Accomplishing your life goals is a tough job – no matter what your goals are. However, what makes it even harder is when you don’t devote the time needed to achieve your dreams because you are procrastinating. And, it’s not a surprise that we all struggle with procrastination, because we live in an era with so many options and distractions that it’s truly hard to focus and be more productive.
Today, I will be sharing with you 5 habits for boosting productivity that helped me to put in the work needed into achieving my goals effectively:
1. Start the Day Right
If you want to be more productive, it’s very important to start off your day right. When you are late for work, or you didn’t have breakfast, or you are simply not yet fully awake to work on your goals there is a high chance that that day won’t very productive for you.
I struggled too, each day less productive than the one before, until I created my own morning routine. A lot of people seem to think that having a morning routine is something only “morning people” do, while the others “not morning people” are condemned to suffer each morning. It’s not true!
Having a morning routine doesn’t mean that there is only one morning routine for all the people in the world. It doesn’t mean that it’s specifically created only for morning people. A morning routine is a routine that you create, specifically for yourself, which’s end goal is to put a smile on your face and give you the energy boost to be more productive during the day.
Which is why I recommend that you get up a little earlier – even if it’s just 15 minutes, and devote time to discovering your morning routine.
2. Set-Up Daily Goals
Procrastination often overtakes when you are not focusing properly on the right tasks. In my bursts of procrastination, I noticed that for me it happens for mostly two reasons:
- I spent too much time on a task that was not a priority. By doing so I exhaust myself, and I don’t have the energy to spend on the task that is a priority.
- I constantly keep thinking of how much work I have to do, listing and adding tasks to my mental list, without starting even one task. By constantly thinking about how much more I have to do, I block myself from even starting my upcoming tasks.
I’m sure you have found yourself in one or the other situation like myself and struggled with procrastination. Don’t worry though, because the solution is simple – set up daily goals for yourself. Before you start working, set off 10 minutes to list down all the task that you should finish today. Split them into work and personal tasks. Then simply arrange them by order of urgency.
The most important part of this approach is to have realistic expectations of yourself because no matter how long the list, the day is only 24 hours long, and your energy isn’t infinite.
Extra Tip: I always start with the hardest or the least desirable task every day. Yes, it’s a tough way to start the day, but once that task is out of the way, I feel more accomplished and motivated to finish my other tasks as well.
3. Say Goodbye To Your Smartphone
The shiny smartphones, filled with many apps that make you lose track of time are out of the question when you are trying to be more productive. Finding yourself constantly reaching for your phone, to check what’s new on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter is making you lose focus and precious time when you should be more productive. Whenever I am trying to get things done, I have a habit of placing my phone out of sight. I also turn off notifications from the apps, so that I won’t get distracted by every notification.
If this doesn’t work for you, then you can use your smartphone to your advantage. Simply install an app that locks you out of your social media accounts during a time of the day that you should be focusing on work. It’s a harsh, but effective method that will help you to become more productive.
4. Manage Your Energy Effectively
I mentioned above that when you are setting up goals, you should have a realistic approach because your energy isn’t infinite. And it’s true, time constraints aren’t the only constraints in life. Even if you hypothetically have the time for more tasks in the day, if you don’t have the energy to finish them, then being more productive is out of the question. Which is why managing your energy levels effectively is also an important part of being more productive.
You should start leading a simple energy level journal, in which you will note down the energy levels every two hours so that you see a more realistic perspective of your energy levels during the day.
Depending on your observations, try to manage your tasks appropriately – higher demanding tasks during your energy level peaks, and not so demanding tasks that you can do even with your eyes closed during energy drop periods.
5. Meditate
Being unable to focus, or to take that first step forward to become more productive is the hardest thing to do. A lot of people, including myself struggle with getting started the most. There were days when I just couldn’t start working on my goals, without any apparent reason. Sometimes, in the deep layers of your subconscious mind, some little self-destructive pattern simply blocks your way. To overcome any such issues, and blocks I recommend that before you start working you devote a few minutes to meditate.
I recommend meditating with a Natural Garnet Lotus Mala because garnet is known as a stone that promotes a strong sense of self-confidence and will in realizing your projects. Also known as a lucky stone that brings progress in every aspect of your life, it’s excellent for shorter and longer meditations for boosting productivity.
When I have a few more minutes before starting my work, I like to touch every bead of the Natural Garnet Lotus Mala, doing a mantra meditation. When I’m rushing to get started, I simply place my hand on the Natural Garnet Lotus Mala and focus on my breathing for a minute or two. Whenever I feel like my productivity drops, I take a minute or two to repeat the same exercise.
I hope these tips help you boost your productivity too! Remember, it's not a race, it's all about building habits. Don't expect to do all of these at once immediately. We are all human and it takes time to change your behavior. Start off with some tips, and slowly work your way to incorporating all of them into your routine. These changes can be a slow process, but the end result is worth it when it boosts your productivity and helps you achieve your goals.
