Being able to efficiently work, play and do everything you need to in a day is paramount to your physical and mental health. There’s no better feeling than finishing everything you need to do ahead of time and being able to rest or squeeze in an extra hour of sleep.
But, humans being humans, we can’t always attain the productivity levels that we desire. As consolidatetimes.com points out, we don’t use too much of our brain. With the modern world offering so many alternatives to doing what we need to do, it’s easy to get caught up in browsing, gaming, scrolling through social media and simply lazing around.
Luckily there are numerous ways you can combat these urges. Here are five that anyone can use on a daily basis to boost their productivity.
Multi-Task or Single-Task
It’s often argued that multitasking tends to ultimately be less efficient and productive than simply doing one thing at a time. While this may be true for tasks that require a high level of brain work, such as writing articles, it doesn’t really apply to menial tasks. For example, you can listen to your favorite eBook or use a text to speech engine to play your study work while you iron or clean your house.
Make Use of Good Apps, Ditch the Bad Ones
While it may seem a little counterintuitive to add more apps to your life, there are hundreds available on both Android and iOS that many productivity pros rely on every day. For example, use Evernote to note down your thoughts and plans for the day ahead and utilize the sync feature to keep your notes across all of your devices.
In the same light, ditch the games and social media if you can live without them (chances are you can) and keep only the absolute essentials such as messaging services and email. Less distractions from useless apps means more time for apps you should be using.
Meditation
Everyone who has tried it recommends it, and for good reason. It works. A brief ten minutes or so per day is all you need to clear your mind and calm your body, allowing you to focus more on what matters most.
Wake Up Early
It goes without saying that starting your day earlier allows you to do a whole lot more. Sure, you’re still sleeping and awake for the same amount of time, but you’ll be a lot less tired before going to bed if you’re doing so early as opposed to at 1AM in the morning. This way, you’ll feel more energized in the morning and less tired come the end of the day.
Getting Started Is the Hardest Part
Everything after that is smooth sailing, that’s just how the human mind works. No task, no matter how tedious, is as difficult as it appears. Learn to break the initial barrier and the rest will come naturally.
There are tons of other methods, “tricks,” and systems you can use. Whether they’re viable depends on who you are. Give them a try and see what works best.