There are mornings where we wake up and tell ourselves that we are going to be extra productive today, only to realise that by midday, the adrenaline of wanting to be productive has worn off and we start procrastinating.
No matter how many productivity apps we download or YouTube videos on productivity we watch, it just feels like we can never get into the optimal state of productivity. Frustrating, isn’t it?
So, how to be more productive? Here are some simple habits you can practise to increase your daily productivity and become more efficient:
1. Plan Your Tasks for Day/Week Ahead
Remember back in school where you had a timetable for all your classes throughout the week and you never had to worry about what the next lesson was? Imagine how great that would be if you had the exact same thing for your daily tasks!
It is a good practice to spend some time before the start of each day/week and list down all the tasks that you have to complete. Structuring them into a timetable will save you the hassle of having to think about the next task to complete and you can transit from one completed task onto the next with ease.
Do remember to also leave empty blocks of time in your schedule so that you have the flexibility to slot in ad hoc tasks or other social or work gatherings that you may have during the week. Schedule time for yourself to recharge so that the day/week doesn’t seem as hard to get by.
Apart from scheduling your daily tasks, you can also add in certain daily routines such as morning workouts or reading time into your schedule and you will never have to worry about not having enough time to get your body in shape or finish reading your favourite book!
2. Getting Enough Snooze Time!
Ah, bedtime. An activity that most of us look forward to each day! But are you getting enough sleep for your body and mind to be functioning at its optimal state?
A 2018 study shows that 44% of adults in Singapore get less than seven hours of sleep each night. The average adult should be getting between seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night to be well-rested.
There have been many research and surveys done to show a direct relation between sleep deprivation and a drop in levels of productivity throughout the day. Not getting enough sleep affects your ability to stay focus, and you tend to take a longer time to complete a task, leading to irritability and a lack of motivation.
In order to ensure you get enough sleep every night, set a bedtime to adhere to and give yourself ample time to unwind before going to bed. Reading a book, doing light stretching, or meditation are some methods that can help you unwind and fall asleep faster. Getting enough sleep each night also helps your body rest and recover and improves your immune system. So give yourself enough sleep each night and you will discover the wonderful effects of it over time!
3. The Art of Blocking Out Distractions
It has always been known that blocking out distractions was a task easier said than done. With the advancement of technology, smartphones have become an essential item we can hardly live without. Smartphones and the applications are also one of the biggest culprits when it comes to distracting us from our tasks at hand.
We have entered an age where our phones have become an all-in-one work and entertainment device. It’s no surprise that our phones keep beeping from the notifications that are being pushed in. From text messages to email alerts to Facebook and Instagram notifications, it feels like there’s an endless amount of notifications waiting to pop up on the screen of our phones.
One simple way to overcome this is to block out a certain time of the day where you shut your phone off. It may seem like an insurmountable task at first but break it down and do it for shorter periods of time and progressively increase the span of time that you keep your phone off. This will allow you to be able to work without the distraction of your phone constantly ringing with notifications.
Work on the hardest tasks or tasks that require the most attention during these times to ensure that you get the most done during this period of silence. If you are unable to turn off your phone for prolonged periods of time, place your phone somewhere further away from you. Once you realise it is not as convenient to pick up your phone and start swiping away, you will find that you become more focused on the task at hand!
For more productivity techniques, learn to use the 80/20 rule to study more efficiently.