From work and school to family and friends, it is common to feel like there are simply not enough hours in a day. At times, this can be overwhelming, but by learning new tactics to maximize your time, you can start to feel less stressed.
At The Listening App, we know all about busy schedules and just how important it is to remain productive each day, which is why we help you multitask by listening to research in your spare time. With this in mind, we set out to learn where the most productivity hackers live in the U.S.
To find out, we surveyed Americans in the largest cities across the country and asked about the ways they manage their productivity. Using responses, we calculated scores for each city to determine where residents are pros at using different hacks and tactics to check everything off their to-do lists each day. Read on to see which cities lead the way, and which productivity hacks you may want to try yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Residents in Virginia Beach, VA, Memphis, TN, and Dallas, TX, are home to the most productivity hackers.
- Grouping similar tasks, using late nights or early mornings to get things done, and getting difficult projects done first are the most common productivity hacks Americans use in 2024.
- Nearly 1 in 2 Americans use AI assistants to improve their productivity.
- Using apps for focus, planning a detailed daily schedule, and using an AI assistant are the most common tactics Americans want to try in order to improve their productivity.
- 61% of Americans say they sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the ways they could be more productive.
Where the Most Productivity Hackers Live in America
Sure you may be productive, but do you go out of your way to find new ways to speed up your daily tasks to make the most of your time? Well many Americans do, and leading the way, making the most use of productivity hacks are Virginia Beach, VA, residents. With a score of 99.31 out of 100, Virginia Beach residents are most likely in the country to use nootropic medicines or supplements and AI assistants to achieve peak productivity.
Coming in second place with a productivity hacker score of 95.90 is Memphis, TN, where nearly 3 in 5 residents say being productive is extremely important to them. Additionally 1 in 4 Memphis residents say planning a detailed daily schedule has been the most helpful tactic they’ve tried.
Following closely behind with a score of 95.89 out of 100, is Dallas, TX. Residents of the city are the most likely in the U.S. to set time limits for specific tasks as a way to make time for everything on their to-do lists.
Overall, Miami, FL, and Charlotte, NC, residents are the most likely to consider productivity to be extremely important. Additionally, Americans with kids are more likely to find productivity important than those without.
While finding tricks to lighten your workload can be important in our everyday lives, most people find these tactics to be most beneficial in their workplace. Not only does this help your time management and overall productivity at work, but it can also help you better stand out to your managers as they notice the initiative you take to remain productive. In fact, our study found that 34% of Americans have been rewarded for the productivity hacks they use at work.
Americans’ Most Commonly Used Productivity Hacks
In our study, we discovered 61% of Americans say they sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the ways they could be more productive. Maintaining good mental health is incredibly important to ensure your overall happiness and wellbeing. So it’s important to find tactics that work best for you and your lifestyle to clear the clutter and alleviate the pressure.
With this in mind, we set out to determine which productivity hacks are the most popular among Americans. Leading the way as the top strategy employed is grouping similar tasks as 84% of people say they do this. Some tasks require the same frame of mind, and by batching them together, you can help your process to run more smoothly and ultimately complete the items in a shorter amount of time.
In second place with 83% of people reporting it, is using late nights or early mornings to get things done. While our beauty rest is important for energy throughout our day, taking a bit of time at the end or start of your day can help to mark more items off your to-do list. Coming in third is getting difficult projects done first as 72% of people say they utilize this tactic. It can be easy to want to push off our more difficult or time-consuming tasks, but the quicker you complete them, the quicker they are off your list and your mind.
Working in short, focused bursts, using keyboard shortcuts, and listening to focus music are up next on our list in fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively. Working in short intervals is also known as the Pomodoro Technique which was developed in the late 1980s as kitchen timers were used to provide a window of focus, followed by a short break. The technique was created with the hope of reducing internal and external interruptions.
While 1 in 5 Americans have the ability to work alongside a human assistant to complete their tasks, many more people have begun to rely on technology. According to our findings, nearly 1 in 2 Americans are using AI assistants regularly in an effort to maximize their productivity.
Another popular tactic among productivity hackers is listening to audio like podcasts and audiobooks at greater than 1x speed to zoom through quicker. If you find yourself looking for a way to utilize this hack for your education, try saving time by listening to your papers on the go with The Listening App. Productivity hacks don’t just apply to our day-to-day tasks like laundry and dirty dishes, and they aren’t restricted to the hours of 9 to 5 while in an office. These tactics can help in every aspect of your life, including in school.
In addition to the hacks that are most popular, we also asked Americans which tactics they want to try. Topping our list as the most interesting trick is using apps for focus. With many apps offering various options and settings, there is a wide variety to help you find what works best for you. Also leading the way for hacks people want to try are planning a detailed daily schedule and using AI assistants.
To gain a better understanding of some unique tricks Americans have discovered work for them, we also asked respondents to share their best hack. Check out the interactive map below to see what Americans near you are doing to boost their productivity.
Enhance Your Productivity With The Listening App
Sometimes the smallest adjustment to your daily routine can make all the difference in helping to manage your workload, both in your professional and personal lives. Whether you are a busy student trying to cram in a semester’s worth of studying ahead of a big test or a parent trying to stay on top of your mountain of obligations, there are productivity hacks that can help.
Whether one singular tactic that will help free your schedule or you require various tricks to get everything done each day, taking steps to manage your time can make all the difference when it comes to your mental health and overall happiness.
At The Listening App, we know just how important it is to feel accomplished and how difficult it can be to deal with a lengthy task list. With text-to-speech, we have made academic papers into audio so you can learn and take notes on the go. Get started today with a free trial, and if you’re looking for a productivity hack, try increasing the playback speed to effortlessly zip through the content even quicker.
Methodology
In this study, we set out to determine where the most productivity hackers live in the U.S. To do this, we surveyed Americans in the largest cities across the country asking a variety of questions regarding their productivity, the hacks they use, what hacks they want to try, and more. We then awarded points to responses that represented productivity and averaged each city’s score. Finally, we adjusted scores on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most productivity hackers.
