Productivity Hacks That Helped Me Keep My Head During a Professional MBA (vA)

There are a lot of difficulties that may come to your mind when you think of getting an MBA while also trying to advance at a global company that considers you "always available." Thankfully, through trial-and-error, I have found a few hacks thanks to the ever-increasing amount of tech to help break down what needs to be done in bite-sized, manageable chunks.  

Please note: I am not paid to share the tools I'm about to share, and you're welcome to reach out to me with any questions about how to use what I've used to fit your projects be it work, MBA, raising a family, or whatever.  

What's In The Tool Shed:  

• Recorded Lectures Loaded To VLC App (Free) 
• StayFocused Chrome Browser (Free)  
• Ankiweb ($24.99 on iTunes AppStore) 

My Routine:  

First, I record every lecture via the iPhone Voice Memos App. I learned through some trying family medical history and too many doctor meetings that you often on recall 10% of a conversation when listening to a lot of important information and maybe 50% when taking decent notes. However, by recording the entire lecture, you always have an outlet to engage with the lecture's concepts and also ask deeper questions in class without having to worry about transcribing the lecture for fear of missing a key point.  

The secret sauce though is that after the lecture is recorded, I move the file over to the VLC app (also free.) The benefit to the VLC app is that you can set the replay speed to 1.5X, which is just right for me, but if you have super-sonic hearing, you can push the speed higher. Why is this helpful? When I'm going through homework, it's almost like having the professor with you to hit on the important points again. One tip though, it's often best not to blindly listen to the whole lecture again. Rather, I take notes during the lecture that mark where on the recording a key point is so I can quickly go there if needed.  

Second, most work requires a computer which is a double-edged sword. Yes, computers are incredible as much as they are a requisite if you're in a concentration like Business Analytics that is programming heavy. However, computers also offer near-irresistible temptation just a click away while you need to do your most important tasks in the way of reading our emails, checking Instagram and Facebook feeds; or accessing Netflix or YouTube.  

The common link behind all these temptations is that they require an internet connection and an available port for access. Thankfully, a free Chrome Extension (my preferred browser) called Stay Focused, allows you to set a 'Nuclear Option' that blocks all sites, but those you pre-approve like research sites for a project and the sites can be adjusted before engaging the option. You can also set the time for the option. You will be amazed the amount of valuable work you can get done in 60-90 minutes with many temptations simply inaccessible (as long as you turn off your phone.) 

Alright, so you've made sure you never miss a valuable word from lecture (as long as you're there) and you are a stone-cold productivity ninja when it's time to do the work, but how do you make sure you're grasping the important concepts ahead of the big test? My solution has been the only one that costs money (sorry), and it's called AnkiWeb.  

AnkiWeb is a Spaced Repetition Software that was recommended to me when I was speaking to the creator of Workflowy (another great tool) and confirmed by a person I admire, Scott Young, who taught himself the 4-year undergrad MIT Computer Science curriculum. AnkiWeb can be used via desktop software, a browser, or an app (I use all), and utilized a spaced repetition algorithm based on your rankings of the problems.  

Think of the AnkiWeb algo as an old-school flash-card on steroids. Instead of going through the deck endlessly, you create digital flashcards and then market the difficulty you had in recalling the correct answer. The more difficult you found the problem, the quicker you'll be forced to recall the problem. Naturally, you'll begin to pick up the critical missing chunks of information quicker when met with the same problem over and over again.  

Summing It Up: 

Here's how to be productive and get more out of your time during your MBA:  

• Record Everything: Reviewing at 1.5X speed+ encourages classroom engagement and helps homework 
• Block Out Obvious Distractions: You'll amaze yourself at home much you can get done without wondering what's going on in your Facebook feed 
• Juice Up Your Pre-Test Routine With Anki: Spaced Repetition Software allows you to spend your time on what you don't know instead of reviewing what you do to get better fast before the exam.  

By Tyler Yell

SMU Cox Professional MBA