6 Autohotkey tricks to be more productive

I think, we all wish, we could be even more productive at work and at home — but that’s so much easier said than done.

In a 2013 survey by AtTask a software company, workers reported spending just shy of half of their time a week on things other than their primary job duties or in things like meetings.

To get around this setback, we can use simple Autohotkey scripts that’ll have you being productive before you know it.

Just keep in mind that everybody works differently, so while one script may strike your productivity needs right on, another might be all but useless.

Here are a few Autohotkey scripts or tricks that could help improve your work productivity:

 

1. Turn checking email into a game

The average American worker spends 28% of his or her workday going through their inbox, according to a 2012 study.

Marketing coach George Kao blasts through his inbox by checking it only once every hour and repeatedly saying “next,” like a game.

Heres a script, to help you do the same while you decide in a split-second how to deal with the email instead of letting it sit in your inbox.

#Persistent
#SingleInstance force

Msgbox Please open or activate you email window now!`nPress ok when ready.
hWnd := WinExist("A")
SplashTextOn, 200, 100, NEXT!, Get ready!
sleep 1000
SplashTextOff
SetTimer, next, 5000

next:
SplashTextOn, 200, 100, NEXT!, NEXT!
sleep 500
SplashTextOff
WinActivate, ahk_id %hWnd%
Send {down}
return

Esc::ExitApp

Also check out: Easily Activate Outlook Rule with Your Keyboard

2. Allow yourself to daydream a little

By many daydreaming is associated with being unproductive or even lazy, in a 2012 study, researchers found that the brain in this relaxed state has an easier time coming up with creative solutions to help solve complex problems.

So it turns out that a little dreaming or mind wandering is good for getting to that “Eureka” like moment.

Random poetry script to get your mind going:

#SingleInstance force
gui, color, FFFFFF
gui, add, text, x10 y10,Poetry done by AHK
gui, add, button, x10 y30,Do Poetry
gui, add, button, x10 y60,Quit Poetry
gui, show

list := {}
list["prio"] := StrSplit("When,If", ",")
list["adje"] := StrSplit("burning,frightfull,beautyful,violent,high,heavy,evil,clever,ingenious,deceitful,ugly,tiny,poor,silly,deep,green,small,loyal,portable,honest,fearless", ",")
list["subs"] := StrSplit("flowers,teachers,melones,swords,knights,dragons,virgins,people,vegetables,fruits,programmers,AHK-Users,rubberducks,idiots,deers,thougts,poets,George.W.Bush's,preachers", ",")
list["verb"] := StrSplit("having sex,falling,looking,beating,fighting,dancing,growing,seeing,crawling,dying,writing poetry,programming,heeding,digging,traveling,learning,bleeding,talking,swimming,writing AHK scripts", ",")
list["conc"] := StrSplit("must be,are trying,should be,are", ",")
list["ends"] := StrSplit("badly,slow,fast,like in dreams,in the castle,noble,nasty,sorrowfull,quick,lonely,on beams,like in heaven", ",")
list["seco"] := StrSplit("those,all,every,the,millions of", ",")
return

ButtonDoPoetry:
Poetry := Do_poetry(8)
MsgBox, %Poetry%
return

Esc::
ButtonQuitPoetry:
GuiClose:
ExitApp

Do_poetry(LineCount)
{
global list
OutPut =
loop, %LineCount%
{
P1 := list["prio", rand_nr(1,list["prio"].MaxIndex() ) ]
A1 := list["adje", rand_nr(1,list["adje"].MaxIndex() ) ]
S1 := list["subs", rand_nr(1,list["subs"].MaxIndex() ) ]
V1 := list["verb", rand_nr(1,list["verb"].MaxIndex() ) ]
E1 := list["ends", rand_nr(1,list["ends"].MaxIndex() ) ]
loop
{
P2 := list["prio", rand_nr(1,list["prio"].MaxIndex() ) ]
A2 := list["adje", rand_nr(1,list["adje"].MaxIndex() ) ]
S2 := list["subs", rand_nr(1,list["subs"].MaxIndex() ) ]
V2 := list["verb", rand_nr(1,list["verb"].MaxIndex() ) ]
E2 := list["ends", rand_nr(1,list["ends"].MaxIndex() ) ]
; check for ryhme-words
; e.g. by checking if E1 and E2 are ending with the same letters
if (P1<>P2) and (A1<>A2) and (S1<>S2) and (V1<>V2) and (E1<>E2)
break
}
C1 := list["conc", rand_nr(1, list["conc"].maxindex() ) ]
H1 := list["seco", rand_nr(1, list["seco"].maxindex() ) ]
OutPut=%OutPut%`n%P1% %A1% %S1% are %V1% %E1%`n%H1% %A2% %S2% %C1% %V2% %E2%`n
}
return OutPut
}

rand_nr(From,To)
{
random, rand, From, To
return rand
}

3. Instruct yourself or your computer out loud

Helping yourself by having an instructional conversation out loud seems to increase your attention and get away from distractions. This simple DIY method can help you solve problems calmly and in a more focused manner.

Run autohotkey commands with your voice

Fun fact: Talking out loud has been found to help you locate lost items.

 

4. Break deadlines down into smaller measurements

According to the Atlantic, researchers have found out if people convert their goals or deadlines from months or years into weeks or even days made them more proactive to get started on them.

Here is a link to a good WorkBreak Timer Task Logger & Screen Capture 4.10 I have used that script before with great success.

Try it with your next project to put off that dreaded procrastination.

 

5. Look at pictures of nature

Restore your attention by taking a sneak peek of even just 40 seconds of nature. A 2015 Australian study found that looking at a flowering and grassy rooftop helped participants make fewer mistakes than those staring at a concrete building. The lead author of the study says that even looking at an image of nature can help improve work performance.

So here is a script that will show a random image of nature for 40 seconds every 30 minutes.

SetTimer, show_image, 1800000

show_image:
Gui, +AlwaysOnTop +ToolWindow -SysMenu -border
Gui, margin, 0,0
Gui, Add, ActiveX, w700 h540 vWB, Shell.Explorer2 ; The final parameter is the name of the ActiveX component.
WB.Navigate("http://lorempixel.com/640/480/nature/") ; This is specific to the web browser control.
while wb.ReadyState != 4
Sleep 10
wb.Document.Body.Style.Overflow := "Hidden"
Gui, Show, w660 h510
Sleep 40000
Gui, Destroy
return

 

6. Keep asking yourself about your productivity status

According to Forbes, if you create a mantra that reminds you to stay productive where you ask yourself every hour, if what you’re doing at that current time is productive.  It will help you pause and regain focus.

This script can help you with just that:

Gui, +AlwaysOnTop +ToolWindow -SysMenu
Gui, font, s30
Gui, add, text, vtext, Am I productive?
Gui, add, button, w130 vYes gbuttonYes, YES!
Gui, add, button, w130 x+m vNo gbuttonNo, NO!

Loop
{
Gui, show, NA, Status
sleep 3600000
}
return

buttonNo:
buttonYes:
Gui, cancel
return

esc::ExitApp

 

Have any Autohotkey scripts you use for productivity or something else to add to this list? Share it in the comments.

 

Downloads:

Bundle of Autohotkey productive scripts (zip)

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