Top 5 Tips For Productivity

Productivity. A word we hear all the time. We hear about it on podcasts, in books, on TV and on social media. We hear how it’s good for us and how it helps us achieve more out of our life.

But then, what do we actually do with that? Do we go ahead & all of a sudden, magically, become “productive”? 

Hell no. 

Becoming productive doesn’t happen in one day, it doesn’t happen automatically and it doesn’t always happen with ease. To become productive, you need to form the habit of becoming productive.

According to Psychology Today, there is no specific time period or “days” in which a new habit is made. We all may have heard of the popular 21 day or 30 day idea, but neuroscientist & psychologist Brian King challenges that. He says that how fast a habit is formed all depends on variables such as reward value of the behavior, the reward value of our pre-existing habits and how complicated or simple the new habit you are trying to learn is.

Typically, habits that bring us comfort & ease are learned faster eg. eating junk food, sitting on the couch, watching TV. Habits that are more complex or that challenge our brain are formed at a slower rate, and require more work & repetition. This can include forming habits such as getting up in the morning to go to the gym or for a run, eating healthy everyday and completing less favorable daily tasks such as cleaning. 

With all that being said, achieving true productivity is highly possible and do-able, as long as you are willing to put in the daily work to form healthy habits that are long-lasting.

 

These are our top 5 tips on how YOU can seize the day & make the most out of them so that you can lead a successful, productive life!

Tip number #1: Wake up 15 minutes earlier & don’t check your phone

San intention of waking up 15 minutes earlier each day, and when you wake up, do not immediately go on your phone. Do not check your social media or your emails. Block out the noise, make the morning all you, and follow your morning routine. Your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, and waking up earlier can help you have the calm before you are rushing off for a busy day. 

Tip number #2 : Get up & move every 60 minutes 

Take a 5 minute walk or stretch every 60 minutes. Give your brain a break, and allow it to pause & rejuvenate, which in turn ensures you stay productive in your next tasks. Overloading your brain and working hours on end without any break is ineffective, and ultimately slows down the level of productivity that you could be achieving. 

Tip number #3: Create a system

Eliminate distractions by creating a schedule & system that works for you. Create a morning slot, afternoon slot and evening slot. Set all your most challenging tasks for the morning, and aim to always tackle your most important tasks first in your time slots. Things like managing your email inbox should never be the first priority as it can be very time-consuming and can make you lose time in completing the most urgent items on your to-do list. 

Tip number #4: Stop multi-tasking

Attempting to do multiple tasks at once actually slows you down & kills productivity. Focus on one specific task at a time, complete it, and then move on to the next. You will get more done this way.

Tip number #5: Pick your top 3 tasks & set a deadline 

When creating your to-do list for the day, rank your tasks from order of urgency. Place your top three tasks at the top of your list, and the others should all come after that. Try to also put the biggest tasks at the top, leave the smaller ones for later. From there, assign a deadline for each task and a time limit, so that they get done. Setting a timer on your phone could be one way to do this. And as mentioned above, remember to take at least a 5 minute break every 60 minutes.

Now, with these tips & knowledge about habit forming, go ahead & start getting more productive TODAY. Start today, don’t put it off till tomorrow. Good luck people!

References:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/taking-it-easy/202001/how-long-does-it-take-form-new-habit 

https://www.inc.com/jackelyn-ho/do-these-8-things-every-day-to-stay-productive.html 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2013/08/14/9-habits-of-productive-people/?sh=57e205242d3f