5 Ways to Increase Your Productivity
Discover Your Work-Life Balance
Why Should I Increase My Productivity?
As we all know, life can get really busy sometimes. I’m sure you have experienced those days yourself when there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to balance work with your home life. You may get tired very easily and don’t seem to eat properly. You rush around trying to be superman or superwoman, and by the end of the day you are left feeling exhausted with life and worn out. But take a deep breath and relax because help is at hand! Reassuringly, you are not alone in feeling this way as many of us can often struggle to fit all our activities into the day. Consequently, we should all be seeking to improve our productivity and work-life balance because then we could be making more effective use of the precious time we have.
Seeking to improve the quality of your time is only natural because we are all well aware that life is short. Ultimately, finding ways in which you can increase your productivity at home, work or in general, will enrich your quality of life and give you an advantage to enjoy life more. Hopefully implementing these all-purpose tips below can go some way towards this goal for you. Even if you only take away one idea and carry it out, you could in turn be making a huge difference within other areas of your life. So let’s look at these five steps to improve your productivity and the ways in which you can implement them.
1. Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Pace Yourself
Working in short, steady bursts has long been proven to be the most effective way our minds can function. Intense concentration can encourage deeper thinking and therefore more focus on the task at hand. But naturally, no-one can sustain this level of attentiveness for long periods. Therefore, having regular breaks after say forty-five minutes or so could improve your concentration span and thus your productivity. This is because taking a break would mean that you would then return to your work feeling refreshed. So don’t feel that you are being unproductive by making that cup of tea or stretching your legs for five minutes, because in actual fact, you are giving your brain a chance to refocus and you may return to your work with a fresh attitude. With regards as to the length of your break, between five and fifteen minutes should be enough for you to make a difference to your concentration levels and increase your productivity.
2. Eliminate distractions: Find Your Space
It can be critical to your concentration to be able to focus on the task at hand. Therefore, if at home then try to turn off appliances such as the radio or washing machine, and to find a quiet space where talking is at a minimal, if not at home then somewhere such as a library may be appropriate. If in the work place then try to avoid sitting near a window or in direct sunlight, because as the light changes you may get glare on your computer screen and become more restless. Tidy your work space or desk so that you can feel comfortable and organized. As the saying goes ‘a tidy house is a tidy mind’.
3. Making Notes: When Inspiration Strikes
The importance of planning our work out beforehand was something instilled in us all from our school days, but how many of us can actually admit we have kept up with this routine? Making a journal, keeping notes or a to-do list can make such a difference as to how you manage your time. Even just simply jotting down ideas on a scrap of paper when and wherever you go can mean you are more prepared and don’t forget them quite as easily. Inspiration could strike you at any time and it would be far better to be ready for when it does.
4. Time Management: A Critical Aspect
We touched upon the matter above of how note taking can help increase your time management and planning abilities. It goes without saying that in terms of time, we are all up against the clock each day. This is why time management is such a critical aspect to consider for improving your productivity. To improve your time management you should firstly prioritize your tasks. This means putting them in order of importance from most to least. This method ensures that important issues will be dealt with first and won’t be neglected. Secondly, you should set yourself deadlines if possible. We all worked to deadlines at school and taking this internal disciplined approach will only act to improve your diligence towards your work. Finally, know your own limits and don’t be afraid to not take something on if you are already feeling overloaded or overwhelmed by what is on your plate already. Knowing when to say ‘no’ can enable you to control the quantity of the work you produce which will result in better quality levels and consequently, will encourage you to work at your optimal levels for success.
5. Overall Work-Life Balance: Exercise, Eat Regularly and Get Enough Sleep
The fundamental key to increasing your overall productivity, mental outlook and essentially your health, is to obtain a healthy work-life balance. Many of us have been told this fact in the past but occasionally forget it. Being reminded from time to time can help us to re-center our energy and to set us forth again on a path to achieve more in our lives. So remember the word: balance! Make it into a poster and stick it on your refrigerator, or add a note onto your phone to remind yourself.
In addition, making time for exercise will in turn, increase your ability to concentrate, improve your body’s metabolic rate and your overall level of happiness. This does not have to mean joining a gym and going five days a week! Instead, you may use at home gym equipment such as a treadmill or weights. Even going for a brief walk and getting some fresh air could help clear your mind and inspire you for the day ahead.
When leading a busy lifestyle, planning your meals is something that is often neglected. However, if you set aside a little time to do this once a week or once a fortnight, then you could not only be less wasteful with your food by getting more accurate amounts for each meal time, you would probably also be able to improve your budgeting skills and to save money through only purchasing products you needed within in that specific time frame.
I hope these tips have inspired you to think about creating a better work-life balance in your life, and remember that having balance is the key to increase your overall productivity.
