Maximize Your Efficiency: Kevin Izevbigie's Productivity Hacks

Have you ever wondered how some people achieve their professional goals and still find time for family and hobbies? The secret lies in their time management and efficiency! To find out how they do it, we asked Kevin Izevbigie for a few productivity hacks.

Kevin is a successful Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Consultant specializing in financial modelling and software implementation projects. He has a unique perspective on the world of software development and efficiency.

In this edition of Ask the Expert, we explore Kevin’s strategies for maintaining focus, dealing with distractions, and finding the ideal work-life balance to achieve his goals.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, I am Kevin Izevbigie, an FP&A Consultant, financial modeller and software implementation specialist. I also owned a marketing agency for a decade but that doesn’t exist anymore. I am from London, but I live in Bangkok with my wife and little girl – they are the best.

Most of my career has been focused on helping companies build robust systems. In my personal life, I have been a software engineer for longer than finance. This has been a hobby of mine since I was 15 years old. In my head, building financial systems and building software are the same.

I once had a friend ask me “how are you a qualified accountant, an accomplished software engineer AND you owned a marketing company…?”

That is a good question. And it all comes down to two core principles: Deep Work and “real” time management.

To me, time management is about sacrifice. I don’t have much of a social life. I don’t use social media (since 2018), I don’t have my phone with me for most of the day. And I use effective blocking tools like 1Focus. All my time goes into the things I want to build or learn, and my family.

How do you stay focused and productive?

I was deeply into “productivity” five years ago. Now, I think most things related to productivity are a distraction from the truth. The truth, I discovered, is that my ability to get more done was about subtraction. So I experimented with it. “If I were to ignore everything, including my productivity tools, and put all of that energy into the fire of the task at hand… what would happen?”

The most insane thing happened, one day of this kind of working, resulted in 3-4 days of output. I was hooked.

There are two exceptions to this rule:

1. Outsource the removal of technology distractions to 1Focus.
2. Mastery of Cal Newport’s “Deep Work”. Which is more of a set of focus rules, than it is a tool.

How do you avoid distractions?

I work alone in my home office.

I mainly eliminate distracting websites completely with 1Focus. I set 1Focus for 23 hrs 59 min between 4:00 and 3:59. I also block things like games during Deep Work blocks.

I haven’t found a solution to ignoring my 2 year old daughter when she says: “Daddy, come!” :)

Do you have a morning routine?

I used to.

I used to do a lot of things in the name of “productivity”. I have since removed my routine, and I get straight to work.

The morning is when I have my clearest energy and mind. So the first thing I do in the morning (after coffee and a few mins with my daughter), I knock out a Deep Work session.

Do you use any time management techniques?

Only one – sit down, shut up, and do the work. This is boring though. Most truths are.

How do you manage to work when you are unmotivated?

I am obsessed with my mission. Obsession is an unlimited energy source.

How do you find a work-life balance?

I am a fairly new father. If you had asked me this 3 years ago, I’d say that work WAS my balance. Because my work is my hobby and my work.

But today, I make an effort to always spend time with my little girl.

This is where Cal Newport’s Deep Work comes into play. In 5-6 hours of deep work (2 sessions), I can get an enormous amount of work done. Then, I can unapologetically hang out with my little girl and wife.

Also, when I need to rest, I rest.

What do you do for fun?

Programming was my hobby. Then it became my career. It’s still my hobby today.

I like to discover new ways to monetize HTTP requests.

What motivated you to download 1Focus?

I completely disagree with the notion that “willpower” is enough to resist temptation. Tech companies spend hundreds of millions to design websites, technology, and games TO BE addictive. They use our very human nature to do so.

Bringing willpower to this battle is akin to bringing a knife to a gunfight. I decided to fight technology with technology. As a Mac user, 1Focus was the only one I tried that “just worked!”

Why do you find 1Focus useful?

Unlike most software these days, it does exactly what it says it does. More importantly, set it and forget it.

Which feature do you like the most?

The best feature is the wildcard block strings.

Note: You can learn more at Block URL Keywords on Mac.

What do you think is the key to success?

There is no blueprint for success. Or step by step plan. Those with sufficient obsession will succeed.

Do you have any advice for readers regarding focus and motivation?

Yes. The number one best use of your time is to discover where you really want to be. Then, just do it. That sounds simple but in my experience, most people are not really honest about what success really looks like.

But, why am I talking about success when the question is about motivation? One can be motivated and focused endlessly if they are pursuing their own true version of success.

Once you are clear on where you want to be, focus is simply about removing distractions (with 1Focus) and doing the work.

Where can I learn more about you?

I write and freelance at www.kevinize.com

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Kevin Izevbigie for sharing his valuable insights on productivity with us.

Further Reading

• Deep work: Mastering focus and time management: Learn strategies for creating the perfect workspace, managing your time, and avoiding distractions.