We all strive to be productive on a day-to-day basis. But it is hard to be productive when you don’t know how to be productive.
In this article, I will tell you how to be more productive by diving into five productivity hacks:
Designate a work area
For a long time, this is something that I ignored. I did homework in the same place that I watched YouTube, read books in the same place I watched T.V, and wrote in the same place that I slept.
This just doesn’t work. Here’s why:
When you try to work in the same place that you relax in, you are going to be much more tempted to feed into distractions. When you are trying to get work done while lying in bed, the chances of you loosing focus and opening Twitter or YouTube are much higher. Of course, when we work, we want to be free of distractions. If you are always distracted, you have a zero percent chance of being productive.
This is why you must designate some sort of work area for yourself.
For me, this work area has been the library. It is a quiet, comfortable environment that works perfectly. When I go to the library, I only focus on work. Most days, before I go to the library, I write down a checklist of things that I would like to get done. Then I don’t leave until I complete those tasks.
Set a schedule
This has been a tricky one for me to actually follow. But its success is undeniable. When I am at my most productive, I am following some sort of daily schedule.
What your schedule includes doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you have one. Setting some sort of schedule is such an important productivity hack because it holds you accountable.
When you want to go sit on the couch and eat chips, you can look at your schedule and say to yourself, “Well, right now I scheduled myself to be reading, so I should probably go do that instead.”
The truth is that being productive and completing work is hard and often unenjoyable. Because of this, many of us avoid this work and choose to watch T.V or scroll social media instead.
With a set schedule, you are much more likely to actually complete your work and say no to distractions.
Take a break
Too many people put too much importance on being productive to the extent that they don’t have any time to engage in hobbies.
Here is a simple reminder: The project you are working on isn’t going anywhere. The post you have been so delicately crafting isn’t going anywhere. Those books that you have been reading aren’t going anywhere.
Allow yourself to take a break. Not only will this break be enjoyable, but you will also return to your work refreshed and ready to be more productive.
Being productive is about using the time that you are given each day effectively. It is not about toiling away in front of a computer screen for hours upon hours.
Take a break, you have earned it.
Avoid multitasking
If you strive to maximize productivity, then you must limit multitasking. While many people claim to be talented at juggling many things at once, the science begs to differ.
Put simply, the human brain is set up to take on one task at a time. If you choose to multitask, know that your productivity will be on the line.
Instead of multitasking, choose to intensely focus on one topic at a time. Instead of watching T.V or eating lunch while trying to get work done, block off a certain amount of time to just focus on what you need to get done. If you have to take more breaks because of this, so be it. This is a trade that is well worth it.
Put first things first
One of the seven habits that Steven Covey wrote about in his now-famous book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” putting first things first is key if you want to be productive.
Being productive isn’t just about getting work done, it is about getting the right work done. This is why you must put first things first.
Putting first things first requires discipline. It is about putting off more enjoyable tasks or work for what you know needs to be done.
If you master the art of putting first things first, your productivity will leap to another level.