Staying productive and minimizing distractions can be extremely tough sometimes. It’s hard to focus in on what we need to do, especially when it seems like there are a million things to get done and a million more thoughts racing through our minds. In order to stay on track and achieve all of the things you need to get done, here are nine tips and habits you can build to help increase your productivity!
Sometimes just writing down a list of your goals and your outline for the day can help you stay on task and remain productive throughout the hours. If you don’t have any idea of what you need to do, chances are that you’re not going to get anything done. A to-do list will help you focus on that few things that require your attention that day, and then you can check off each task as you complete it (which can feel very productive and help motivate you even further).
When you wake up in the morning, start out by trying to write down a few things you need to accomplish that day. As you continue to do this, get more specific by writing down specific time frames in which things need to get done. Over time you’ll get into the habit of doing this each day, and you’ll end up getting so many things done!
Unless you require your phone to get important work done—which is somewhat rare—turn it off completely for the time frame in which you’re attempting to get work done. If you’re hoping to dedicate an afternoon to getting a few things done, put your phone away and don’t be tempted to go on it for those few hours.
Our phones can be a huge distraction and cause a huge decrease in our productivity. Social media in particular is a big issue and it can interrupt important moments where we’re feeling productive and put a wrench in your progress.
One rule I like to hold myself to is this: if a task is going to take less than fifteen minutes to complete, I do it immediately. This is a great rule to follow if you have lots of smaller tasks to accomplish throughout the day.
For example, if you have to put a load of laundry in but you just can’t make yourself get up to do it, think about how long it’s actually going to take you. Realistically, this is about a five-minute task! If you just force yourself to do these small things, you’ll end up being so much more productive than you ever thought you could be.
Pushing yourself too hard and too much can cause burnout. You don’t want to work so hard that you lose all of your energy and can’t find the strength to go on. Make sure to take breaks and let yourself rest, too! If you’ve spent a couple hours doing work and start to feel yourself losing focus, go stretch a bit and grab a snack!
You have to remember to be kind to yourself and take care of your mind and body. You can’t get anything done or motivate yourself if you don’t get the rest and relaxation that you need. Take breaks, eat food, do fun things, and then come back to your work when you’ve regained some energy.
If you have a list of thirty-some things to get done in one day, chances are that you’re not going to be very successful. You need to be realistic with the goals you set for yourself; don’t stretch yourself to your limits or you’ll end the day feeling dissatisfied and even more unmotivated than usual. If you set realistic standards for yourself, your tasks will feel more manageable, and you’ll be able to get everything done.
The area in which you get work done can have a lot to do with how productive and motivated you feel. If you’re in an empty room with no windows and no color, that’s not very inspiring. At the same time, a room full of people and fun activities is going to be much too distracting.
Make sure you have a workspace that gives you both privacy as well as inspiration. You’ll be more productive if you have a space where you can focus and also enjoy the environment around you.
Skimping out on sleep is a great way to immediately decrease your productivity for the following day. It’s hard to shut off your brain and turn in early sometimes, but you’ll be thanking yourself the next morning for it. There is so much research behind sleep and how we need at least eight to nine hours every night.
If you’re used to staying up until midnight every night, try to set your bedtime to an earlier hour. This may be a challenge, but if you want the next morning to be a productive one, you need lots of rest so that you can recharge your body and your brain.
One of my favorite things to do while I’m working is turn on some classical music that I keep going in the background. Instrumental music has been proven to help the brain focus, and it can be highly motivating, as well. By just having some background music, you can increase your productivity and build this habit so that whenever you play music, you feel extra motivated!
This may come with trial and error, but you need to figure the time of day during which you are most productive and take advantage of that. For instance, if you know that you get some of your best work done in the morning, try waking up a bit earlier and get your most important tasks done during that time period. This time is going to be different for everyone but figuring out yours will help you prioritize tasks and get more stuff done!
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