Productivity Hacks by Trivio.ai | Work smarter. Live more.
Hey there,
Happy Friday. A lot of a busy day disappears into tiny stuff: flipping between windows, walking back across the store for the eggs you forgot, and lying awake running through tomorrow's meetings.
So today's three hacks go after exactly that. One shortcut, one grocery fix, and a five-minute habit that lets you actually log off. Plus a bonus you won't see on my socials, and some news I'm excited to share.
Hack 1: The Side-by-Side Snap
Quick win: Stop flipping between two windows all day. One shortcut puts them side by side, each filling half your screen.
Click the first window and press Win + Left arrow. It snaps to the left half.
Windows then shows your other open windows. Click the one you want on the right.
On Windows 11, press Win + Z for more layouts: thirds, quarters, or a big-and-small split.
To undo, press Win + Down arrow or just drag the window away.
On a Mac (macOS Sequoia or newer): hover over the green dot in the top-left corner of a window and pick a left or right tile.
Great pairs: an email next to your reply, meeting notes next to the video call, or a spreadsheet next to the report you're writing.
Hack 2: Shop by Aisle
Quick win: Half the grocery trip is walking back for the thing you missed. Write your list in store order instead.
Produce first.
Meat and deli.
Pantry aisles.
Dairy and frozen last, so it stays cold on the way home.
Pro tip: If you use a notes app, make a reusable list with those four headings already in it. Each week you just fill in the blanks.
Hack 3: The Shutdown Ritual
Quick win: Your workday doesn't end when you leave. It ends when your brain does. Give it five minutes to wrap up.
Check tomorrow's calendar so nothing surprises you.
Write tomorrow's top 3.
Close every tab and app.
Say "shutdown complete" out loud. It feels silly the first time. Do it anyway.
Why it works: Once tomorrow is written down, you don't have to keep it in your head all evening. Work stays at work, and the next morning starts fast.
Bonus Hack (email only): The Leave-By Alarm
Quick win: Stop setting reminders for when things start. Set them for when you need to walk out the door.
When you add an appointment (dentist, school pickup, a client lunch), check the drive time in Google Maps or Apple Maps.
Add the drive time plus 10 minutes for parking and shoes, and set a phone alarm for that time.
Label it with the action, not the event: "LEAVE for dentist," not "Dentist 3:00."
In Google Calendar or Outlook, you can also change the event's notification from the default to that same number of minutes before.
Why it works: A "3:00 dentist" reminder at 2:45 is useless if it's a 25-minute drive. The leave-by alarm goes off when you can still do something about it.
From Steve: My $7 ebook is out
I wrote this for busy people, not tech people: The 60-Second Workday. It's 25 productivity hacks, one page each, covering email, notes and meetings, follow-ups and planning your day.
Every page names the problem, tells you when to use it, and gives you a prompt to copy and paste into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Fill in the [BRACKETS] and you're off. No long chapters, no theory. Just flip to whatever's bugging you today and start there.
I priced it at $7 because I want you to try it. If it's not for you, email me within 30 days for a full refund: get The 60-Second Workday for $7.
Your turn: Which two windows are going side by side on your screen today? Hit reply and tell me. I read every one.
Have a great weekend,
Steve
Productivity Hacks by Trivio.ai. Work smarter. Live more.