In 2017 we shared four ways to win back an hour a day; the habits still hold up, but one tool and two of our role models did not.
Back in August 2017 we ran four productivity tips for freelancers, written by Joseph Shiovitz and lightly edited by our team. The promise was simple: you don't need more working hours, you need to use the ones you have better.
We reread it in 2026. Most of the advice still works. But one of the tools we recommended no longer exists, and two of the "top performers" we held up as examples were in the news for very different reasons within a few months. So here is the same post, cleaned up, with an honest note on what changed.
1. Record your progress
What we said: pick something that takes years to master, like a language, an instrument or coding. Commit to a small daily dose, say 30 minutes, and mark off every day you do it. Then chase records: 5 days in a row, then 30, then six months.
What still holds: all of it. Long projects give you very little reward in the short term, and a visible streak is a reward you can see today. Skipping a day feels like breaking something, and that small guilt keeps you going.
If anything, the idea caught on. Streak tracking is now a familiar app mechanic, Duolingo's streaks being one example. You no longer have to invent the system yourself.
What changed: we suggested tracking in Excel, Google Sheets, or "Google Calendar's neat Goals feature". Google removed Goals from Calendar in November 2022 and told people to use recurring events instead (9to5Google, Android Police).
How to do it now:
- A spreadsheet with one row per day and a tick column is still enough.
- A recurring calendar event, the fix Google itself pointed to, gives the habit a fixed slot in your week.
- Or use any habit app that shows a streak. The tool matters much less than looking at the streak every day.
2. Change your Facebook to a foreign language
What we said: when you open Facebook on autopilot, a feed in another language acts like a splash of water to the face. You notice what you're doing, and you browse less. Bonus points for the language of the country you're in.
What still holds: the trick still works. Facebook still lets you switch the interface language, and the jolt of an unfamiliar screen is still there.
What we'd say differently: the original added that "numerous studies" show learning languages increases your brainpower. We didn't cite any then, and we haven't checked any now, so we're dropping that line. We also don't know of a study that measures this particular hack. Treat it as a small experiment: try it for two weeks and see whether you scroll less.
The same idea works on any app that eats your time. Anything that adds friction between the urge and the feed helps.
3. Adjust your morning routine
The original tip came in three parts. Here is how each one has aged.
Breathing
We told you to sit up in bed and take a series of deep breaths, and we leaned on a Brad Pitt speech from Fight Club to explain why. Even then we admitted the film's version was "not entirely true". Let's be plain about it: we can't point to good evidence for the specific claim, so we're leaving the movie out. If a few slow breaths help you start the day calmly, keep them. Just don't expect science to back the oxygen-high story.
Water before coffee
We said that your 4pm slump is often thirst, not a need for more caffeine. It's a harmless habit and an easy one to try: a glass of water first, coffee second. We can't give you a study for the "tired most likely because you are dehydrated" part, so take it as a habit to test on yourself, not a medical fact.
Wear a uniform
What we said: simplify the small decisions so your brainpower goes to the work. We named three "top performers" who dressed the same every day: Steve Jobs, Mario Batali and Louis CK.
What happened: within four months of our post, two of those three were caught up in #MeToo scandals. Louis C.K. admitted to sexual misconduct in November 2017 (NPR), and Mario Batali stepped away from his businesses in December 2017 after misconduct allegations (Fox Business). We wouldn't hold them up as role models today.
The lesson for us as writers is a small one: the tip never needed celebrities. It stands on its own.
The tip itself, without the names: pick a few clothes you like that go together, and stop deciding every morning. It works especially well when you travel. You pack lighter, and since you're not seeing the same people every day, nobody notices the repeats.
4. Stop being a perfectionist
This one hasn't aged a day. We procrastinate because the task feels too big, or because we haven't found "the best way" yet. What's the perfect opening line? Which banner looks best? We set the bar so high that we become afraid of missing it.
Just start. Write the rough version, make the ugly first draft, and remember that you can always revise. A finished draft beats a perfect plan that never leaves your head.
One more thing we got right
The original ended with a reminder we'd keep word for word if we could: productivity is not the goal. Remind yourself what success looks like to you, and don't fall into the trap of getting more and more done without ever enjoying the results.
That was true in 2017, and it's still the best tip in the post.
Written 3 November 2026 from the research behind the archive's 2026 updates (checked 30 September, re-verified 3 November 2026). Sources are linked in the text.