4 Productivity Tips to Hack Your Workday
Guest Post by Catherine Way
We all have those days where your to-do lists seem overwhelming. Maybe you have trouble focusing on your work, or find yourself taking breaks every 15 minutes to scroll social media. For those with staggering to-do lists and tight deadlines, becoming more productive can be as easy as rearranging your scenery.
Some days it seems like we don’t accomplish nearly as much as we would want, or that we just didn’t manage our time wisely. Whether it is facing our blank screen, or staring at our jam-packed to-do list, being productive is about a change in attitude.
With hacking our routine is all the rage, finding the tricks to be more productive is trendier than ever. With these 4 productivity tips, you can hack your routine and get more done!
Work In A Clean Space
Need a productivity and focus boost? Clean your workspace! A Clear desk can help you have a clearer mind. Cleaning your workspace can boost your productivity, lower your stress levels. Making your space cleaner will boost your productivity, and help you be more efficient
A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research tested students on their ability to solve puzzles and placed the students into two separate rooms. One room was a clean workspace, while the other was more cluttered and disorganized. The students that were in the clean space spent more time focusing and solving tasks than the other group.
Not only does having a clean space gives you a better sense of control, but it also removes distractions from your space. By having a cleaner environment, and reducing your clutter, you can focus better on your work, and solve more problems.
Cluttered spaces are more likely to make you feel more stressed and have a lack of focus. Not only is the messy environment not eye-pleasing, but it gives you a feeling of no control. All these minor distractions make it hard to focus and make you less productive.
Spend some time de-cluttering your desk, and deep clean to help lead a more productive workday. Try to make your desk as clean and clear as possible, with the exception of one or two decorations. If possible you should remove any miscellaneous papers or add them to a to-do pile. By cleaning your workspace you can boost your productivity and improve your focus!
Get Moving
Exercise has amazing benefits for the mind and the body. Exercise is also a great way to boost your productivity! Researchers discovered that including physical exercise has a great impact on your productivity. The test was used to see how exercise can improve focus and academic performance.
Students who exercised performed better on tests, and showed improved reading comprehension and focus on set tasks. They even had some students exercise before tests and showed that their attention spans were greater than those who did not.
Not only is exercise great for your physical health, but it can actually help you improve your work performance as well. There are many different ways you can incorporate exercise into your work routine.
Some prefer standing desks, or even desk pedals to help keep them moving at work. Some prefer to work out before their workday starts to get the full effect of their morning routine. You can also take small walks during your workday to help get your blood pumping.
Exercise has many great benefits for your body, mental health, and productivity. If you can’t seem to focus, try adding some exercise into your routine.
Limit Social Media
Social media is a big productivity and time killer. For most work environments, Facebook and other social media platforms are blocked to help keep employees focused. The average user spends at least 2 and a half hours on social networks a day.
Social media does hold a lot of networking and business opportunities. Social networks have made it so customers or clients can connect with you any time of day or night. For business owners, limiting how they use social media, and setting goals and tasks for social media can help you be more productive.
Similar to emails, checking your notifications can lead to sales for your business. The same goes for responding to messages and posting to your business channels. Instead of deleting your social presence or going off the grid, business productivity experts suggest setting clear tasks, and times for these activities will help you be more productive.
Setting timers for your social media tasks is a great way to be productive and grow your business.
Make A Smarter To-Do List
To-do lists are a great way to outline all the tasks you have set in a day. Unfortunately, to-do lists often become should-do lists and miss important tasks. Creating smarter to-do lists, or time blocking is a great way to focus on the most important tasks you need to complete and be more productive.
Time Blocking is deciding on the most important task that needs to be completed, and that will make all your other work easier. It’s as easy creating a weekly task log, with specific activities and time set for each day. Always make sure that the most important task is listed first. Once you have the hardest and most important task of your day determined, you simply block your time until it is completed.
It’s important to make sure that tasks are not interrupted during your time block. With your most important task completed for the day, you can then add your daily activities, such as checking your social media, or networking, to your daily logs. Setting a regular daily routine is key to boosting your productivity.
While everyone gets distracted, it’s important to get back on track. If you spend time focusing on the most important tasks that need to be completed, you can make a smarter to-do list.
Summary
There are many different ways you can increase your productivity. Our tips make it easier to improve your focus, reduce stress, and get the most important task done in a day. Here are four ways you can be more productive:
Work In A Clean Space: Clean your space and improve your focus!
Get Moving: Exercise can improve your focus and attention span. Try taking short walks to help you focus, or even use a standing desk!
Limit Social Media: Social media can be a major time-killer. While great for sitting in the dentist's office, these apps can kill your productivity. Allot times and activities for when you will be on social media.
Make A Smarter To-Do List: Set a to-do list that works for you. You can easily do this by time-blocking for the most important tasks. You can set your to-do list into a productive daily routine.
What Is Your Favorite Productivity Tip?
Author Bio: Catherine Way graduated from Michigan State University with her Bachelor of Advertising, with a specialization in Graphic Design. She is a content marketer for business, mortgage, photography, and real estate industries. She currently writes and reports for Prime Plus Mortgages - Phoenix hard money loans
