Prepare before getting started
Productivity does not just happen “in the moment.” It happens long
before you even sit down and get to work. The more you prepare ahead of time and
get clear on exactly what it is you want, need, or should do, the easier and
faster you will move once you start.
The reason why so many people struggle with “being productive” is
because they skip this step, and when they sit down, they expect to start
flying even though they haven’t even decided where it is they want to fly to.
Turn off all distractions
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that every time your phone buzzes, your e-mail pops up on your screen, your office door opens, your train of thought is ruined. We like to believe we can both participate in a group chat via text and write our best-selling book, but the truth is, we can’t — and to think we can is wishful and naïve.
Your best work comes in silence. It’s why people retreat and take vacations away from the bus(i)yness of life — to distance themselves from distraction.
Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my 13-book Series “Becoming a Pioneer” – Join the Pioneers Club by Clicking this Link
Create a Routine
It is
said the best musicians, athletes, innovators, etc., follow a daily routine
that trains their subconscious to know when it is time to work and when it is
time to relax. There is absolutely something to be said for always practicing
at the same time, or always going to the gym at the same time, or always
writing at the same time, every day.
You train yourself to know, as soon as that hour strikes, to fall into that mode of focus required to do your best work.
Share your work – for Feedback
Maybe you
are one of those professionals that never want to share or talk about anything
being worked upon. You may think it was “bad luck” or would take you out of
your flow. And I’ll admit, there are those moments when your ideas are best
left to ruminate in your own head, but you should not be hesitant to share what
you’re working on. Feedback is extremely important, and a lot of time can
be saved by a single conversation where someone points out, very clearly, something
that isn’t “working.”
It might not be easy to hear in the moment, but you will be thankful for it later.
Take Breaks
Again,
being “productive” does not necessarily mean sitting still for eight straight
hours. You might be able to swing that for a day or two, but you are not a
robot. You will burn out. Productivity is all about flow. It’s about knowing
your limits and being conscious of how to move within your own constraints.
Maybe you need to take 10-minute breaks after every 50 minutes of
focus.
Great. Do that.
Or maybe you can work for four hours no problem, but then you need
to take the afternoon before diving into another four-hour work session at
night.
Great. Do that.
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