Morning Brew - ⏰ Time flies

It happens to the best of us. You start the workday feeling motivated and productive...only to log off with barely anything checked off your to-do list. Instead of spending your time pondering where the hours have gone, there's a better way forward: Freelance writer Rochi Zalani recently wrote about her journey to a 5-hour workday for Zapier. Turns out she made her work time more productive, and there’s a lot we all can learn from her.

After contracting symptomatic COVID-19, Zalani was forced to rethink her work schedule, since she could only perform focused work for short stints of time. She discovered that a smaller window of highly focused time was all she needed when she revamped her approach. Once she recovered, she decided to make 5-hour workdays a permanent fixture of her life.

Those of us with office jobs may not have the flexibility that a freelancer naturally enjoys. Yet Zalani’s experience shows that we can all benefit from rethinking and restructuring our workdays to avoid working OT (or, at least, to be able to work as little OT as possible).

Here’s what she had to say:

• Use the Pomodoro technique to track how long it takes to perform tasks, like writing emails. (You can find more info on this method in today’s Optimize section.)
• Use time tracking to determine when you work best and save your harder tasks for those times; e.g., block off afternoons for writing if you typically feel more creative then.
• Give yourself a hard deadline for stepping away from the computer, and stick to it. A major reason for burnout and procrastination is not giving yourself enough time away from your work.

And a bonus tip from our very own productivity master and Morning Brew Accelerator program product manager Ashna Mankotia: Take morning walks before you log on for the day. “To me, a morning walk is this time where you can just think about what you want from your day, it's super low pressure, and you actually get to do something right away that's just for you,” Mankotia told me.

We can all benefit from added structure and routine in our lives. Use these five products to help you on your journey to better time management.

• If you’re tired of chasing your Clocky around your bedroom every morning, opt for the Loftie, which includes peaceful features like blackout mode and sound baths instead.
• Track your way to success with this work journal that will help you manage your projects and plan out your career trajectory.
• Use the Pomodoro technique, the method of working in short 25-minute bursts with 5- or 10-minute breaks in between, to get your tasks done.
• For those of us (including me) who find it difficult to build new routines, the Routinery app is here to help.
• Your browser will be chaos free, thanks to the Guardo extension that will keep your tabs nice and organized.

Read: Does anyone else miss the filter-free days of posting an album of 50+ pictures on Facebook? Well...you’re not alone.

Listen: Unexpected duo Snoh Aalegra and rapper Tyler, the Creator’s recent feel-good anthem “Neon Peach” is my choice for getting through gloomy fall days.

Watch: The Japanese puffer fish makes art that rivals pieces you would find in the Louvre.

Just because we’re WFH doesn’t mean we have time to cook. Reach for these recipes when you’re looking for a quick and easy meal.

• These bite-sized egg bites are great for taking on the go, even if your commute is just walking from your bedroom to your living room.
• Meal prep, but make it realistic with some help from TikToker @biancamilleee.
• Spice up a classic lazy meal with garlic, bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, and even anchovies if you’re feeling bold.
• Bonus: A star among prepackaged options from the grocery store, Dalci brownies not only taste great, but they’re also good for your gut.