12 TIPS TO BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY
Are you struggling to get all your tasks done? Time is precious; to get the most of it, you must be organised! Here are 12 tips to get more things done!
1. DO THE HARDEST TASK FIRST. By doing that, you will avoid unnecessary stress. What it's done, it's done; you don't need to think about it anymore, and you will also gain a sense of accomplishment, which will help you to be in an excellent mood to achieve your following tasks.
2. BREAK DOWN YOUR GOALS. Everyone has a lot of ambitions at the beginning of something. However, many people give up on their dreams because their projects seem unattainable. Try to break down your goals. This will help you to make your desires more achievable. You can create a map of what you need to do to accomplish your plans; this is the best way to make sure you won't get discouraged. For example, your goal is to increase your social media reach by 20% this year. To realise that, you need to divide these goals into smaller tasks and attribute some times every day for these jobs. These tasks may be:
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Create a post every day
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Engage 30 minutes daily
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Responds to all comments daily
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Publish at least five stories every day
Don't forget to use the SMART method when setting goals. Each goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bounded.
3.HAVE A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP. As reported by a Havard study in 2007, sleep deprivation reduces efficiency and makes you more likely to make mistakes. Besides, sleeping well helps your mood, sparks your creativity, decreases your stress and improves memory.
4.LISTEN TO PRODUCTIVE MUSIC. A study from November 2016 found that 79% of people can boost their productivity by listening to music. Moreover, some studies show that listening to classical music can have a calming effect on heart rate, blood pressure and release stress-reducing hormones in the brain. Lastly, hearing music releases a chemical called dopamine (responsible for happiness). If you're looking for productive songs, try the focus playlist on apple music! I love to listen to it when I'm working.
6.SCHEDULE IN TIME FOR SELF-CARE. Time off pays off. Self-care is vital to be productive; when you practise self-care, you evacuate stress and anxiety that can harm your work quality. According to Dr Russel Thackeray, a licensed Clinical Psychologist who consults on the term productivity, "People that look after themselves [and practice self-care] do have the better cognitive ability. They do have better focus, and they do have better concentration." Self-care also provides alone time. While social interaction is essential for good mental health, alone time is also beneficial for you. Science demonstrates that alone time can develop creativity, stimulate mental strength and improve empathy and productivity. Besides, it allows you to reflect on ideas and thoughts, solve problems and helps to know yourself better.
7.TURN OFF YOUR NOTIFICATIONS. Your phone can be a big distraction when you're working. One notification pop-up, and you can't stop yourself from replying to that message or email. You might think that is fine as you need only two minutes to answer; however, be careful; time flies when you are looking at your phone screen.Usually people end up spending more time than they should on their mobile instead of completing meaningful work.
8.PLAN YOUR DAY AHEAD. Write down a to-do list one day in advance with your three most urgent tasks. Waking up knowing what you have to do helps you to stay more focused and concentrated on your duties. Your to-do list shouldn't count more than three tasks as you should keep your goals achievable to don't feel discouraged and overwhelmed.
9.EAT HEALTHY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. Alimentation has a massive impact on your mood and energy level. Eating well-balanced meals will aid you to feel more energised, which helps boost productivity. Our Ginger and Turmeric shot is an excellent drink to add to your healthy diet. Consuming Turmeric is linked to improved memory, cognitive function, and ginger linked to increased energy levels. This beverage can increase your productivity!
- BE ACTIVE. Exercising can improve your cognitive skills and memory. In his book "The Revolutionary New Science of Exercising and The Brain", Dr Ratey explains that exercise stimulates nerve cells to connect, which is the cellular basis for logging new information. It also tells that training optimises your mindset to increase alertness, attention and motivation!
- GET UP EARLY: Setting up your alarm early in the morning leaves you the time you need to start your day right. It's nice to be awake when others are still sleeping. You have more quiet time to do things that you would otherwise be too distracted to do!
- OPEN YOUR WINDOW AND DRINK WATER WHEN YOU FEEL TIRED. I realised that sometimes I feel tired in the middle of the day because I didn't drink enough water. I guess many of you must be focused on the work ahead of you and forget about drinking throughout the day. However, water is an essential part of our body, and dehydration is one of the first causes of tiredness.
Something that I also found useful when feeling fatigued is to open my window. Breathing the fresh air can really be revitalising!
In conclusion, the best way to stay productive is to stay healthy and organize your task in a SMART way to attain your goals!