I’ve always wanted to get the most out of my 24 hours but it is never that easy, I know we all feel the same way.
From the moment I entered the freelancing career I’ve always wanted to squeeze everything into the day, I couldn’t afford to waste a single minute. I have read so many many books and articles about helpful productivity tips in search for the right one that would work perfectly for me.
Here’s a summary of what we’re going to discuss:
- How to be productive – Mindmap of 35 Habits
- Why do we need to be a productive busy bee?
- My 7 unusually dead simple productivity tips
How To Be Productive – Mindmap of 35 Habits
Credit: Funders and Founders
Before diving into my productivity tips, let us first look at this image. There have been loads of articles explaining this image and I think it is worth sharing.
If you are doing most of what is in this image, you probably are very successful in life. This Mindmap shows the 35 habits of very productive people.
Productivity summarized from technology, body, schedule, and even clothes.
I believe that it covers the basics and the simplest things to remember to get the most out of our days. I usually keep these tips in mind all the time.
I know action speaks louder than words, and it is not easily implemented in our daily life. Especially if we are relatively new to this system.
Remember, if you want a new result you must have a new mindset!
Why do we need to be a productive busy bee?
- We want work to be easy.
- We want to do more.
- More time for our family, for rest, for our hobbies and leisure.
- Room for improvement.
- To do something different.
No matter what our reason is, there are always tips you can find but what if all of those common tips aren’t really working well for you?
I’d like to share with you, my own 7 not-so-common productivity tips, which I’ve tried and tested for myself and hope that it’ll give you the same positive results as I did.
Boost Your Focus by Listening to the Right Kind of Music
A study says that listening to music can boost our productivity. It can relax our mind, block distractions and helps us focus more, but which exactly is the perfect kind of music we should listen to?
Have you ever wondered why you feel ecstatic when you suddenly hear your favorite music on the radio? Or why you feel gloomy in each heartbreaking songs you hear? This is because music is doing something to our brain. Music is responsible for the chemical dopamine to be released in our brain.
Logically, we would love to hear our favorite music, but this kind of music will increase the release of dopamine and change our mood, such music is linked to some of our strongest memory too, thus we lose our focus and concentration, therefore decreasing our productivity rate. With this said it is advisable to avoid music that you like if you want to focus more on your work.
Go Grab a Power Nap
If you are not keen on taking a siesta between 1:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon, you better think twice. It turns out that, that time of day is the best time to take a power nap in order to boost your productivity.
It is suggested that grabbing a shut eye for about 15 – 20 mins, wherein we still haven’t entered a deep sleep will prevent you from grogginess upon waking up and you will be able to go back to work, refreshed.
Not an afternoon sleepy type of person? Here are a few tips for an instant trip to dreamland.
- Schedule your power nap after lunch.
- Set your alarm to 15 – 20 mins.
- Be comfortable in all kinds of level. This means, taking your shoe off, laying down, go grab a blanket and a pillow and let off any worries. Just relax and dream away.
Get Over and Done with One Task at a Time
Procrastination was my #1 enemy. I really find it hard to deal with and this tip killed it! If you’ve got articles to read, read it! If you’ve got dishes to clean, laundry to wash, deal with it! Do not check your email as soon as you wake up in the morning. Much more, keep your phone, tablets or other gadgets away from your bed.
Take control. Don’t let these task control you.
Single-tasking is really advisable. I believe that you should not work on your task halfheartedly or else it will be reflected in the result. Focus on one work at a time, until it is done. See to it that you’ve finished it before leaving it.
Know When to Use the Word “Yes” and “No”
The inability to say “no” to any given request can be pointed out as the main culprit, fear of conflict. Many of us don’t want to be bombarded by people who want to persuade you to change your mind or just don’t what to be seen as a rude person who doesn’t get along with others.
Reality is, saying “yes” most of the time is actually taking a toll on our productivity. The more we say “yes” to others, the less time we have to finish our own task.
So, how do we deal with saying “no” without risking our social life? Write down your important to-do list for the day, focus on that, work on it! You can always allot a certain time to squeeze in a request from others. Ask them exactly what they need in details, much easier if you ask them to write it down themselves.
Set an Unrealistic Dream that Could Scare You, Big Time! – and then Fail!
I read this tip from PickTheBrain. It actually made sense to me, because I’m this kind of person. This kind of technique kinda whip out your brain in shape and let your creativity flow out. In this type of exercise, we can learn new things, like, how to achieve that certain goal without the pressure.
When we fail to be successful, we also learn through that process. It can serve as a reminder of what not to do the next time we set another goal in mind.
Take a Shower… Yup! A Cold One.
I usually wake up 4 in the morning, that means I struggle daily into dragging myself out of the bed, literally! I’m not a coffee person but I drink tea and it doesn’t take much of the sleepiness away. The key to fully waking up and be refreshed instantly? Cold shower.
This also works when you are getting ready to sleep at night. A cold shower can help you relax and wash all those heavy residues of your day’s labor.
Know When to Take a Break and Learn When to Give Up
“Quitter never wins and winners never quit.”
We often read or hear other people say this famous quote. If there’s anything about success, it’s usually about persevering, taking up the challenge, and never ever giving up!
But when exactly is the right time to give up?
I guess this tip would make more sense if you view it in a different way.
Why not give up on something that is actually eating away your time and focus on what really matters?
Why not give up on that lazy habit of yours and start to reprogram your system into being an active kind of person?
Why not give up right now because you are tired and you’ve already worked 4 hours straight without even taking a minute break?
I believe everything depends on how you see things, how you incorporate it into your life. Start viewing things in a positive light. Instead of processing it negatively, try to shift it into something that is worth worrying about.
So, these are my 7 productivity tips – unusually dead simple ones you can definitely try out.
Do you have any uncommon productivity hacks? Give me a comment below and let me know! =)
Need help managing your Instagram account, boost your followers and engagement ratings?
Check out my list of services here.