Productivity Archives - Roger Hyttinen Author

The Cult of Overachieving Productivity Gurus

By Roger Hyttinen / October 24, 2025

I don’t usually wade into the swamp of “productivity culture” here, but lately it’s been impossible to avoid. Open YouTube, TikTok, Instagram—boom, there they are: productivity gurus telling you that if you just wake up at 4:30 a.m., down a shot of wheatgrass, meditate for 47 minutes, write your goals in blood (okay, fine—fancy fountain pen ink), then plunge into an ice bath, you too can become an unstoppable powerhouse.

Meanwhile, I’m just over here celebrating that I got my laundry folded before midnight.

The Problem With Idolizing “Perfect Humans”

People idolize these gurus like they’ve cracked the cheat code for life. And I get it—who doesn’t want to feel like they’ve got everything under control? But trying to copy their lives is like trying to live inside an Apple commercial: sleek, sterile, and completely detached from reality.

The harm is this—ordinary folks start feeling inadequate because they don’t have the time, money, or energy to maintain a 27-step morning routine. You finally get up on time, drink your coffee, and make it through the day without screaming into a pillow, and suddenly it doesn’t feel like enough. All because some guy on Instagram claims he writes a novel, runs a marathon, and scales Everest before brunch.

Spoiler: he doesn’t.

The Productivity Gimmick Carousel

Then there’s the constant gimmick-chasing. One week it’s bullet journals, the next week it’s Notion dashboards so complicated they look like NASA flight software. Don’t forget Pomodoro timers, habit-stacking, AI assistants, and color-coded calendars that resemble abstract art.

I’ve wasted whole afternoons tinkering with these things. Once, I built a writing schedule in Notion so elaborate it had more layers than an onion. Guess how much writing I got done? Exactly zero words. But boy, that dashboard was ready for liftoff.

That’s the con productivity gurus never mention—half the time you’re “working on your system,” you’re actually procrastinating. Fancy procrastination, sure, but still procrastination.

Work Gets Done When You… Work

The unsexy truth? Productivity boils down to actually doing the thing. That’s it. No life coach, no cold plunge, no $120 planner will magically make the work appear.

Some of the most productive people I know don’t even bother with apps—they use sticky notes, legal pads, and plain old Google Calendar. And they get more done than the guy on YouTube who spends two hours filming his morning ritual with soft lighting and acoustic guitar in the background.

So, yeah…

I’m not saying you should ignore every productivity hack—sometimes you do stumble on a trick that makes life smoother. But worshiping these gurus as if they’ve unlocked the holy grail of efficiency? That’s where it gets dangerous. They don’t have it all figured out. They just package their quirks into content and make you believe you need to copy them to succeed.

If you find yourself watching “10 habits that will change your life” videos at 1 a.m., maybe pause and ask: am I actually learning something, or am I just being entertained by someone else’s to-do list?

My Motto

My new motto is simple: use what works, ditch the rest, and for the love of all that’s good—stop chasing the next gimmick. I’ve got my paper planner, my reminders app, and the stubborn willpower to sit down and do the work. It’s not Instagrammable, but it gets the job done.

And no, I’m not about to film myself writing this blog post at dawn in a Himalayan salt cave. Sorry gurus.

Brooklyn should feel like home. But when people begin vanishing and shadows take on human form, David realizes his city is under siege. The golem he accidentally awakened is more than a legend—it’s his last defense. Together with his sister, he must unravel the truth behind his family’s mystical legacy. But the deeper they dig, the more they uncover a terrifying prophecy: one that promises destruction if David fails to master his guardian in time. The Golem’s Guardian – get your copy HERE.

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Dreams Don’t Happen in Draft Mode

By Roger Hyttinen / October 20, 2025

There’s this quote by David J. Schwartz that’s been rattling around in my brain lately:

“Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action.”

Now, I love a good plan. I have journals full of them—half-sketched outlines, lists of goals, detailed project trackers with color-coding that would make a teacher weep with pride. But you know what? Planning is sneaky. It feels like progress, but it can also be procrastination in disguise.

I think Schwartz was basically wagging his finger at all of us list-makers, telling us to close the notebook and just do the thing already.

The Seduction of the Plan

There’s something delicious about planning. You get that rush of imagining how it’s all going to turn out. You’ve got your timeline mapped, your action steps all lined up, and it feels like you’ve already taken a step forward. Except… you haven’t.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve planned to start a novel. I had the perfect character sheets, a Pinterest board of aesthetic inspo, and even a playlist. But the first chapter? Still sitting in my head, waiting to be written. The plan became my security blanket.

