I’m a big fan of routines — digital routines, that is, because they’re a convenient way to launch a series of actions without having to set everything up manually each time you want to do something.

When you do something every day, even if you enjoy it, it becomes routine. Like your morning coffee. If you have a habit you used to love that's become boring, give it up for a few days.

A day may be 24 hours long, but you have to sleep. That leaves you with less time you can actually use each day - about 100 10-minute blocks. This simple exercise can help you determine if you're spending them wisely.

Having coffee before you get started with your priority work might seem like a nice way to ease into the day, but it could also be slowing you down and making you a little jittery in the process.

Your daily commute, whether you get behind the wheel and drive or hop on a bus or train and wait, doesn't have to be sunk, wasted time. Whether you use it productively or just use it for a little solace, here are some great ways to make use of the downtime.