Effective Self-Help is currently finalising a report into the most effective ways people can purchase productivity. The aim of the report is to synthesise recommendations for particularly (cost-)effective ways anyone can spend money to increase their productivity.
We would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have for increasing productivity, particularly anything more unique/ less well-known that you've tried. Is there something you pay for that you find highly beneficial to working effectively?
We hope that this report can be added to over time with further community suggestions and function as a master list for anyone looking to experiment with productivity solutions (such as individuals with professional development budgets from their employer).
Our research so far draws on more than 25 previous articles posted here on the Forum, on LessWrong, and elsewhere. We intend to follow this report with research into the best free productivity interventions in the near future. For more info about Effective Self-Help as a project, see our website or this post introducing our work.
Thanks for your help!
EDIT: A quick clarification that the report we're writing aims to synthesise the recommendations from all past Forum, LW, etc. posts on a similar theme into a database that can then be continually updated.
I paid for a lifetime subscription to Freedom (freedom.to/), an app that blocks certain websites from your phone and computer during pre-set windows. It cost like $60 (one-time cost) and has made an extraordinary difference in my productivity.
Things my office has bought me that are well worth the money/that I will buy for myself in the future if I need to: a mouse/mousepad, a second monitor, and a good (comfortable, height-adjustable) office chair.
Agreed, Cold Turkey might be the most effective software to be more productive.