Productivity is key for success, but it is not always easy. There are many distractions that can prevent us from being productive.
It may also be difficult to concentrate on anything uninteresting or repetitive.
This article will show you how to develop simple habits that will help you become more productive and to achieve your goals.
Table of Content:
- The Worst First
- The Two-Minute Rule
- The Done List
- Meaningful Conversations
- Success Oriented Thinking
- Incremental Organization
- Dedicated Spots
- Hydrated Energy
- Daily Scheduling
- Task Breakdown
- Small Rewards
- Productive Silence
1. The Worst First
Many people procrastinate on their least favorite activities.
You tell yourself, I'll do it after lunch, but after lunch becomes the end of the day and the end of the day becomes the end of the week.
This chore never gets done because you always find new reasons to procrastinate.
So how do you stop this destructive cycle? Don't save your least favorite activities until the end of the day, do them right now.
Make your least favorite tasks your priority.
Let's look at your to-do list, Pick the worst thing on your list and tackle that terrible job right away and when it's done you'll notice a huge boost in productivity.
Why? because this habit makes everything else feel easier.
Once the worst is out of the way, your other tasks will feel like a breeze.
2. The Two-Minute Rule
Every productive day begins with a hurdle, you have a mountain of responsibilities right there in front of you.
You know you should get started, but you struggle to motivate yourself.
So how do you jump headfirst into a day full of work?
The answer is... you don't!
Anyone would be intimidated by hours and hours of work.
It's too big of a pill to swallow but the two-minute rule gets your day started faster and easier.
So the two-minute rule is really simple, normally you think I have so many hours of work today how will I get all of this done? But using the two-minute rule you don't have to work for hours on end.
You only have to work for two minutes (just 120 seconds) and then you're done, but how does this habit make you more productive?
Well, the two-minute rule gets the ball rolling and nine times out of ten that's the biggest hurdle standing in your way.
By working for two minutes it's easier to work for 10 minutes and when you've worked for 10 minutes you can work for half an hour and before you know it you've done an hour of work. All thanks to those first two minutes of productivity.
3. The Done List
Many people use lists to track all the things on their plates, but what about all the stuff you've already finished? what about the accomplishments you've checked off your list?
You're so focused on what you have left to do that you may not recognize what you've already done.
To use this habit start keeping a done list.
A done list contains everything that you've checked off your to-do list.
You may be asking yourself if the task's already done what's the point of keeping another list? Your done list plays a very important role, it gives you a sense of pride and recognition.
You can look back at all that you've accomplished and you can feel proud of the work you've done.
Pride and recognition are excellent motivators, so don't forget to appreciate your hard work.
4. Meaningful Conversations
Here's a habit that very few people practice. Did you know that a meaningful conversation can increase your productivity?
Productivity requires more than just a good work ethic.
You could slog away for hours, but if you're not in the right state of mind you're not going to do your best work.
So if you want to increase your productivity pay attention to your mindset and enthusiasm.
If you lift your spirits then you'll create higher quality work and a lot more of it.
Meaningful conversations are one of the best ways to give yourself a mental boost, talk to a friend, or family member, smile, and laugh with someone; spend 15 minutes enjoying someone else's company, because 15 minutes is all it takes to give your mindset a much-needed boost.
5. Success Oriented Thinking
At the end of every day, what do you think about it?
Many people reflect on all the mistakes they've made; you didn't submit a project on time you missed an important email, even after the workday is over you continue beating yourself up.
If you want to be more productive, don't dwell on your failures.
Instead, find time to appreciate your successes, so every day after work take five minutes to think about something that you've accomplished, ask yourself what did I do today that I'm proud of.
This is called success-oriented thinking, it teaches you to believe in your ability to succeed and that self-belief encourages you to work harder.
6. Incremental Organization
Are you surrounded by clutter?
Clutter is one of many environmental factors that influences your productivity.
