My productivity has shot up for the first month of 2023, and it is down to two separate things. I apologise for being so cryptic, but I couldn’t come up with a better headline. This is why I usually work with an editor.
I should add that this all works in conjunction with other productivity methods. Things like sticking to a routine, using the Pomodoro technique, time tracking, time-blocking, and so on. There are lots of things you can do, and you have to just experiment and see what works best.
Both of these work really well together. Although they will cost you money, they are totally worth it if you want to ramp up productivity.
Brain.fm
(Click on one of the links and use promo code: JasonWardWriter to get 20% off.)
I’d heard about Brain.fm and when I went to give them a go, it turns out I already had a login. I then remembered I had tried it out along with a load of other music and background sound options many moons ago. I hadn’t really given it a try, and instead got into game soundtracks.
What triggered this new interest in Brain.fm was an increasing amount of articles saying how great it had gotten. I gave it a proper chance and founds the words I was writing positively gushed onto the page. If you know anything about ‘flow state’ – this put me almost straight into it, it’s awesome.
What Brain.fm does, or at least claims it does, is use science to help with productivity, creativity, focus, meditation, and a whole lot more. There are lots of options, but I have mostly been using focus for deep work.
And it has worked a charm. I am very easily distracted and tend to procrastinate at any given opportunity. But when I start a pomodoro then hit play on a ‘30 min deep work’ Brain.fm session, I write solidly and prolifically for whole period. I prefer ‘cinematic’ background sounds myself, but they all seem good.
I opted for the $49.99 annual option – and I’m tight with money. That is how well it has been working for me. There is something about the sounds and tunes you get that just seems to work better than anything else I have tried. And I’ve tried quite a few.
The above has affiliate links. If you like the sound of Brain.fm you can also get a discount by using PROMO CODE: JasonWardWriter and get 20% off!
For Brain.fm to work well, you need headphones. For some reason, over-ear headphones give me a headache. I was using some Sony headphones until recently, but they died. Happily a new pair of noise-cancelling headphones had just come out, and as it was near Christmas, I treated myself to them.
AirPods Pro 2
These were my first Apple headphones and just- wow. Previously, I had been using the superb Sony WH-1000 series of headphones, both the over-ear (despite mild headaches) and in-ear options and they were great. But they started to cut out occasionally and the battery started to die. I had read incredibly glowing reviews of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) and thought I would switch.
I should add that when I initially went down the Sony route, it was because it worked well with my Microsoft Surface and Samsung Phone. I have since switched to an Apple MacBook Air and an iPhone. So being drawn further into the Apple ecosystem just made sense.
The headphones are sensational and don’t just help with productivity, they are great at playing music. I primarily listen to rock and indie when walking around and they sound superb. In addition, the noise cancelling is the best for an ear bud I have ever tried.
Combining the two has made me a productivity powerhouse
The AirPods Pro 2 with Brain.fm playing has worked brilliantly for me. So much so, that I joined the latter’s affiliate program. (Don’t forget promo code: JasonWardWriter to get 20% off.) Whether the combo works for you is impossible to predict, but both came highly recommended individually.
Give them a go!
