The 3 Surprising Habits of Ultra-Productive Developers

What if the key to working less and achieving more isn’t what you think?

Most developers chase new frameworks, faster hardware, or even longer hours. But the most productive developers in the world share 3 surprising, counterintuitive habits that have nothing to do with hustle culture.

1. They Schedule Nothing

Top developers block time on their calendar just to think. No meetings. No code. No distractions. This 'nothing time' becomes their most valuable window for problem-solving and creativity.

“My biggest breakthroughs didn’t happen while coding — they happened while walking.” – Anonymous Senior Engineer

2. They Obsess Over Sleep

Forget energy drinks. The ultra-productive prioritise 7–8 hours of sleep, treating it like an investment. Why? Because decision fatigue and bugs double when you’re underslept.

• They use sleep tracking tools
• They never work late at night unless urgent
• They optimise their sleep environment for quality

3. They Ruthlessly Delete Tasks

The average developer’s to-do list is full of low-leverage work. Ultra-productive devs ask: “What if I just didn’t do this?” They automate, delegate, or eliminate—aggressively.

One senior engineer admitted deleting over 40% of his JIRA tasks without negative impact. No one noticed. Productivity isn’t doing more—it’s doing what matters.

How Can You Apply This Today?

• Block one hour this week to do... nothing.
• Track your sleep for 7 days and look at the patterns.
• Look at your backlog and delete 3 tasks you’ll never do.

These small steps could lead to big gains—not just in productivity, but in clarity and calm.

Sometimes, doing less is how you do your best.