And honestly, it’s a comfortable trap. You don’t risk failure while you’re planning. You don’t risk embarrassment or rejection. You can just sit there sipping coffee, telling yourself, “Look at me, I’m preparing.”

But dreams don’t grow in the land of preparation. They grow in the messy, sometimes awkward territory of action.

The Action Gap

The gap between “I’ll do this someday” and “I’m doing it right now” is where most dreams go to die. That sounds dramatic, but you know it’s true.

Take, for example, that friend who always talks about writing a screenplay. Every time you see them, it’s: “I’ve got this amazing idea, I just need to polish my outline.” Years go by. Still no script. Meanwhile, someone else with half the talent but twice the gumption already has a short film on YouTube and a festival submission under their belt.

Action beats perfection every single time.

Life Really Is Too Short

Here’s the part of the quote that hits me hardest: “Life is too short to waste.”

When you’re younger, it feels like you have all the time in the world to get around to things. But the older I get, the more I realize that time is the one resource I can’t refill. I can’t go back and rewrite my twenties or redo my thirties.

So why am I wasting precious hours color-coding my planner instead of taking one messy step forward on my goals?

It’s like standing on the diving board all day, psyching yourself up, adjusting your goggles, making sure the water temperature is just right. Meanwhile, the pool is sitting there waiting. Jump in. The water’s not going to get any warmer.

A Personal Confession

I used to say I wanted to learn Spanish fluently. I downloaded apps, bought books, made vocabulary flashcards. For years, I “prepared” to get serious about it. But I never actually practiced speaking with real humans, which—spoiler alert—is the whole point of learning a language.

Then one day I just signed up for conversation lessons with a tutor online. My Spanish is still clumsy, but you know what? I’ve had actual conversations in Spanish now. That happened because I stopped planning to learn and actually started learning.

The 5-Minute Rule

Here’s something that helps me bridge the action gap: the five-minute rule. If I’m stuck in planning mode, I ask myself, “What’s one tiny thing I can do right now that moves this dream forward?”

Want to write a book? Write a single paragraph.
Want to start a podcast? Record five minutes of rambling into your phone.
Want to run a marathon? Lace up your sneakers and just walk around the block.

It doesn’t have to be glamorous. The first step rarely is. But once you’ve taken it, you’ve broken the spell of endless preparation.

Planning Still Matters (Just Not Too Much)

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying throw your planner out the window. Some planning is necessary. You don’t want to wing everything in life; that’s how you end up with an unedited manuscript or a collapsed soufflé.

But planning should be the appetizer, not the main course. The main course is doing. It’s messy, imperfect, and way less comfortable than sitting around thinking about it. But it’s also the only thing that actually gets you closer to your dream.

So, What Now?

Here’s my little challenge (to myself as much as to anyone reading this): take one action today that moves you closer to something you’ve been planning forever. Doesn’t matter how small. Send the email. Write the messy draft. Sign up for the class. Do something.

Life is too short to waste on perfect outlines and endless to-do lists. Dreams are allergic to procrastination—they only come alive when we do.

So stop fluffing the pillows on your plan and start living the messy, unpredictable, exhilarating action part.

Catch you in the pool.

Nick’s family whispers about “Uncle Mitch’s problems.” But Mitch isn’t crazy—he’s a medium. And now, Nick is next in line to inherit the so-called gift. Like it or not, ghosts have chosen him. Nick’s Awakening – grab a copy HERE

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How I Stay Motivated When I Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything

By Roger Hyttinen / August 26, 2025

(A completely unglamorous, highly relatable guide to getting my butt in gear)

Okay, so let’s be honest here. There are days when I feel like a soggy piece of toast. Not even toasted. Just… bread. Floppy, uninspired, and aggressively unmotivated. I stare at my to-do list like it personally insulted my family. And the idea of doing anything—writing, cleaning, working out, even putting on real pants—feels absolutely impossible.

But somehow, stuff still gets done. Not always well, mind you, but it gets done.

So here’s how I fake motivation until it sort of becomes real. Sometimes. Kind of. Let’s not aim too high.

1. The “Tiny Step” Trick

This one’s basically Jedi mind-trickery. I tell myself I’ll just start—nothing big. Just open the laptop. Or write one sentence. Or move that one dish from the sink to the dishwasher. That’s it.

