7 Tips to Boost Productivity
Productivity seems to be a precious commodity these days.
A rare delicacy we’re all continuously looking to get our hands on like we did flour and toilet paper in the distant haze that was 2020.
It’s something that seems to only be found in small doses that come few and far between, particularly during these endless days of working at home.
And especially as creators, where there is already a constant pressure to turn ideas from mere seeds in our minds to blossoming flowers
having the same 4 blank walls surrounding us all day, imitating that blank page already sitting in front of us can feel overwhelming.
So while we can’t necessarily control or change the state of the world and the fact that we’re stuck in an uninspiring environment all day every day, we can control how we approach our work.
So I thought I would share a list of 7 Tips to Boost Productivity that I’ve picked up over the years as a student/content creator, and that I use as tools to help me get back on track when my motivation is nowhere to be seen.
1. Set a Timer
Time blocking is probably my favourite tool to get me to focus. Large, generalized tasks on my to-do list often get pushed aside and replaced by a dear friend of mine:
procrastination.
And I think it has to do with that overwhelming feeling of not seeing the finish line of that massive essay or 50 page script you have to edit.
But if you set a timer and can see it counting down, you know you won’t be stuck there forever.
And most of the time, I end up working past the timer.
Set a timer for 45 minutes to an hour and just work. No phone. No distractions. Just work for that set period of time, then take a break.
It’s pretty amazing what numbers counting down on a clock can do to kick your brain into gear.
2. Pick 1 Morning Habit
My morning routine is everything to me and has kept me sane this past year.
How you start your morning sets the tone for your day, and something I find really helpful is to have one task in the morning that sets my productivity in motion.
Whether it be making the bed, picking up clothes that have piled up on the floor, a 10 minute tidy - whatever.
A lot of the times, what feels like an overwhelming day ahead is blown out of proportion in our minds.
So picking something to kickstart that productive mindset helps show you that you actually do have the power to get things done.
3. Switch up the view
Now of course, some of us who live in small city apartments with limited rooms to migrate to throughout the days of working at home, it can be really hard to separate our “relax” space from our “work” space.
So, if this is the case for you, try turning your desk around for a day.
Sit facing a different wall. Shift around your decor.
Sometimes even being in the same space but changing up the look, or the direction you look at your space can make all the difference in getting you out of a rut, and back into a state of productive flow.
4. Top 3 Tasks
Prioritization is key.
And prioritizing 10 big things in your day isn’t prioritization.
It’s a thing called: Setting yourself up for disappointment and burnout.
I am terrible for wanting to do a million things at once. But when I do, I find either one of two things happen:
I sit there and get nothing done because I feel too overwhelmed to even start
I do a bit of each task, but don’t actually finish any of them or see any progress.
Then, when I see how little results I get after what feels like a full day of mental work, I give up.
So in the end, there’s just one outcome:
nothing of value actually get’s done.
I get it. Projects are exciting. Life is busy. Tasks are pressing.
But you are human, and you can only do so much at a time.
That’s why I like to pick 3 things. 3 must-do’s for the day and I ensure that I get those things done over anything else on my to-do list.
Any other additional things I get done is just icing on the cake.
When I heard about using this hack from other productivity wizards on the internet, I really started noticing a shift in my feeling of accomplishment and I actually started seeing results.
5. Pick 1 Action Step
When you feel paralyzed from overwhelm or a lack of motivation to do absolutely anything
just pick one, single step.
What’s one thing you can do right now to move yourself towards what you want to be doing?
And it can literally be anything.
But the act of getting up, and putting your mind to one thing and completing it, whether it’s washing a plate that’s been sitting there for a week. Putting on a load of laundry - whatever.
It creates a domino effect. Once you pick up one piece of clothing, you’ll see that other piece of clothing and grab it too while you’re there.
There’s a helpful concept called the five second rule by Mel Robbins. I haven’t read her book on it yet, but I have heard the concept and I’ve found it incredibly effective.
When you find it hard to get yourself to get up and do something, her theory encourages you to just count to five. Because you have about 5 seconds before your brain convinces you it’s too hard and that you should give up.
So once you hit five… get up.
And do it.
6. Take time for Yourself Everyday
I would not have been able to survive this long in the pandemic had I not crafted a morning routine that fit my needs, was mindful and dedicated to myself.
Productivity and accomplishment feels great, but I think in order to really be “productive” and get things done, you need to be sure you’re being mindful. That you’re resting and fuelling yourself and giving yourself time to rest.
Taking even just 10 minutes out of your day to relax, meditate, to reflect and to breathe is so important.
And it’s something the business of our world has taken from us that we need to consciously take back.
Taking time for you helps make sure your focus is in the right place, that you’re actually being “productive”, and gives your mind the break it needs from the endless hustle of life.
7. Reframe your idea of “Productivity”
I don’t like how productivity has almost become a product.
Something we’re all “searching for”.
A dangling carrot and ever elusive state of being that we can never have enough of.
Instead, I think it’s helpful to not assess whether we’re feeling or being “productive” or not, because I feel like no matter how “productive” we are, we can always be more productive.
Instead, focus on what the ultimate result of your search for productivity is:
growth.
Instead of assessing, was I productive? Ask, did I grow?
Focus on the act of moving towards your goals, not matching someone else’s definition of productivity or pace and trying to do better.
You are on your own journey. Focus on you.
Taking steps is what’s important, no matter how small. Steps that shouldn’t be measured on a scale of least productive or more productive, or on a chart that other people’s expectations have created for us.
Because some days, small steps are all we can take. It might not be productive by the general terms that we use to define it, but it is if we did our best.
And that shouldn’t be downplayed just because yesterday we took larger steps or someone else took huge leaps.
Small steps are still steps, nonetheless.
* * *
Now I’m gonna throw in an extra tip that I think is the most important thing of all to remember in our endless pursuit of accomplishing things and following our dreams:
Be Kind.
Be kind to yourself. I’ve definitely noticed a difference when I allow myself to feel unproductive and allow it to be OK to lay in bed sometimes, rather than beating myself up for it.
Beating yourself up doesn’t create motivation, it actually does the opposite.
Compassion is something we all need a little more of these days.
We often try to do too much and ask too much of ourselves, which (thankfully) is something I think we’re becoming more aware of throughout this pandemic.
So try it out.
You might find your rewarded with a more productive mindset when you allow yourself the space to be human and even fail sometimes.
Oof. I know. Hard concept to grasp.
I hope some of these tips gave you a bit of inspiration for how you can take some more steps towards getting to where you want to be when motivation is low.
But remember, they are just tips.
No one formula works for everyone. Take this and any advice you hear as inspiration and do what works for you.
Until next time,
C
