I've found that the main factor that determines my productivity (for everything: day job, studying for classes outside of work, doing chores, etc) is sleep the past few nights before. Caffeine can sometimes bridge a small sleep deficit gap, but I've found that it's a bad long-term solution to not getting enough sleep.
After sleep, the order is roughly exercise, moderating my caffeine intake, and taking breaks. I've found that it can be hard for me to remember to take breaks, and I find that with them, I don't get as exhausted as when I try to power through nonstop. Pomodoro timing (I use a free Chrome extension called Marinara) is especially helpful for that.
After sleep, the order is roughly exercise, moderating my caffeine intake, and taking breaks. I've found that it can be hard for me to remember to take breaks, and I find that with them, I don't get as exhausted as when I try to power through nonstop. Pomodoro timing (I use a free Chrome extension called Marinara) is especially helpful for that.