What usually happens next is my brain’s like, “Well, I already started… might as well keep going.” And suddenly I’ve written 500 words or cleaned the whole kitchen while angrily singing 80s power ballads. (Highly recommend.)

On days when I’m really dragging, I’ll even say, “I only have to do this for 5 minutes.” If it still sucks after 5 minutes, I can stop. But 9 times out of 10, I don’t. Momentum is a sneaky beast.

2. Bribery. Full-On, Shameless Bribery.

If I write two chapters, I get fancy coffee. If I answer all my emails, I can binge that paranormal mystery show with the hot demon and the sarcastic witch. (You know the one.)

I’m not above making deals with myself. “Finish your morning tasks and you can take a nap like a cat in a sunbeam.” That kind of motivation is weirdly effective. Apparently, I’m just a toddler who wants a cookie.

3. Change of Scenery

Sometimes, sitting in the same chair staring at the same wall makes me feel like I’ve been cursed by a productivity goblin. So I’ll move. Even if it’s just shifting from my desk to the couch, or taking my journal to a coffee shop where someone’s always vaping and playing sad indie music.

One time I sat on my porch with a cup of tea and ended up plotting an entire short story. Something about being in a different spot makes my brain stop sulking.

4. The Pomodoro Hack (but make it chaotic)

I don’t always stick to the rules, but I’ll do 25-minute “sprints” with a timer and see how much I can get done. Sometimes I race myself. Sometimes I scream “GO!” like I’m on a cooking competition show. It’s dumb. I love it.

And then after that, I do something dumb or mindless for 5–10 minutes. I watch raccoon rescue videos. I water my plants. I text a friend nonsense emojis. Then I go again.

Somehow that little chunking trick makes the day feel less like a mountain and more like a series of oddly shaped stepping stones.

5. Music That Sounds Like I’m in a Movie

If I need to feel powerful, I blast epic orchestral scores. If I need to feel mysterious, I go full synthwave or dark jazz. If I need to feel like I can write a romantic scene without cringing, I play instrumental versions of 90s love songs. Don’t ask. It works.

Basically, I create a soundtrack for my mood—or the mood I want to have. It’s like a costume change for the soul.

6. The “Okay But Why?” Question

This one’s more serious, but when I’m really struggling, I ask myself: Why do I want to do this? Not in the existential “what is life” kind of way. More like, what’s the payoff here?

Sometimes I remember that I want to finish this book because I believe in it, even if I’m having doubts today. Or that I want to move my body because it helps me sleep and not scream at pigeons. That little reminder can yank me out of the funk spiral. (Sometimes. Not always. Let’s not give it too much credit.)

7. Permission to Suck

This one? Game changer.

I remind myself that I can do something badly and still be proud of doing it. I don’t have to write the best scene ever. I don’t have to be a laundry-folding goddess. I just have to do the thing. Imperfectly. Awkwardly. Occasionally while crying and eating peanut butter out of the jar.

Because done is better than nothing. And sometimes, the doing is what brings the motivation—not the other way around.

8. Just Straight Up Lying to Myself

No shame here. I’ve said things like, “I’ll only open this document to look at it” or “I’ll just walk for five minutes” or “I’m not working, I’m playing with ideas.”

Do I believe myself? Not really. But it tricks me into taking action. And once I’m in motion, it’s easier to keep going. (I think Newton said that. Or maybe it was Oprah.)

The Unsexy Truth

Some days still suck. Some days I don’t get motivated at all and everything feels like it’s made of wet cement. And that’s okay. I try again tomorrow. Or the day after.

Staying motivated isn’t about being perfect or productive all the time. It’s about finding little hacks that work for you, especially when your brain feels like a deflated beach ball.

Anyway, I hope this helped in a “yes, it’s not just me” kind of way. You’re not lazy. You’re human. And humans are weird.

Go do your thing. Or just put on pants. That counts too.

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My Adventures in French with Language Reactor

By Roger Hyttinen / April 4, 2024

Bonjour, mes amis! 🇫🇷

So, I’ve been on this mission to brush up on my French, right (I’m planning on going to France next year but that’s a topic for another post)? And let me tell you, it’s been quite the journey! 🌍 I stumbled upon this nifty tool called Language Reactor, and honestly, it’s been a game changer. Here’s the lowdown on my quirky adventure with it.

