5 Things You Can Do To Be Or Feel More Productive
First of all, hello people from Steemit! This is my first post here, but I don't love introducing myself, so I decided to go straight to a blog post. Shortly, I'm Juli. I'll be posting about positivity, life hacks & things I learnt, music, TV shows, etc. You can find me putting on some tunes on The Steem Experience from times to times!
If you ever feel distracted, unproductive, tired or too sleepy to function, this post is for you.
In my years of working and studying, I’ve learnt a few things that might help you stay focused or feel more productive. Please note that the tips below work for me, but everyone has a different way of doing things.
1. Set Goals And Realistic Deadlines
It might seem like you have a lot to do, but if you break your work into small tasks, it may get easier. Start by setting goals and deadlines for each task. It’s important to set realistic deadlines, so you don’t overload yourself or get anxious about not being able to complete it in time.
Let’s say you have a blog post to write but you have no idea where to begin. Start by setting yourself small tasks (think of these as mini goals): In this example:
1 – Figure out the subject of the Post.
2 – Write down ideas for the Post title.
3 – Write down section headers that make up the content of the blog (think of it as Chapter prompts that you want to include).
After you have created your list, give them deadlines – in our example:
“Figure out the subject of the post” = the end of the day.
All work and No Play...sucks!
If you completed the goal successfully, why not reward yourself? Take some deserved time to enjoy your favorite TV show, YouTube/DTube channel, or whatever you’re into :)
2. Take Breaks
Ok, this may sound a little counterproductive. The truth is - a tired mind & body doesn't function to its fullest, even with the best motivation to work. Small breaks can help you relax and get in a better mood. Talking about relaxing, short naps are known for it. As this New York Time Article mentions:
“In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers tested subjects on their perceptual performance four times throughout the day. Performance deteriorated with each test, but subjects who took a 30-minute nap between tests stopped the deterioration in performance, and those who took a 60-minute nap even reversed it."
If you’re not a nap taker, there’re plenty of other options. Do something that will take your mind off work and enjoy the break, like, going for a walk, sitting on a comfy sofa... or having a small piece of cake with a cup of coffee 😋
3. Wake Up Naturally
Your mood for the day starts as soon as you wake up. Did you ever hear the expression “Got up on the wrong side of the bed”? In this case, we’re being almost literal about it.
Waking up in the morning might be a very difficult everyday task if you’re not doing it in the better possible way. If you’re having a really deep sleep and the alarm goes off, chances are that you’re going to get frustrated, irritated and still feel tired. From my experience, waking up naturally makes me feel much more invigorated and ready to start the day.
One great tip I use every day to help wake up early and naturally is to open the bedroom shutter/curtain to let the natural light enter in the morning. When the light comes in, we tend to naturally get more alert and progressively wake up. This works for me but, as I mentioned before, it might not work for everyone else.
If you don’t have the flexibility to wake up naturally, you can try using apps like Sleep Cycle that analyze your sleep pattern and wakes you up in your lightest sleep phase. It would be the closest to waking up naturally, but with an alarm clock.
4. Write Your Ideas Down ASAP
I often have my most brilliant ideas when I’m not at my work desk or actively trying to think of them – Most ideas pop into my head just before I fall asleep, or when I am walking my dog, taking a shower, or sitting on a train commuting, etc. If you’re anything like me in that sense, this tip is for you:
Write your ideas down, no matter when or where
Document it with your phone, a piece of paper, napkin, anything at your reach.
Most of the times, when I’m thinking of work, I actually “compose it” in my head - all the sentences, all the visuals, all the ‘funny’ parts. However, if I don't write them down at that instant, they soon fade away (as life has a lovely way of distracting us) and when I go back to sit at my desk to work, all them concise ideas don't seem as clear, clever, or easy to remember.
Even if the idea seems silly, not doable, not relevant or even impossible, make a note of it when you’re having the “epiphany”. Maybe your future self will be impressed (and thankful) with yourself from the past.
If you’re having trouble solving a problem or developing an idea, you can always discuss with someone else. Another person can look at it in a different perspective and add fresh thoughts.
5. Eat Small Amounts of Food More Frequently & Be Healthy
This is probably the most indirect tip for making you feel better, so you can be more productive. Your body health influences your mental health and vice versa. It may sound obvious, but being healthy helps improve energy, focus and your well being overall.
Our eating habits are crucial to making or breaking our performance. Many times I have caught myself being so focused on work, that most of the day has gone by and I have not eaten anything. I end up so hungry that I will eat too much at once to compensate. Needless to say, after I finish my 'calorie bomb compensation' meal, I feel bloated, tired, sleepy and unfocused.
"When we eat a big meal, the sugar level in our blood rises, but once that meal is digested that blood sugar level falls, taking your energy and mood with it." Daily Mail
Eating smaller meals more often, through the day, makes it easier for the body to process the food and turn it into energy you need to keep going. The type of food is also important, so the choices you make give your body the nutrients and vitamins necessary to keep healthy. In a future post, we can go through some healthy foods choices you can have throughout the day to make you feel satisfied.
Hope these tips were helpful to you in some way. Do you already use any of them? or, do you have any other tips and tricks to help keep productive and focused? Would love to know in the comments. Thank you for reading this far!! :)
All images from Unsplash