Whether you’re at work checking off a list of tasks or at home trying to get things done, it can be easy to find yourself less productive than you would like. Life can be full of distractions as much as we try to avoid them, and before you know it, something that should have taken 5 minutes has taken 15.
Productivity isn’t just about getting the job done, it’s also about staying focused and not wasting your precious time. Once a job is done you can use your time for something else like leisure or rest. A lot of people end up spinning their wheels for hours doodling when they could have gotten a job done much faster by just buckling down.
When it comes to being as productive as possible whether in your professional or personal life, here are some of the best things to do.
Put Your Phone Away
Using your phone throughout the day is a common activity. The more advanced that our smartphones become, the more we use them for just about everything from banking to video chatting.
They can easily start to become a distraction, however, if not harnessed properly. Before you know it you may find yourself navigating from your email inbox to social media. Once you reach your social media page you start scrolling all of the latest videos, reading comments, and then you engage in an instant message conversation with a buddy who saw you were online.
Before you know it, an hour has gone by when it could have been just minutes checking your email had you stayed focused.
Therefore, putting your phone in a drawer while you work will ensure that you stay focused.
Listen To Music
Many people find that listening to music which helps them focus can greatly increase their productivity.
Certain types of music increase brain activity and can send us into a trance-like state of getting the job done efficiently.
Work Out
It may seem counterintuitive, but the more that you exercise, the more energy you will have. When you are moving your body and getting your heart rate up, you are setting the tone for the rest of your day.
Getting some exercise may help you stay at a rapid pace for the whole day. Activity breeds activity.
Be Positive
Many people find themselves stressing or fixating over things in their lives which aren’t going well.
This can quickly start to serve as a distraction for your work you’re trying to get done. Try to keep your attitude positive and don’t fixate on the negative. This will keep you focused on the tasks at hand without getting distracted by small details or stress.