Diving into the Deep End 🏊‍♂️

First off, let me set the scene. Picture me, a typical Tuesday evening, armed with a cup of coffee and an overwhelming desire to parler français like a pro. Enter Language Reactor. This little gem hooks right into Netflix (yep, you heard that right, Netflix!), turning my binge-watching sessions into a full-blown French lesson. 🎬🇫🇷

This super cool Google Chrome extension is like having a personal French tutor right at your fingertips . It works its magic on Netflix, Youtube, and tons of other websites, transforming them into interactive language learning labs .

How It Works:

Dual subtitles: See the original French alongside the English translation. No more frantic dictionary flipping!

Text-to-speech: Listen to the text being read aloud in crystal-clear French. Perfect for practicing your listening comprehension.

Word lookup: Click on any word to get its definition, pronunciation, and even add it to your personal vocabulary list for later study .

PhrasePump! This feature generates customizable sentence drills based on your current learning level . It’s like having a personalized French tutor whispering sweet grammar rules in your ear .

The Hilarity of Learning 😄. And let’s not forget the fun factor. Each language comes with its own quirks and surprises. Imagine learning Japanese and suddenly understanding anime without subtitles. Or cracking the code of those intense Spanish soap operas. It’s like unlocking a secret world where everything is slightly more awesome.

But wait, there’s more! Language Reactor isn’t just for French. This bad boy supports a plethora of languages like Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and the list goes on! Want to order pasta in perfect Italian? Check. ream of discussing Dostoevsky in Russian? You bet. Basically, it’s like a buffet of language learning goodness waiting to be devoured .

Beyond Just Words 🌐

Here’s the thing: Language Reactor isn’t just about learning words and grammar. It’s about diving headfirst into different cultures. One day, you’re a detective in a German thriller; the next, you’re laughing at a Chinese rom-com. It’s like a round-the-world trip without leaving your couch.

I’m telling you, this extension is a total game-changer for language learning. It’s fun, interactive, and super effective . And the best part? It’s completely free!

So, what are you waiting for? Go download Language Reactor and unlock your inner polyglot . Just remember, practice makes perfect, so get out there and start speaking French (or any other language you fancy) like a pro!

Merci for reading! Until next time,

Your friendly neighborhood language nerd,
Roger

P.S. Random Fact Alert 🚨

Did you know that the longest word in French is “anticonstitutionnellement”? It means “in a manner that is contrary to the constitution.” Thanks, Language Reactor, for that gem. I’ll definitely drop it in casual conversation. 😉

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Resolutions are Toast, Goals are the Jam: Why I Ditch the Dry Lists for Delicious Dreams

By Roger Hyttinen / January 3, 2024

So, it’s that time of year again, you know, when everyone starts talking about their resolutions for the year.. And I’m over here like, “Nah, I’m all about setting goals, not resolutions.” Yep, I’m a proud member of Team Goal over Team Resolution. Why? Let me tell you, resolutions taste like cardboard compared to the juicy, ambitious pie of goals.

First off, resolutions feel like a punishment for all the holiday cookie-induced hibernation. “Must…eat…salad…again…” Ugh, just the thought makes me crave eggnog. Goals, on the other hand, are like opening a treasure chest overflowing with possibilities! “I wanna learn to salsa dance like J.Lo!” “I’m gonna write a novel so good, pigeons will spontaneously start wearing tiny spectacles to read it!” Now that’s the kind of motivation I can get behind, no guilt or deprivation required.

Second, resolutions are vague as a fortune cookie message. “Be healthier.” Great, thanks for the existential to-do list. Goals, on the other hand, are like microscopic maps to your dreams. “Go for a 20-minute walk three times a week, starting with my embarrassing polka-dotted jogging suit.” “Write 500 words every Tuesday, fueled by questionable instant coffee and questionable life choices.” Specific, actionable, and slightly ridiculous – that’s my jam.

Third, resolutions crumble under the slightest pressure. One missed gym session and you’re back to Netflix marathons with a side of self-loathing. Goals, my friends, are bouncing rubber balls. They get squashed, they bounce back, they keep rolling towards your awesome future. Missed a writing deadline? No biggie, grab another mug of questionable coffee and get back on track. It’s all about progress, not perfection (and let’s be honest, perfection is boring anyway).

But let’s not forget the emotional rollercoaster – I mean, the emotional experience – of this whole process. Setting a goal and then reaching it? That’s like the emotional equivalent of finding extra fries at the bottom of your takeout bag. Pure joy, people!

