You’ve been working your way through your to-do list for what feels like hours, and for some reason you just can’t seem to make a dent in it. Why not? Why has productivity forsaken you? Well, never mind why it went, here’s how to bring the productivity back!
- Start with the small stuff
What are the smaller tasks that you need to get done? Things like pay your electric bill, or water the house plants, or vacuum your bedroom. Do these smaller tasks first and get them out of the way to make your list that much shorter that much quicker. Your sense of achievement will spur you on to your next task and give you the motivation to do the bigger and bigger tasks as you go.
- Look back at what you’ve done
Take some time to review what you’ve managed to do so far. Seeing how far you’ve come will give you the boost you need to keep going.
- Get some fresh air
Everyone needs to take a break. Even if your list is massive and you feel like you have no time; you need to take a break in order to keep going (and keep from going mad). Talking a walk outside on one of your breaks will get your feel-good endorphins going, and so when you come back to your list, you’ll be more energized, refreshed, and able to keep going.
- Clear your mind (by clearing your desk)
Being surrounded by mess and by distractions is not conducive to a productive day. Take a few minutes at the end of each day to make your desk clean and tidy. Not only will it be the signal to your brain that you can switch off and relax now because work time is over, but it’ll give you a lovely clean workspace to come to each morning.
- Put your phone on silent
It sounds obvious, but your phone is a big distraction. While you’re busy and need to focus, keep it on silent and with the vibrate turned off. If you’re expecting an important call and so can’t do this, create a profile where the important numbers will sound, but notifications and messages won’t vibrate or ping your phone when they arrive.
- Set reminders
If you’re in the zone, you may forget to drink regularly and to stop for food. These are essentials, if you don’t stay hydrated and fed then your productivity will drop massively. Fact. To make sure that you can stay focused, AND remember to eat and to drink and to take breaks, try setting alarms on your phone to remind you (and ensure that your silent mode won’t prevent them from going off!).
