50 Tips to Boost and Sustain Productivity

50 Tips Knock out your most pressing or unpleasant task first to set a mood of triumph and productivity for the rest of the day. Create a realistic to-do list. Apps like Wunderlist can help. Write down daily goals. Figure out when you feel most energetic. Schedule important tasks during this time. Try the Pomodoro technique: Work 25 minutes, then enjoy a 5-minute break. If it will take less than 2 minutes, do it now. to Boost and Sustain Your Productivity Commit to spending 2 minutes on a goal. Want to write more? Write a sentence. Once you start doing something, it's easier to keep going. Gamify your to-do list. Assign XP to tasks: Harder tasks give more XP. Play alone or with friends (on a Google sheet). Or try Habitica, a gamified task Go for a walk to improve your mood, ease stress, and boost enthusiasm. Listen to tutorials/podcasts/lec tures on 1.5x speed to learn stuff faster. "If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done." – Bruce Lee "Most think the past equals the future. Decision is the ultimate power." – Tony Robbins manager. Pre-program the coffee maker, choose an outfit, and prep lunch the night before. Resist the snooze button, as it resets your sleep cycle, causing grogginess for longer. Focus on minutes. Invest your 1,440 daily minutes wisely. Do you want to spend 30 valuable minutes scrolling on Facebook? Don't look at your phone for the first hour of the day. "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work." – Stephen King Wake up at 6 a.m. or earlier – you'll be in the company of super-successful people! Eliminate screen time 30 minutes before bedtime. Read instead. Being consistent wins over being talented. "Don't count the days. Make the days count." Muhammad Ali Listen to music in the shower. Studies show that singing in the shower offers physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. Hug your pet. Studies show that furry friends help relieve stress. Workplaces that allow pets report higher job satisfaction. Break large, complex goals into easily manageable chunks and complete one at a time. Learn to use positive self-talk. A massive study showed that it was the most powerful motivational technique! Imagine positive actions (working out, studying, waking up early) as investments in the happiness of your future self. Envision how amazing and calm you would feel after your workout is complete. Now, do it! "Punish" bad habits with good ones. For example, do 5 push-ups for every 20 minutes you waste on the Internet. "Reflect on what you do in a day. You may have never realized how some simple, harmless activities rob you of precious time." - Vivek Naik Use apps that block time-sucking websites for a selected period of time, like SelfControl, StayFocusd, and Cold Turkey. Got a long commute? Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and scheduled calls (hands-free!) during the drive. Set 90-day goals rather than annual goals. This makes them Feel more attainable and manageable. "Position yourself to succeed by doing the other things in your life that rejuvenate you. Exhaustion affects your quality and productivity. - Jeff VanderMeer Make bad habits difficult. If "Don't wait. The time will never be just right." Napoleon Hill you play on your phone in the morning, keep it out of reach and commit to only looking at it out of bed. Standing (like with a standing desk) and moving is proven to boost productivity and focus. LATER Chew gum. Studies show that chewing arouses the brain and helps with problem-solving. Classical, nature, epic, video game, and ambient music are shown to boost focus. Work near plants. Green spaces relieve stress and boost productivity. Exercise in the morning. It can improve your mood for up to 12 hours, and less stress leads to more efficiency. "If you want an easy job to seem mighty hard, just keep putting if off." Richard Miller Stay hydrated. Even mild dehydration may significantly impact work capacity and productivity. Don't break the chain: Write steps toward your goal on a calendar, and try not to break the chain by accomplishing each daily step. Turn off phone notifications and put your phone out of sight. "You have to utilize who you are in your work. Nobody else can do that. Nobody else can pull from your background, from your parents, your upbringing, your whole life experience. - David Carson Created by: https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/ lifestyle/50-tips-to-boost-and-sustain-your-productivity/ Employ Parkinson's Law to your advantage: Assign less time than you think you need for a task to get it done faster. Plan a reward for accomplishing a task. The brain releases dopamine in anticipation of a reward, which preps the brain for critical thinking. "Don't fake it till you make it; fake it till you become it. Do it enough until you actually become it and internalize." - Amy Cuddy "Great acts are made up of small deeds.' - Lao Tzu Write down things to remember as soon as they pop into your head. Sources: https://www.inc.com| https://medium.com | https://www.ted.com do