Productive people almost never burn out or waste time. They structure their days in the most effective way possible, complete their to-do list and then have enough time to rest and do what they enjoy.
You’ve probably tried plenty of tricks to become more productive. But in the end of the day, you’re still planning, stressing, managing time like crazy and feeling like there’s never enough of it.
The following mind hacks might help you deal with this and double your productivity in no time:
1. Mazimize Down Time
Did you know that how you spend your free time is closely related to how stressed and/or productive you are when getting things done?
Successful people have learned how to leverage their down time so they can better organize their work process, save themselves decisions and unnecessary tasks along the way, and make sure they only work on things that matter. Of course, social medias, online chats and other distractions shoud be paused if you really want to increase your productivity.
Limit your down time in terms of different activities as indulging in one means it’s simply another bad habit. Have fixed times for each thing you do in your free time so you don’t lose track of it and can do what you enjoy as well as what refreshes your mind so you can find focus again when you get back to your to-do list.
2. Write Everything Down
How many times have you missed an appointment, forgotten to follow up or make a call, or weren’t sure what exactly you have to do the next day? Remove all that unnecessary stress by simply writing down everything.
That’s a mind hack as the moment you write information down, it becomes a fact. Your brain accepts it as something that needs to be done and you’re much more likely to actually complete it on time.
3. Let Go of Perfectionism
When you are a perfectionist and try to plan something, you might stress so much that this anxiety won’t let you sleep for days. That can ruin your mental health and lead to poor performance.
Don’t let it happen. Practice mindfulness in order to let go of perfectionism. When making plans, keep an open mind. Being resourceful is one good quality that can help you make the best of each situation.
BONUS TIP: Work when you feel productive
Nowadays, when more and more people, especially the freedom seeking millennials working from home, have the opportunity to accomplish tasks in the time frames which are most suitable for them.
If it’s not your case, you can still optimize your environment don’t be afraid to ask for more working from home hours, time schedule flexibility, going home earlier when you don’t feel productive. Talk with your boss and ask for a free trial of a new schedule adjusted to your life needs.
Let’s embrace it: we are humans and we need to treat our rights to evolve as a human being before the company wealth. No money is worth the precious hours of our youth. And any good manager should know that a happy employee is a productive employee, who learn and accomplish their tasks faster.
Let’s fight for our rights of a better work-life balance and flexible work conditions of XXI century!