Productivity directly relates to smart planning and staying focused. The real challenge is to remain focused and sometimes it can be really tiresome especially when you have a set pattern of work or a routine. There may be times where you zone out and just stare at the list of the items that remain incomplete. At the end of the day you may have completed one task or none at all leaving you dissatisfied and it pushes you further down the aisle of self-doubt.
There are things you can do to make your day more productive so you have a feeling of contentment for having fulfilled your tasks at the end of the day.
1. Create a to-do list
Right off the bat, maintain a to-do list. Write all your important and upcoming tasks, events and things that matter the most. The most important ones are right at the top so you do not procrastinate and delay it till the very last minute. The best feeling is going back to that list and crossing it off, the sense of accomplishment is unmatched.
Focus on smaller goals; choose the easiest task from the list and work from there. Less is more, even a minuscule of a task could hinder in the way like a giant rock sometimes so take it easy and complete the most basic of tasks first and move towards the harder ones. Even if the first thing that you need to do is a tough one, break it down into smaller bits and finish them one step at a time.
2. Incentivize
The incentive theory of motivation entails that people feel motivated and are more driven towards accomplishing something when they believe there will be a reward as a result. This theory does not work only in workplaces but it’s general human nature that we tend to work efficiently and more proactively once a reward of some sort is promised. The reward is subjective according to situations but it helps in keeping focus
Whilst focusing on working towards a goal, always reward yourself for motivation. It could be a very small thing for instance, for every two pages of an article you complete, take a bite from your favorite chocolate, or watch an episode of your favorite TV show. It could be anything you like doesn’t even have to be too small or too big.
3. Eliminate Distractions
One of the biggest hindrances to completing tasks is the factor of getting distracted. People tend to get distracted while engaging in some work they generally do not like or understand. Understanding your assignment is a vital step towards achieving it. When you feel like you’ve understood the assignment, you do not lose your focus and it gets completed way quickly.
Another important factor is being constantly connected to social media platforms and checking your feed needlessly. If not social media then people also have this habit of keeping on checking their emails. This time could be put to productive exercises but instead, it goes to waste.
So minimizing distractions and making good use of the time is very important to remain productive. Put that phone away till the job at hand gets done.
4. Timely Breaks
Taking breaks holds significance while working because sitting at a desk for long hours can hurt you physically as well as dent your efficiency. Spending 8-10 hours sitting can be very exhausting and it will most definitely leave you out of energy. The best solution to this is to take breaks in between, walk around if there is space, put on your favorite music and zone out for a while.
Productivity will increase because you will feel refreshed and more energetic. You don’t have to push yourself beyond your limits to think you have been productive, it’s all about efficiently get the job done and not about how many hours you sat at your desk.
5. Getting Started
A major problem that leads to procrastination is figuring out how to start working on things and tasks. This results in dropping what you wanted to do entirely because you tell yourself you’ll do it later. People spend a lot of time on conditions or a perfect situation whereas the perfect scenario does not exist. You make the most of what you get. So quit figuring out how to start but get going, everything will fall in place eventually.
These are just a few ways to keep yourself focused and dedicated to increasing your productivity and efficiency throughout the day. Everyone can have their own different ways of being productive like taking a break, bringing in incentives to increase motivation and decrease stress levels. While working it’s important to keep a balance between working and not hurting your health.