Between a full-time job, a busy 'side hustle', and a growing family, free time isn't a luxury — it's a myth.
Despite its mythical status, I made it one of my goals to free up some time to focus on the things that matter most to me in 2026. But with 64% of New Year's resolutions never making it to February, I knew I couldn't do it alone. I needed help.
Since January 1st, I've spent hours researching and testing the best ways to increase efficiency in my day-to-day tasks. From locking my phone in a box to trialing the Pomodoro method, I've tried it all.
Here's what actually worked.
Planning: I started with note pad and pen, which helped, but moving to a tablet made things so much easier to manage.
Focus: Noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, and timers played a huge role here. Plus, using an Alexa to set reminders and answer questions stopped me from reaching for my phone every 5 minutes.
Managing fatigue: Products like a standing desk help me maintain comfort whilst focusing for long periods.
To save you a month of research, I've curated a list of the 12 best productivity tools on the market.
Many of these I have fully tested in the past month, others I have extensively researched and are on my 'productivity wishlist'.
So, what are you going to do with all that spare time?
Better planning
Improve focus
Manage fatigue
- Check out our list of the best standing desks
- We've listed the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market
- Want more on productivity? Check out our list of the best productivity tools
- Logitech reports that noise is the biggest productivity killer for in-office workers
