While sitting on an endless stack of work over the past few months, I've slowly discovered ways in which to make myself more productive. Or, if not more productive, then at least making the time tick by as pleasurable as possible.

One trick when working into the evening hours that's been successful, is to work with a glass of red wine within arms reach. I've slowly been warming up to wine these days, and have found it to be somewhat of a work enhancer. Beer, on the other hand, seems to be more of a work detractor. Where beer fills me up, makes me sleepy and generally slow (sometimes the intended effect), wine does the opposite -- waking me up in a sense. I can't/don't do this every night of course, and maybe that's why I think it works so well, particularly in the design phase of a project.

Warning: drink too much wine, and your designs could end up looking like this.

I don't mean to endorse the consumption of alcohol to improve workflow, yet I'm sharing this as a tip that's works for me. I imagine everyone has a different work enhancer -- or several to mix up throughout the week. Hopefully it's a) something legal and b) not bad for your health. The wine could either be considered either bad or good (for lowering cholesterol!).

A scientific explanation for why wine helps, I don't have. Most wine drinkers know that it has a tendency to make people a bit more chatty than usual. I suppose channeling this chatty energy is what assists the workflow, since there's no one there to chat with. That, or it just tastes good.

If you're not into wine, go see the excellent film Sideways. This will help. If you are into wine, what's your favorite bottle? Mine of the moment: Trinitas Zinfindel (the red stuff, not the white, fake stuff).