Productivity Professional — Illustrated Study Guide

An illustrated, example-driven study guide for the Certified Productivity Professional. Six modules build a complete personal productivity system from first principles: managing attention and energy and dismantling the multitasking myth; the classic time-management systems (Eisenhower matrix, time blocking, Pomodoro, Pareto and Parkinson's law); the leading workflow methods (Getting Things Done, personal Kanban and PARA); focus and deep work (Newport's deep work, flow and digital minimalism); goal-setting and prioritisation (SMART, personal OKRs, Most Important Tasks and the weekly review); and habits and sustainable productivity (the habit loop, atomic-habits techniques, energy, recovery and burnout). It closes with a hands-on lab in which you design your own end-to-end personal productivity system. Rich with Mermaid diagrams, comparison tables, worked scenarios, exercises and self-checks.

Key facts

• Course price: $130 (one-time payment)
• Field: Soft Skills
• Prepares for: Certified Productivity Professional
• 6 modules · 12 lessons · about 17 hours of lessons
• Self-paced, online, illustrated lessons

Course outline

1. Foundations of Personal Productivity — Attention and energy as your real scarce resources, the multitasking myth and the switching cost, and the crucial difference between being busy and being effective.
   • Attention and Energy: Your Two Real Resources
   • Busy vs Effective and the Multitasking Myth
2. Time-Management Systems — Prioritising with the Eisenhower matrix and the Pareto principle, and scheduling with time blocking, the Pomodoro technique and Parkinson's law.
   • Prioritising with the Eisenhower Matrix and Pareto
   • Time Blocking, Pomodoro and Parkinson's Law
3. Task and Workflow Management — Getting Things Done (capture, clarify, organise, reflect, engage), personal Kanban with work-in-progress limits, and the PARA method for organising information.
   • Getting Things Done (GTD)
   • Personal Kanban and the PARA Method
4. Focus and Deep Work — Cal Newport's deep work and the state of flow, plus the practical craft of taming distraction — notification management, digital minimalism and single-tasking.
   • Deep Work and Flow
   • Taming Distraction: Notifications and Digital Minimalism
5. Goal-Setting and Prioritisation — Turning direction into results with SMART goals and personal OKRs, then into daily action with Most Important Tasks and a disciplined weekly review.
   • SMART Goals and Personal OKRs
   • MITs and the Weekly Review
6. Habits and Sustainable Productivity — The habit loop and atomic-habits techniques, energy, recovery and burnout prevention — and a hands-on lab to design your own end-to-end personal productivity system.
   • The Habit Loop and Atomic Habits
   • Energy, Recovery, Burnout — LAB: Design Your Productivity System