How I Boosted My Productivity by More Than 50% with 2 Small Changes
How to incorporate these habits into your daily routine
Companies want IT experts and data scientists to get things done quickly, whether they’re putting in place a machine learning model, fixing a major bug, or creating scalable data pipelines. And now with GenAI? Forget it: the bar’s risen even higher.
But here’s the thing. The average office person only truly works for less than 4 hours a day. Yes, you read that right. We’re at our desks for eight or more hours, but a lot of that time is spent on things that aren’t related to work, like scrolling through social media and talking with coworkers. Even when we try to focus, it’s not always easy with all the constant distractions we are exposed to.
You might be able to relate. You’ve aligned your passion with your skills. Though it improved your productivity, it didn’t solve everything. Then you explored every technique — from the Pomodoro approach to napping. Despite your best efforts, you still find yourself procrastinating or not satisfied with your level of productivity
I found myself in a similar situation. I was constantly annoyed that it was so hard for me to concentrate for a long time. Then, I adopted two simple habits that increased my productivity by more than 50%. Not only are these habits easy to implement, but they work perfectly for data scientists or anyone who spends long hours in front of a computer.
Find activities to unplug and recharge
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
— Friedrich Nietzsche
Albert Einstein is recognized as one of the most famous scientists ever. In 1905, at age 26, he had his annus mirabilis (miraculous year). In one year only, he published four groundbreaking papers that had a substantial impact on modern physics. In his fourth paper, he introduced the idea of mass-energy equivalence, commonly known as E = mc².
He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his important contributions to theoretical physics, especially for discovering the law of the photoelectric effect. His work changed the way scientists think and made significant technological progress possible in the 20th century and beyond.
Not everything was about work for Einstein. During an interview with The Saturday Evening Post in 1929, he famously said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” He believed in intuition and inspiration. In other words, he encouraged people to look beyond the current frontiers of what we know and be open to the unknown.
He would take breaks from intellectual work so that his mind could wander and nourish his imagination. He enjoyed long walks, sailing, and playing the violin. These activities gave him a chance to relax and free his mind. It was often during these moments that he found his best ideas and inspirations.
He came up with some of his best ideas, like special relativity, while he imagined himself chasing after a beam of light. He later recalled, in his Autobiographical Notes, that the thought experiment had played an important role in his development of special relativity.
The list goes on.
Charles Darwin had a daily ritual where he would walk along a gravel path he called his “thinking path” at Down House. His daily walk, along with his hobbies of collecting insects, gardening, and observing nature, was fundamental to his development of the theory of evolution by natural selection.
From art to playing the lyre, Leonardo da Vinci had multiple hobbies and interests. They allowed him to solve problems from different perspectives. His fascination with birds and their ability to fly led him to study the mechanics of flight in great detail, resulting in his sketches of ornithopters, a flying device.
I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t have time for hobbies. I’m overwhelmed with fine-tuning my latest model and project deadlines!” Trust me, I felt the same way. I used to believe that the more I worked, the more I would accomplish. Like Einstein, da Vinci and Darwin, data scientists engage in intense intellectual work. And just like Einstein playing his violin or Darwin walking his “thinking path," we all need those moments to unplug.
After engaging in activities we enjoy, we are more relaxed and feel recharged. We are more efficient in what we do. We bring new perspectives to our work that we wouldn’t have if we just kept working long hours.
You don’t need to start a 2-hour-a-day hobby right away. Even if it’s only 30, 20, or even 10 minutes, it’s a good start. For me, spending at least 30 minutes a day on something that disconnects me from work is ideal. What’s important is that you start somewhere.
The work of a data scientist is challenging. Analyzing large datasets and building complex models requires long and focused hours in front of the computer. For that reason, ideally you want something that gets you away from the computer screen.
Engage in an activity that makes you completely disconnected, where you don’t think about anything else. Think about an activity that makes you feel completely recharged after doing it (or almost), even if it doesn’t fully disconnect you in the moment.
The activities that make me disconnect the most are rock climbing and outdoor activities. I can’t think about anything else while I’m climbing; otherwise, I might fall. I feel recharged after a rock climbing session, even if it’s a small one or I’m in a rush.
Additionally, being strict about my hobbies is essential. It’s non-negotiable. It’s part of my weekly routine. I climb between three to four times a week after work and during the weekend. Even my trips are organized around outdoor activities.
It’s not just a hobby; it’s a necessity. I’m at my best when I prioritize this activity, and it allows me to recharge effectively.
Cultivate mental strength
“Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
— Lao Tzu
Jensen Huang co-founded NVIDIA in 1993 with the vision of creating groundbreaking technology in graphics processing. NVIDIA made a bold bet on deep learning under his guidance at a time when the future and potential of artificial intelligence were uncertain.
This bet was successful. From training AI models to powering autonomous vehicles and cloud-based AI services, NVIDIA’s GPUs have become the industry standard. These decisions have propelled NVIDIA to become one of the largest companies in the world by market capitalization.
At the 2024 SIEPR Economic Summit, Huang was asked, “What advice would you give to Stanford students to improve their chances of success?” Instead of the usual “follow your dreams” answer, he emphasized the importance of resilience. Greatness comes from facing challenges. He even humorously wished the students “ample doses” of pain and suffering to shape their character.
Huang’s main point? Success is not just about being smart. It’s also the ability to recover from setbacks that truly makes a difference. This emphasis on resilience highlights the importance of mental strength in achieving success.
In the fast-paced tech industry, being smart and having the right skills are important, but they’re not enough. You might be on the right track, doing what you should be doing, but to truly excel, you need to develop mental strength.
This also aligns with recent psychological research that identifies psychological flexibility as the single most important skill for mental health and emotional well-being. Psychological flexibility involves the ability to stay present, open up to difficult experiences, and do what matters in alignment with one’s values—all crucial components of mental strength.
I’m doing what I love, the thing that I must do. I’m passionate about my work, but am I tired sometimes or less motivated? Yes. Do I truly enjoy rock climbing in my free time? Do I know it’s the right sport for me? Yes. But am I sometimes less motivated even though I’m generally disciplined? Yes. Does it prevent me from taking action? No, because I know it’s what I have to do.
Sometimes, when I’m reviewing code or building models, I’m less productive. It’s okay. Mental strength is like a muscle you develop, and it makes you more productive in the long term.
Are you doing what you like? Are you where you’re supposed to be? Do you sometimes feel tired or not as focused? It’s okay. Just keep doing what you’re doing. The key is to persevere through these moments, knowing that they’re temporary and part of the process.
By pushing through less productive periods and maintaining discipline, you’re building mental strength that will serve you well in the long run. Remember, it’s not about being perfect all the time, but about consistency and perseverance.
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How I Boosted My Productivity by More Than 50% with 2 Small Changes was originally published in Towards Data Science on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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