Do You Think You Waste a Lot of Time by Being Unproductive? Here’s How You Can Get Rid of This Habit.
People are busy all the time but rarely anything gets done. Wonder why? Because sounding busy is fancier than actually getting stuff done.
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With that being said, here are 15 Productivity Habits to Win Back Your Time & Life.
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1
Break It Up
“How do you eat an elephant?” One bite at a time, of course! If you think only of the end goal, it seems insurmountable. Break it into smaller tasks to feel empowered.
By tackling projects this way, if there is a small failure along the way, it doesn’t seem like everything is a massive flop. It’s easier to manage and rectify and before you know it, you’re back on the right path to your goal.
2
Preparation Is Key
This is true for every facet of life. If you pack your own lunch to work, getting it ready the night before is going to save you precious time and anxiety the following morning.
Having your gym bag packed and at the door, eliminates the desire to call in “sick” because you’re all geared up to go and meal-prepping your weeks dinners, saves you time and money.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.”
3
Manage Energy, Not Time
From BBC to Forbes, they have all published articles stating the importance of managing energy over time.
When you are low on energy, you can’t perform at your best.
Working late into the night or on weekends is going to absorb all your energy, and leave you feeling like you’ve got nothing left to give. It’s not more time you need to work, but rather to manage your energy so that when you do work, you maximise a set amount of time, well.
4
Forget Email
Not all together, of course, but to become more productive you must break the habit of constantly checking your email.
Business Insider affirms that when we are distracted by emails, we don’t focus on our true priorities.
They suggest the following:
– Make email more obscure on your PC or phone.
– Schedule in priorities so that less important distractions don’t take over.
– Have a plan in place so you transition from one task to the next easily.
5
You Need the Right Tools for the Right Job
Aluxers, this is a point we have stressed from the beginning, and it’s worth repeating. You cannot be productive when you don’t have the right equipment to do your job properly.
Good internet, reliable hardware, dedicated workspace and a desk chair that actually works, are all important in saving you time, reducing anxiety and being productive.
6
Focus by Using the Pomodoro Technique
This technique was invented by Francesco Cirillo in the late 80s. He called it the Pomodoro Technique because he used a Pomodoro timer to break down his work intervals.
Now the technique is used by millions around the world.
It’s easy to do:
– Select a task.
– Set a timer for 25-minutes to focus solely on that task.
– If you get distracted, write it down and get back to your original task.
– Take a 5-minute break when the timer goes off.
– After 4 sessions, take a longer break.
7
Get a Routine That Works
Early bird or night owl, kids at school or SAHM, everybody’s routine is unique. No point trying to be super productive at 9pm when your eyes are beginning to shut, or if the thought of waking up at 4am makes you curl up further in your comforter, than that’s not for you.
Figure out your most productive time during the day and use the Pomodoro technique to maximise that time and get the most out of it.
8
Forget the “Hard Grind”
Being busy and being productive are two completely different things. Being busy and working 24/7 does not mean you are productive, it means you are spent and burnt out.
Grinding away day in and day out must stop for you to be more productive.
Founder of Examine.com, Sol Orwell, spoke to Success Magazine Journalist, Paul Milano, and said “Real focused work is incredibly powerful, and most people just never do that. I’m not a big fan of grinding, as your out-put and quality suffer greatly.”
9
Reflect on past Mistakes, Learn from Them, and Put Them behind You
Easier said than done, we know. But what a waste of energy worrying constantly about something you did wrong. Take the time to reflect on the error, take the lesson with you and then close the chapter.
You’re not meant to carry that mistake with you forever… and honestly, your mistake can not be anywhere near the mistakes we featured recently in our video Top 10 Most Expensive Mistakes in History. Be sure to check it out so you can feel better about yourself.
10
Perfect the “To Do” List
Forbes is a fan of the “to do” list, but it’s what you do with the list that really counts.
Firstly, it’s quality over quantity. You’re not a harder worker because you’ve got a longer list that you’re managing to tick off.
Secondly, it’s not there to make yourself feel like a failure. If the list is too long, you’re never going to tick off everything, and then you’ll feel bad about yourself. That’s not worth it.
Keep it simple, doable, and concise.
11
Hone Your Skills
We cannot be good at everything, it’s impossible. Accept that and stop wasting precious time trying to do everything yourself.
If you need help designing a website, get it. You’re better off paying someone who knows what they’re doing. The alternative is that you do it, it looks like sh*t, you’ve wasted time and then still have to pay someone to do it.
Don’t struggle away at something… if you don’t have the right skill, then outsource it or upskill yourself.
12
Outsource What You Shouldn’t Be Doing
While we’re on outsourcing, you could take it one step further. If you really want to be more productive with what you love, than consider outsourcing tasks – even if you can do them yourself.
If you’re trying to be productive but your taxes are a drain on your time, then outsource them. At least you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’re being done properly, and you’ve got time and energy to focus elsewhere.
13
Stop Multitasking
Multi-tasking is a myth! Earl Miller, an expert on divided attention, claims “The brain is not wired to multitask.” He adds, “When people think they’re multitasking, they’re actually just switching from one task to another very rapidly and every time they do, there’s a cognitive cost.”
Multitasking basically means being bad at multiple things, all at once.
Another way of increasing productivity is by taking help from some useful apps. Check out 15 Apps That Force You to Be More Productive
14
Add Daily Exercise
Exercise is not just good for our health and mood, but it also increases productivity. Researchers from University of Otago in New Zealand studied lab rats who ran 20 minutes a day. These rats could problem-solve, showed persistence, and had strategy-execution skills that exceeded rats that had not run.
We realize you’re no rat, but the evidence is there. Even a brisk walk will increase your productivity and let’s not lie – you’ll start feeling fitter, looking better, and gaining confidence – all of which will make you more productive.
And look, we get it, it’s hard to explain to someone that spending time walking will make him/her more productive. It’s just one of those things you have to see with your own eyes. So trust us, go have a walk.
15
Switch off Distractions
This is the least popular of all productivity tips… stop the scroll, switch off social media, and eliminate the pings to get your work done.
There is no sugar-coating it, you just need to put the distractions away, and focus on the task at hand.
Better yet, delete social media from your phone. You can always check instagram from your laptop, but you WILL ALWAYS check instagram from your phone, while taking a 40 minutes dump.
Remember, these companies are spending millions to get you hooked. Don’t make it easy for them.
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What habit did you put in place to win back your time? Let’s get a conversation going in the comments!