Here’s how I see it: goals give you flexibility. Life throws curveballs (like that time I tried to make bread and ended up with a doorstopper), and goals let you dodge, weave, and adjust. Resolutions? Not so much. They’re like, “Oh, you missed a day at the gym? Game over, buddy.”

So, this year, ditch the dry resolutions and embrace the juicy, messy, glorious world of goals. Set them big, set them small, set them so ridiculous they make your cats raise an eyebrow. Just make sure they set your soul on fire, not just your anxiety levels.

Remember, friends, life is like a cosmic buffet: grab the most delicious, inspiring goals you can find and feast on them! And if you stumble along the way? No worries, just pick yourself up, dust off your polka-dotted dreams, and keep on dancing (even if it’s just the salsa of self-forgiveness).

P.S. Did you know that ancient Babylonians made resolutions too? (But theirs were mostly about paying debts, not mastering the Macarena.) Just a fun fact to impress your friends.

Image by Markus Winkler

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Dumping the To-Do List

By Roger Hyttinen / December 29, 2018

I’ve kept an electronic to-do list for years now, and every day, like clockwork, I find myself swiping the majority of the tasks in that day’s agenda to reschedule them for the next day. There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done, and essential tasks habitually end up getting moved from one day to the next and the next and the next.

Then, a while back I watched a video of someone who advocated a “calendar-based” lifestyle in which rather than creating never-ending to-do lists, everything is scheduled on the calendar.

Everything.

The idea here is that the reason we fail to tick off all the items on our to-do list is that we underestimate how long it takes us to perform tasks. We add 25 items to our list when in reality, it’s only physically possible for us to complete 11 of them. Moreover, when every hour is scheduled on a calendar — including breaks, relaxation, and meals — there is less chance of us getting distracted or forgetting to do something.

I did a bit more research into this, and as it turns out, many productivity folks use and advocate a calendar-based productivity system rather than a to-do list based one. The more I read about this, the more it made sense to me, so I decided to give it a try myself in 2019. I spent a good portion of a day creating a workable schedule though I imagine it will go through several iterations until I tweak it enough that it works.

What’s important here is that every single item that I want to accomplish during the day is on my calendar and that every one of those items has a notification set to it so that I’ll be alerted when it’s time to switch gears. To start out with, I set the default notification to 5 minutes for tasks and 30 minutes for appointments.

I’m looking forward to delving into this system and seeing whether it’ll help me to be more productive. Perhaps 2019 will be the year when I’ll retire my not-so-trusty to-do list application.

Stay tuned for further developments.

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Give Yourself a Gold Star

By Roger Hyttinen / January 19, 2011

When I was reading The Happiness Project, a comment that Gretchen made several times caught my attention. She said that she likes to receive gold stars. That is to say, when she does something, she likes to receive some sort of feedback or at the very least acknowledgment, perhaps something as simple as hearing “great job!” after cleaning the kitchen. I chuckled when I read this as I was able to completely relate. I’m guessing that many of us can as well. There’s no denying that it’s often nice to get a pat on the back for our accomplishments.

This idea can be applied to our goals and resolutions as well. Giving yourself some manner of reinforcement can provide the necessary motivation to keep making progress. For me, something as simple as keeping a log of what I’m doing is enough to motivate me. I love to ride my bicycle in the summer and in the past, I typically managed it two or three times a week. But since I began keeping track of my mileage, I noticed that I was riding more – almost every day in fact. Seeing a notebook full of my mileage statistics seemed to give me extra motivation. The same thing worked for me when I quit smoking. I literally put a gold star on the calendar for each day that I went without a cigarette (I changed it to smiley faces after I ran out of stars). Even though it was silly reinforcement, it was reinforcement nonetheless. I find that without reinforcement, we tend to give up.

This can be applied to hobbies as well. I have an iPhone app called “Level Me Up!” which I use for my harp practice. I set the timer whenever I sit down at my harp — the eventual goal being 10,000 hours of practice (the idea is that if you do anything for 10,000 hours, you will inevitably become an expert at it). After each increment of 20 or so hours, you move up to the next level – and receive a round of applause when you do. It’s a cute little app but effective. It makes me want to attain that milestone of 10,000 hours so I keep going. I love the feeling of moving closer to that goal, level by level, applause by applause.

Why not give it a try? Start keeping track of your progress and your milestones. See how it changes your motivation. Those little gold stars just might help you to keep your New Year Resolutions.

Photo courtesy of stevendepolo

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