As part of Code of Africa’s sacred monthly tradition (a.k.a. “Let’s pretend we’re not
already fried on Friday at 4PM”), we gathered again to learn something new from a
fellow comrade. This time, Edmond took the floor and chose to bless us with a
session on productivity. Yes, productivity. On a Friday afternoon. While our brains
were halfway into the weekend, he asked us to talk about how we manage to get
things done - or at least pretend to.

Despite the suspicious timing, what followed was a surprisingly fun, occasionally
chaotic exchange of hacks, tricks, and confessions. Here’s the distilled wisdom -
think of it as your buffet of productivity tips. Try one, try all, or just laugh and scroll -
we won’t judge. 

Own Your Mornings (Before They Own You)
Serge starts his day before the sun figures out it’s showtime. His belief? The early
programmer ships code while the rest are still blinking into the void. He also swears
by changing work environments - from desk to balcony to maybe your neighbor’s
fence. Standing desks, corner chairs, a well-lit café - if it helps him avoid the
afternoon slump, he’s trying it. TL;DR: move around like your productivity depends
on it.

Sports + Do Not Disturb = Anja’s Superpower Combo
Anja doesn’t play when it comes to morning workouts. It’s her non-negotiable. She
pairs it with the iPhone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, and together they form a duo
stronger than any Marvel team-up. If your phone is buzzing like an over-caffeinated
bee, maybe it’s time to turn off the noise - yes, even the “just one scroll” on
Instagram.

Accountability Partner, But Make It Digital - Focusmate
Innocent relies on Focusmate, a service where strangers on the internet help each
other stay accountable (it’s not as creepy as it sounds). You book a session, tell your
virtual buddy what you plan to do, and then, shockingly, you do it. By the end, you
high-five each other digitally. It’s productivity with a dash of peer pressure. Don't we
all need a little push?

Do Something Awful. Just Do It.
Janvier believes in lowering the bar. His hack? Just do the thing — badly, if you must.
Why? Because starting, even badly, beats waiting for divine inspiration while binge-scrolling
productivity memes. Perfection is nice but optional. Draft messy, write
worse, clean it up later.

And here’s where I come clean: I shamelessly stole this trick. Before I heard Janvier
share his philosophy, my writing process was a sacred ritual of staring at a Blank
Google Doc until the Holy Spirit of Good Ideas descended (spoiler: it rarely did). But
Janvier’s method? It gave me permission to suck - strategically. So, I did it. I opened
up a new document, wrote the ugliest, most chaotic draft imaginable with typos and
incomplete sentences. Paragraphs that made no sense next to each other. But that
was the point.

“I could wait until I am inspired to write (which is my usual approach), or write - for
lack of a better word - a sh*tty article and beautify it later on. By the time you read
this, I will have improved it. (In a different scenario, this might never see the sun).”

- Note from the author

Let this be your sign: perfection is a luxury. Momentum, on the other hand, is magic.
Start messy. Edit later. Publish eventually.

Or not. Sometimes the frog just doesn’t get eaten.

Zoom Out: Quarterly Planning
Josue suggests looking at the big picture. Break your quarter into three major goals
and then - here’s the trick - actually do them. No more juggling 15 side quests. Three
goals. Working on the right things is as important as staying productive. Focus.
Finish. Repeat.

Gamify Your Life Like Norman
Norman’s a competitive soul, so he turned work into a game. Completed a test suite
in 5 mins? Try the equivalent but for 3 mins. How about 2 minutes? Beat your own
time, empty the checklist, and switch tasks like a productivity DJ. And if all else fails?
Red Bull. (Just maybe don’t make it your personality.)

Sleep. Water. Bathroom Trips. Repeat.
Kellia keeps it simple: sleep enough (7–8 hours), drink lots of water, and take breaks -
even if they’re just to the bathroom. Bonus trick? She plays chess when she is not in
the zone. Apparently, battling pawns makes Java tests feel like child’s play.

The Notebook Purist
Magnifique swears by pen and paper. None of that digital note-taking nonsense. She
scribbles, crosses off, and rides the wave of accomplishment. Start with easy wins to
build momentum and trick your brain into thinking you're crushing it.

Brain.fm: Science + Sound = Focus
Jack discovered Brain.fm - music scientifically engineered to keep you focused. It’s
backed by research, which means it must be legit. He codes to its beats and swears
by it. Not sure what kind of wizardry they’re using, but if it keeps you off YouTube, it’s
worth a shot.

After Hours Recovery
Levy has a strong post-work routine - karaoke and music. He rests well, wakes up
refreshed, and hits reset like a pro. Moral of the story? What you do after work affects
what you do at work. Plan accordingly.

Make Your Bed. Seriously.
Clet starts his day by making his bed. Small win, big energy. His other hack is time blocking
- no vague “I’ll work on this today.” Break tasks into chunks and assign them actual times.

Be Present. Start Simple.
Regis’s strategy? Just. Do. The. Things. Focus on one task, avoid multitasking, and
start with the simplest solution. Once that’s done, tweak it. You can’t optimize what
you haven’t even started.

Set The Mood. Then Slay.
Alpha believes your morning mood dictates your day. She starts with music and
sports, then creates a plan prioritizing urgent stuff. By 10 AM, she’s already halfway
through her to-do list while we’re still sipping coffee.

Eat That Frog (Metaphorically)
Edmond eats the frog first - not literally (I hope), but metaphorically. The hardest
task gets done first thing in the morning. So, if you see him skipping greetings and
heading straight to work, that frog must be huge. Respect the hustle. If he starts
playing with the HDMI of your monitor around 11 AM, he has eaten his frog and if you
are not done with yours yet, ignore him (take my advice with caution - giving solid
pieces of advice is not on my record)

Edmond’s Bonus Round: Productivity, But Make It Science

● 2-Minute Rule: If it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it.

● Interruption Logging: Track what breaks your flow and when. Adjust
accordingly.

● Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes focused, 5-minute break. Devs, go for
50/10.

● Temptation Bundling: Pair unpleasant tasks with something fun - like
debugging with a side of ice cream or a beer after burning the midnight oil
two days straight. (Just don’t tell Serge and Regis. They are not fans).

Final Thoughts
Not every hack will work for you - and that’s the point. Productivity isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Try different things, fail a little, find what sticks. Maybe all you need is a water
bottle, a Focusmate stranger, or your own personal frog.
  
Either way, you’ve got options. Steal a hack or two. Or, you know, go make your bed.
Until next time - may your checklists be short and your sleep uninterrupted.
                                                                                    
Compiled from a team session and brought to life with the writing support of Ingabire Innocent.