If we could name one thread that units virtually everyone, it’s the idea that everyone wants to be more productive in their personal lives and careers. How many times have you sat around thinking about all the things you could accomplish if you were just a little bit more involved and productive?
There are plenty of tricks that can help you reach your lofty goals. We are going to look at five ways you can start changing your routine and accomplish more. The best part about these tricks is they are all backed up by scientific research.
Let’s dive in!
Write Down Your Goals Daily
If you want to jump start your productivity, start writing down the personal and professional tasks you hope to accomplish every day. Research shows that writing down your goals for the day helps reinforce the task in your brain, and gives you time to consider how you are going to tackle each goal. Some people consider writing to be therapeutic and similar to meditation.
You can write down your tasks on everything, including scrap paper, a pocket notebook, or even a calendar. If you want to increase the chance that you’ll tackle your workload for the day, write down the tasks by hand and then type them up on your digital calendar.
Avoid Multi-Tasking
Most people like to brag that they are capable of multi-tasking. However, according to research by Dr. Cynthia Kubu, a neuropsychologist at Cleveland Clinic, only 2.5 percent of people are capable of this seemingly easy feat.
The problem with multitasking is it prevents your brain from putting all the focus on one task. As a result, you’re likely to make simple mistakes and take longer to complete the tasks you hope to accomplish.
Depending on your situation, there are multiple solutions to this issue. If you are working on tasks in your personal life, switch to working on one task at a time. If you’re in a professional environment you can delegate extra tasks to employees in your company, or if the work is going to be long-term, consider outsourcing to an agency.
Take More Small Breaks
Small breaks are vital to productivity, especially if you’re in a creative slump. Despite the fact that we work better when we are focusing on one task at a time, it can be counterproductive to focus on one task for too long.
Most experts agree that the best time to take a break is every 20 minutes. Hold on one second though. A break every 20 minutes is much different than the breaks many of us are used to taking. Instead of a 15 to 20-minute break every couple hours, take a break for a few minutes every 20 minutes. Use this time to get a cup of coffee, respond to friends, or read a couple of pages from your favorite book.
These small shifts in focus force our brains to approach situations differently compared to staring glossy-eyed and out of ideas while creating a website or working on a complicated spreadsheet.
Find Your Groove
Listening to music is another excellent way to boost your productivity. Your taste in music, mood, and your current task could affect what genre will work best for you. According to Psychology Today, music can make you more productive, especially if you’re working on repetitive tasks. Similarly, the right tunes can give you a jump start and help you with creative tasks and cognitive functions.
There are some people who benefit from sounds from nature like rain, or white noise such as tv static. These low, repetitive sounds help those who need to concentrate while working on low-information, high volume work.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, we all want to improve how productive we are in our home and professional lives. These tricks are designed to help you make the most of your time. As you become accustomed to these habits, you’ll find that you are a happier, healthier, and more productive individual.