term for it: toxic productivity. A much better tactic is to develop healthy productivity habits like the ones we’ve already covered in this article.
There are good productivity tips to be found on TikTok, but the best tip of all might be to log off social media and try some of these productivity hacks instead. Remove distractions, make time for rest and resetting, and give your brain some breathing room—that’s how you’ll achieve true productivity without burning out.
For more on time management and productivity, check out these articles:
