Looking for a way to maximize your daily output? While that seems like a daunting task, it may be easier than you think. We can all use some help tackling our to-do lists on a daily and weekly basis.
Maximizing your productivity is helpful because it allows you to get more done in a short amount time, it leads to greater work satisfaction, and it has the potential to increase your income (whether you are self-employed or work for a company).
Here are 3 proven tips to help you improve your productivity. Ready to smash those goals? Let’s get started!
Work Smarter With Time Batching
Time batching is a method where you focus on common or similar tasks during a set amount of time. For example, if you’re a blogger, you can set aside one day to write all your content and another day to take all your photos.
This method is effective because studies show that your brain works best when focusing on one type of task. An article in The New Yorker explains how people thrive when focused on one task, and struggle when trying to multitask. The article states that “each time someone tried to focus on more than one thing at a time, performance suffered.”
Time batching allows you to really focus on a task and give it your all, which also leads to better quality of your work.
Get More Done With The Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro technique, created by Francisco Cirillo, is a specific method of breaking down your tasks into 25-minute time-frames, followed by 5 minute breaks in between these time-frames (known as Pomodoros).
This technique is related to the time-batching method previously mentioned, as it plays into the fact that people usually excel when focusing on single tasks at a time.
A study by Michigan State University proved that interruptions (even short timed distractions) doubled the rate of errors when completing tasks.
The Pomodoro technique works to improve your focus and eliminate those distractions, allowing you to get more quality work done.
Gain Momentum With Scheduled Breaks
Did you know that you could actually perform tasks better by going on a break? It’s true. Working long stretches of time without breaks in between will wear down your mind, negatively affecting your concentration and critical thinking abilities.
It’s also much worse for creative workers, such as writers and artists, because long stretches of work make it harder to come up with creative ideas. This also affects you even if you work in non-creative fields, since wearing down your mind makes it difficult to come up with creative solutions to problems.
The solution? Take a breather! A Scientific American article states that “Downtime replenishes the brain’s stores of attention and motivation, encourages productivity and creativity, and is essential to both achieve our highest levels of performance and simply form stable memories in everyday life.”
Wrapping Up
You now know 3 proven and effective strategies to improve your productivity and create better quality work. It’s time to get out there and conquer your workday!
Have you tried any of these strategies, or have your own technique of getting things done? Share in the comments below!