5 tips that will boost your productivity
Is it just me, or are we all waking up wishing there were a few more minutes in the day to get through our ‘To-Do’ lists? The goal, of course, is to complete as many of them as possible without feeling completely stressed out. Since time’s one thing we can’t get more of, we’ve got to use our minutes as efficiently as possible.
Productivity is a tricky thing, though. How do our minds work? How can we control when we feel ready to get our jobs done and when we inevitably end up slacking off? Our approach to each new workday can be unpredictable.
According to Forbes, it takes a lot of research to really understand what’s going on in the human brain. Ilya Pozin, founder of Ciplex, points out that sometimes we’re interested in tackling really meaty projects. On some days, we’re ready to be productive, but on others we’re derailed simply because social media is distracting or the temperature drops by a few degrees.
Every day when I get in to the office, I am faced with a number of these distractions. Fortunately, I have developed a number of “productivity hacks” which I use to ensure I remain as efficient as possible.
Learn to love lists
Track everything you need to accomplish in a list and check them off as you get them done. There are many free online tools that you can use such as Teux Deux, Trello and Asana which work great for individuals or team. Personally, I prefer old-fashioned pen and paper because I remember things better when I write them down. If you choose this method, it’s important to have a system to keep your notebook organised as your notes and to-do lists will easily mix together and become difficult to track.
Plan your week
At the end of each week, I bullet out the main things I accomplished “This Week” and the tasks I plan to accomplish “Next Week” and send it to my bosses along with a list of anything I need from them. I also ask my team members to do the same. It’s a quick way to summarise what’s been done and to build yourself a plan for next week so that you can hit the ground running Monday morning . It is also an easy way to ensure you and your team are aligned. A great web-based option for managing this process with your team is 15Five.
Time yourself
To blaze through your to-do lists, mark time in your calendar to accomplish a task, just as you would book time for a meeting. Once you’ve found dedicated time to complete your work, use a timer to count down 20 or 30 minute blocks of focused work time. I saved this 30 minute timer to my favourite’s toolbar and use it to help stay focused. You can also use the timers on your smartphone.
Do the little things
There are plenty of small changes you can make that can have a big impact. Make playlists of your favourite music – I love Spotify and 8Tracks for this. Put your phone in airplane mode or away in a safe place so it doesn’t distract. Pick certain times to check on email and social media, such as once an hour (or less frequently if you can get away with it!). Even the smallest improvement can have a profound effect on your productivity each day.
Take care of yourself
Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself! Getting enough sleep and exercising regularly give you the mental energy you need to tackle your day. That mental energy you need to complete tasks can also be recovered when you take regular breaks. According to this infographic on LifeHack.org, even a 30 second to 5 minute microbreak can increase your mental acuity by an average of 13%.
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