Clutter has been linked to increases in creativity, but it's also associated with laziness and a lack of organization.
So if your workspace is messy; don't worry about organizing the entire space in one go it's just going to get messy again, instead try this habit to improve your workspace and maintain a clutter-free zone.
At the end of every day, put away three small items.
Put your pencils back in your pencil cup file some papers away in your cabinet spend a few minutes cleaning your keyboard.
That's it! You're done for the day.
If you do this every day your clutter will disappear your workspace will stay organized and your environment will have a positive impact on your productivity.
7. Dedicated Spots
Do you lose your keys? Are you constantly searching for your phone?
This happens to the vast majority of people and it creates an unnecessary amount of stress in your life.
Luckily there's an easy way to organize your belongings.
Just pick one spot in your room and dedicate that spot to a specific item, you think of that spot like it's home from now on.
So when you walk in the door all you have to do is put each item where it belongs, with this habit you'll never lose your keys again; you'll never be late because you couldn't find your keys and every time you need something. It'll be right where it belongs.
8. Hydrated Energy
Do you stay hydrated throughout the day? With the hustle and bustle of your busy schedule; you may forget about simple things like drinking a glass of water, but this small habit has a huge impact on your energy levels, and your productivity.
When you're dehydrated, you get slow, lethargic, and cranky.
You can't perform at your best because your brain needs water to function.
So start every day by drinking a tall glass of water, you'll stay hydrated you'll wake up faster and you'll notice a burst of energy first thing in the morning.
9. Daily Scheduling
You've got a long day in front of you, and you feel stressed.
The pressure's getting to you.
So you think about procrastinating.
Whenever you're feeling overwhelmed by your work a little scheduling can go a long way.
The best time to schedule your work is the night before just sit down with your to-do list arrange your priorities, and divide up your time.
Pick what you'll do in the morning, plan out your afternoon, and then make time for breaks in between.
When you wake up in the morning, you don't have to do any of the heavy liftings because you did all the hard work the night before. All you have to do now is follow your schedule.
10. Task Breakdown
Many people give up on their goals because their goals are just too big.
You want to accomplish these extraordinary dreams, but you have no idea how to get from point A to point B.
That confusion leads to procrastination; you don't know where to start, so you never do.
Setting goals is like eating a meal, you can't eat your entire meal in one bite you have to cut your food into smaller pieces, and then eat them one by one.
So you do the same thing with your goals, you slice them down into smaller digestible chunks; you divide your most overwhelming tasks into simple steps.
This habit offers you a sense of direction, and it gives you the courage to get started on your dreams.
11. Small Rewards
Do you reward yourself for the work you d? Most people don't, But you deserve a reward for your productivity.
Just think about, it each time you choose to be productive; you're also choosing to avoid your bad habits. You're making a good decision, and good decisions are worth celebrating.
But some rewards do more harm than good, for example: If you spend too much time on social media, you don't reward yourself with more of the same.
You should find rewards that nurture your personal growth; take a walk outside, or read a chapter of a book.
These rewards soothe and relax your brain while maintaining a productive state of mind, in other words, your brain stays engaged, and when your break's over. You'll jump right back into your work, feeling rested and ready to go.
12. Productive Silence
Phones are some of the most popular distractors.
They're gateways to social media games and all kinds of applications.
There are limitless ways to waste your time on your phone. So if you struggle with productivity, those time wasters are going to be a huge obstacle, but there's an easy way to get your phone out of your mind.
First, turn the sound off:
That familiar ding.. is one of the most distracting sounds in the world. As soon as you hear your phone ding, you feel compelled to check your messages.
Your brain starts wondering who could be trying to talk to you, don't give your brain the chance to get distracted, cut the problem off at the source.
As an extra precaution put your phone somewhere that you can't see it the more access you have to your phone the more likely you are to waste your time.
Guide:
What do you think has helped you the most, to achieve your goals and be productive on a daily basis?
Comment down below the most helping habits with you
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