By Joseph Rutakangwa
Sometimes life is exhausting. You find yourself with so many unfinished tasks, with only 24 hours in a day. To make it even worse, you’re battling with your mind, constantly, to make the right choices and accomplish your tasks. On that account, you’re always off the pace, and countless tasks run through your mind.
Here’s the good news – you can increase your productivity with these 6 techniques;
1. First things first
You must concentrate on your most critical task in the beginning of your day. You’re energy levels a high in the morning which makes it a good time to focus on critical tasks. It’s also a perfect way to wipe out stress. If you start with another task, this one will be in your mind.
On the other hand, completing your critical task will give you the motivation to finish the rest.
2. Sleep smart
It is recommended to sleep 7 to 8 hours per day. Exceeding 8 hours can be counterproductive. Not only will you feel tired during the day, but you may also lose prized productive time.
Cutting 7 hours is a bad idea, as it affects your heart, causes depression, makes you forgetful and ages your skin – no one wants that!
To avoid procrastinating, plan your days. Plan to work in the morning, and eliminate the most critical task as soon as possible.
3. Avoid Multi-tasking
Productivity’s old foe is multi-tasking. Gloria Mark of the University of California, Irvine, found that it takes an average of 25 minutes to become fully focused on a task. Whenever you lose focus, you have to regain the momentum.
Focusing on a single task helps your brain process data in a linear way. In this way, you will not disturb your task position.
In like manner, close that facebook tab, you can chat with your loved ones later. It’s the reason most people think they have ADHD nowadays. It’s not that you can’t focus, it’s your habits causing you to lose focus.
Learn to concentrate on one task at a time.
4. Convert your primary tasks into habits.
Do you want to know a secret?
This is the best part because you never think about carrying out habits, you just proceed. Take performing your primary task in the morning as an example.
In the beginning, you will think about it because you won’t be accustomed to it. With consistency, you will carry on without thinking.
List down the primary tasks that would change your life, and turn them into habits.
5. Set your time limit.
College life is a good example. When you study half way through a semester, you’re not as productive as when you study the night before an exam. There’s only one word to explain this, and it’s not stress, it’s much deeper: Urgency.
Indeed, stress cause urgency but the time limit you define for the task at hand plays a greater role. Defining a time limit gets you to focus because you know that a minor delay can pull you back.
It is vital to follow your time limits just as though you were in an exam.
Respect your word, and maintain self-integrity.
6. Organize your day.
“Plans are nothing: planning is everything.” – David Dwight Eisenhower
You might spend most of your days struggling to finish tasks if you don’t have a smart organizing plan.
Should I wear this dress or this one? Should I schedule a meeting this morning or tonight? You can go on for hours.
There are many tools you can use to help you organize. Evernote, OneNote, Laverna, and Zim are some of the tools you can use. If you prefer the old ways, list down your daily tasks and check as you accomplish each. You can also use your calendar.
In the end, planning is indistinguishable. See your week as a book, your day as a chapter, and your daily routines as the index!
Life is for living, tap into it.
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