3 Ways to Do More With Less: Productivity Tips You Need To Know
Productivity is a difficult word to define, but most people associate it with being efficient. Productivity is something that many of us struggle with. It’s hard to maintain focus and get things done when there are so many distractions in the world.
Use the Pomodoro technique to stay focused on one task at a time
The Pomodoro technique is a work management methodology to improve productivity, made up of 25-minute intervals separated by short breaks. With this technique, you work in consecutive intervals – each interval lasts 25 minutes and is followed by a 5-minute break.
So when you have completed four pomodoros in a row, take a longer 15-25 minute break. That way, your brain will have the opportunity to recharge, and there’ll be no risk of it overheating from sitting at your desk too long without anything to do.
The recommended and typical Pomodoro session time is 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break, but some people prefer 15-minute sessions, especially if they have learning or focus concerns. Some folks, on the other hand, prefer 50-minute sessions with a 10-minute break.
The 25-minute rule is one of the most popular time management techniques out there, mainly because it makes you feel like your workday has a purpose. Rather than wasting hours on distractions or procrastinating until tomorrow to get things done in that critical 24th hour before deadlines approach with unwanted force, we know now that every single minute counts when planning for success.
Taking a break for 15 minutes every 4 hours is important to avoid the feeling of being burnt out. It’s hard to spend numerous hours on your computer without noticing it since the ticking timer alerts you and helps relieve frazzled nerves with breaks in between sessions.
The idea that we are lazy and lack self-control has been debunked by research. It is our avoidance of negative feelings which causes procrastination to happen. We don’t want to face the task at hand because there’s a lot of uncertainty involved or even too much responsibility. So instead, you turn towards something else on social media or Netflix until your mood improves enough again?
That’s exactly what the Pomodoro approach urges you to do: break down your major jobs, projects, or ambitions into something you only have to complete for the next 25 minutes. It keeps you focused on the one thing you need to do next rather than being overwhelmed by the immensity of what you’re taking on. Don’t be concerned about the outcome; instead, take it one Pomodoro at a time.
Take one step at a time
Sometimes the most significant reason we don’t accomplish our goals is being overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done for them to come together. Long tasks can undoubtedly feel overwhelming. To avoid this, take one step at a time to complete your goal as soon as possible. It’s not always easy–but it is simple.
Write down what needs to be done and then break it down into smaller chunks that you can do one step at a time. It doesn’t matter how small each part is, as long as they are manageable little steps that help you complete your ultimate goal faster.
Smaller tasks are easier to do because they’re less overwhelming
It’s really hard to find motivation when you feel like you’re aiming at a mountain from a distance. When we start towards that mountain, it’s difficult not to focus on the end goal rather than what will happen one step at a time, and then before long, we’ve worn ourselves out without even reaching the summit.
Many people mistakenly think of thinking about things in smaller steps as an excuse for not making progress – but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Shifting your focus away from finishing a big task and instead of breaking it down into several smaller ones can help you stay motivated while appreciating all your accomplishments along the way.
One approach is to list the task’s actions on paper, then organize them in order of relatedness. Another method is to divide the big project into parts that groups or teams can do.
Often, one person cannot complete an enormous task, so it may be necessary to break it up with help from others. One good way of doing this is using any strategic planning skills you have learned until this point – determining the sequence of steps required for each action and organizing them according to which step takes place before another one.
Plan your day and set goals for the day ahead
Creating a to-do list for the day ahead is always an essential part of the morning routine. It will help you start your day off on the right foot and avoid procrastinating until things get so bad that you finally decide it’s time to do something about it.
Planning your tasks for the next day should be one of the first things you do during the morning, as it allows you to allocate your time and energy towards tasks that are important to you.
A great way of managing your daily tasks is using a priority matrix. You can do this by writing down your daily tasks, then dividing them into four categories according to their importance and time-sensitive nature.
Using this matrix format will keep you mindful of what needs to be done without being overloaded by having too many things on your plate at once. It’s important not to neglect any of these categories, as one forgotten task can lead to you feeling stressed throughout the day.
Switching tasks when necessary, you must be able to switch gears when necessary. Sometimes, task-switching is unavoidable–and in these cases, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed at all! We often stick too rigidly with our goals and make them even more challenging to achieve than they were before, simply because we’re not willing to pull ourselves away from the task long enough to do something that might benefit us.
When you need a change of pace, and it’s time for a break, switch to another activity–even if it’s just for five minutes. It can help you stay motivated throughout your day instead of focusing on how much work you still have left to do. It can also help you stay energized and avoid burnout.
