In the world we live in today, everyone has schedules that are jam-packed and it feels as if there just isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. We all want to accomplish our goals and live a productive lifestyle but sometimes it feels as if the world throws too much at us at one time to do that. There are ways in which you can improve the way you live and increase your productivity because it is a structured practice that takes time and commitment. By actively striving to develop these habits and having the drive to meet your goals your life will begin to feel more put together and less hectic. The following are 7 tips/ habits that will change your life. They are simple and easy to begin doing and are extremely effective as long as you stick to them.
1. Plan Your Weeks Out:
At the start of every week it helps to map out what lies ahead for the next 7 days. By filling in a planner with your weekly commitments such as your work schedule, class schedule, extracurricular such as clubs, or church events, and even your planned out social events will help make an image of what your week looks like and give you a chance to begin planning and structuring your time wisely so you make it to your commitments and are at all places that are expected of you.
2. Have a GYST Day:
For those of you who have not heard of this acronym, Kalyn Nicholson, a lifestyle vlogger, on YouTube came up with this as her day to “Get Your Shit Done”. It is her planning and preparation day. For me, it usually is on Sundays but it can be any day of the week where you have the most down time. On GYST days, you have blocked off time for yourself and the nitty gritty tasks. For example, I always do my cleaning, laundry, and meal prepping on my GYST days. This makes the week start so much smoother with you not having to worry about these tedious jobs. Also on GYST days it’s a good idea to take some time for self care. Take the time to do a face and hair mask, get your nails done, do yoga, watch a movie or read a book you have been wanting to but haven’t been able to find the time. Having a full day to yourself to get your jobs done and reboot yourself mentally really helps you start your week off on the right foot.
3. Remember to Take Breaks:
When you live a life where you are constantly going, you usually forget to take the time to unwind and let your mind rest for a second. When working, it has been proven that by taking short breaks where you can have some peace and quiet allowing your mind and body to slow down for a second truly does help improve the quality of your performance. When you are constantly working your motivation to work as hard can start to deplete. When this happens STOP WORKING. Not forever, obviously, but just take that step back and allow yourself to breathe. When you do this it may be difficult to go back to work but just remember that when the work is done you will have that sense of accomplishment and peace of mind. Take a break by going on a walk, eat a meal, listen to music, or even take a 20-minute power nap to gain some energy. It is important in our very busy lives to constantly remember that it is of utmost importance to take care of our minds, making sure we aren’t pushing ourselves too hard.
4. DO NOT Multi Task
It has been a popular thought that if you combine tasks lets says doing four at a time you will accomplish more in that same amount of time. Well, I am here to tell you that is wrong. It has been shown that our minds really and truly cannot purely focus on more that one thing at a time. When we cram multiple jobs switching back and forth constantly it can increase levels of anxiety, and your performance will not be as great. When you do only one thing at a time it helps your mind focus solely on that one task you are working on. Multi tasking may seem like a tempting option to save time but in the long run it will make you feel overwhelmed, anxious, and your work probably won’t turn out as well as it possibly could have.
5. Get Enough Sleep:
In our lives with everything we do, sometimes we make sleep optional when in reality it is most definitely a necessity. Getting enough sleep is important in various aspects of each and every one of our lives. By getting enough rest it allows our bodies to keep up with how fast we work and move everyday, lets our minds unwind and relax, and helps up to work at our absolute best the following day. It is important to make a routine and schedule so you can plot your bedtime to ensure you will get enough sleep on a daily basis. By not being tired and lethargic because of not getting enough sleep, when you do your motivation and productivity will increase as well.
6. Follow the Pareto Principle:
The Pareto Principle has been studied for years on end now and has been proven to be highly effective especially when it comes to improving the productivity in people’s lives. The main part of this principle is the 80/20 rules. According to Brian Tracy, who is the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today, this rule is where 80% of our effects depend on 20% of the causes. Keeping this in mind it will help you prioritize what highly important tasks to accomplish that make up the 20% of the causes so that the results (80%) will be satisfactory. Tracy writes in his article on productivity, “Resolve today that you are going to spend more and more of your time working in those few areas that can really make a difference in you life and career, and less and less time on lower value activities.” Prioritizing what is truly important and what has the most effects on your life will help you plan and achieve everything you want to.
7. Make Time for Fun
This tip sort of goes hand in hand with the tip on taking breaks. However, instead of taking short breaks make sure to block off time to go out and have fun. It is extremely important to let your mind take a complete break from your work and tasks and do something you genuinely enjoy doing. Most highly successful people live a very balanced life of work and fun because they understand that if all you do is work you will become very unmotivated and truly unhappy. By having time for a social life and doing your favorite hobbies whatever they may be will allow you to feel more prepared for the next work day because you were able to get that energy out of your system. It is important to enjoy everything you do and to remember to fall in love with life and not just consume yourself with work.
So there you have it, the 7 tips and tricks to be more productive in your day-to-day life. There are several other ways I’m sure, but having these habits will truly help with your productivity, motivation, sense of accomplishment, and mental health.