5 Tips To Improve Your Productivity
It’s easy to lose track of time throughout the day. You decide to Google something and end up down a
Wikipedia rabbit hole. Your best friend calls you because they need an ear and you end up talking for
hours. Regardless of what it is that keeps you from being as productive as you could be throughout the
day, the result is the same: Your to-do list grows ever longer while you become more stressed. This
doesn’t have to be how it is, though. Try these tips to improve your productivity.
1. Listen to the Right Type of Background Noise
Despite popular belief, silence is often not helpful for productivity. When the room is too quiet, your
thoughts are more likely to wander or you’re more likely to notice outside noises that distract you from the task at hand. Finding the right type of background noise is essential for productivity. For a lot of people, that means choosing a radio station they like, such as 107.5 FM. For other people, ASMR sounds or white noise such as fans or rain are helpful. Spend a few days experimenting with different background noises to determine which ones are more useful for you.
2. Use the Timer Method
When you have a big task ahead of you, knowing you need to spend hours on it can feel daunting. That
makes it more likely for procrastination to set in and before you know it, it’s been an entire day and you
haven’t accomplished anything on the task. Some experts recommend trying a timer method when you
have a large project ahead of you. You can set the timer to have you work at any interval you’d like, but
there are two popular methods that seem to work best for most people. The first is to work for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute break, repeating the process throughout the workday. Those who prefer to work in longer increments tend to work for 50 minutes and then take a 10-minute break.
3. Turn Off Your Notifications
One of the biggest distractions that most people face during their workday is notifications. Emails,
voicemails, and social media notifications take up much of a person's day, especially if you check each one as soon as you receive it. To be more productive, you first need to turn off your personal social media notifications during the workday. Your family and friends will still be there when you’re done working. You probably can’t turn off email notifications, especially if you use them for work. However, you can choose to respond to non-urgent emails at a later time, such as right before you are done with work for the day.
4. Make a To-Do List at the End of Each Day
End each workday by creating your to-do list for the next day. Use “A” and “B” columns to help you stay
more organized. In the “A” column, list two or three tasks that you want to get done the most and focus on those first the next day. In the “B” column, list two or three things that you’d like to get done if you have time after completing column A. Remember not to put too many things on your to-do list. Doing so can make you feel overwhelmed and make it harder for you to be productive.
5. Do the Hardest Things First
Most people are tempted to put off the hardest things on their to-do list because of the amount of effort it takes. Unfortunately, this means that the hardest things end up on the to-do list for far longer than they should be and often end up as a stressful deadline. When you have something hard on your to-do list, focus on it first. When you get it out of the way, the easier things on your list will feel like a breeze.
Productivity is important for your workday, but remember that it’s not everything. Taking breaks
throughout the day and spending time focusing on things you love during the weekend will make you
more likely to be productive at work. Using these tips and tricks will help you along the path to becoming
a more productive person.
