Losing productivity is easy. The good news is that you can resurrect your productivity with positive habits.
Here are 11 practical productivity tips for getting things done.
The myths around multitasking assure us that we’re capable of doing multiple things at the same time. However, studies have found our brains to be incapable of focusing on more than one thing at the same time (9).
Boost your productivity by focusing on one task instead – perhaps this one is the most effective productivity tip for work.
Distractions, both self-imposed and environmentally-imposed, rob you of your time. Research has shown that it may take a lot of energy and time to refocus (upward of 23 minutes) (11).
An innocent message notification or a phone call kills the whole working “buzz”.
You can change the situation by:
Your routine matters: whether your sleep time is regulated or not, whether you eat healthily or neglect this rule – this all affects your productivity.
Here’s the simple chain of decreased productivity with disrupted sleep – you don’t sleep enough or sleep too much and therefore, you have a hard time focusing on mundane tasks. Studies have shown the positive effects good sleep can have on your focus and attention (10).
You can’t function at your best when you’re tired, right?
Eating healthily is no less important. By eating foods that are high in vitamins, you boost your brain’s ability to work. These healthy foods include fish, berries, vegetables, nuts, dark chocolate, and ingredients that are rich in fiber and healthy fats (3).
Research has found that taking breaks can enhance your productivity (5). Try to experiment with it for just one day: take a 5-minute break every hour. Avoid scrolling social media during this break. Simply stand up from your chair (your back will be grateful) and walk around.
Of all the working-from-home tips, this one could be particularly beneficial. A flexible schedule helps you shift your regime to convenient working hours and take breaks at any time you want.
Why not take advantage of it?
If you’re working from the office or any other place, simply stand up from your chair, walk out to the hall, or have a chat with a free co-worker.
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What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is the human ability to be actively aware of where you are and what you’re doing without being overly reactive or judgmental to what’s going on around you (13). A great variety of Mindfulness Tips may help you clear your mind and focus on one thing.
A randomized controlled study in a company with 60 workers compared a 6-week versus half-day seminar on mindfulness (8), finding that mindfulness techniques in the workplace can boost productivity and work-life balance.
You need to be bold and say no to some requests. Your coworker may ask you a favor and it’s difficult to say no as you’re in constant people-pleasing mode.
Surely, you need to help some people sometimes and you need to do the tasks your boss tells you to do. However, you need to learn to say no to multiple requests, especially if you’re working on a task at the moment.
By saying no, you’ll save your energy and contribute toward your goals (4).
Working out offers a huge array of benefits, including mental ones. Engaging in physical exercise ultimately impacts your cognitive abilities such as thinking, learning, remembering, speaking, focusing, and listening (12).
Mental Reset becomes more vital when accompanied by active body movements.
You don’t need to lift weights or do cardio. A brisk walk, riding a bike, or playing any type of sport should do it.
Obviously, as you spend 8 hours per day at your workplace, you need to take care of it. Curate your workplace to make you feel focused and energized. Here are a few tips:
Create a short list of things you need to do the next day in the evening, but make sure it doesn’t become a laundry list of things.
A good tactic is to utilize a 1-3-5 rule to empower your to-do list. You pick one big thing you want to accomplish, then three medium-sized things, and five small things (2).
One of the most damaging things that deteriorates your productivity can be your overboard expectations and demands you place on yourself. Obsessing about doing everything perfectly can hinder your progress and spoil your mood.
Stop focusing on perfection by implementing a timebox – a certain timespan that dictates how long you’ll work on a specific item. The end of the timebox means the task is done. This tactic may gradually remove some pressure.
Read more: Morning and Night Routines to Make You More Productive
When it comes to productivity tips for procrastinators, it’s important to know your personal “energy period”. In simple words, pay close attention to the times of day when you’re most invigorated.
Watch your energy during the day and jot it down in your journal. You’ll be able to spot your prime energy time – the time when you’re at your best.
By tracking these periods of time, you’ll allocate your work more effectively.
What if you’ve tried the aforementioned tips and are still lacking a sense of productivity? Check out these three additional ways to enhance your productivity:
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The 1-3-5 rule of productivity entails doing one major task, three medium tasks, and five small tasks during the day. Starting with the most important and difficult task is your priority at this point. You can incorporate this rule into your workplace routine and other life spheres.
The four practical ways to improve productivity include focusing on one task instead of multitasking, starting with the most difficult tasks and ending with the easy ones, taking short breaks, and eliminating distractions.
The key 5 tips for enhanced productivity include creating a healthier lifestyle routine with better sleep and food, establishing clear goals starting from the high-importance and ending with low-importance tasks, avoiding multitasking, giving yourself a short rest, and eliminating distractions.
Productivity is essential for completing important tasks. When we lose productivity, we should work on regaining it.
If you lack the desire and focus to do something, you may need additional professional help. Contacting your healthcare provider can be a good decision at this point.
It’s important to note that it’s okay to be unproductive as we are all human beings with our own personal stories, problems, and conditions. Be sure to get help if you find it difficult to figure it all out on your own.
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