Five productivity hacks that anybody can easily adapt
If you are reading this blog then the chances are that you’re finding it hard to find ways to keep yourself motivated and productive. Although the internet is filled with hundreds of different ways to increase your productivity, I am going to be highlighting the five most simple and effective hacks that anybody can easily fit into their daily routine.
Make a to-do list and keep it updated
The moment you start writing down the tasks you need to complete is the moment you start actually completing them.
However, just creating a to-do list isn’t enough, you need to make sure you keep it updated. If you leave a task off of your list then the chances are you are not going to get it done!
Get yourself into a routine of adding tasks to your to-do list as soon as they arise. When you have things set out in front of you in a more organised way then you will be much more motivated to start tackling them.
The Two-Minute rule
Often when you find yourself struggling to stay productive it's because you are allowing yourself to procrastinate over the small things.
This is where the Two-Minute rule comes into play: Whenever you have a task to complete, ask yourself if you can complete it in less than two minutes.
If the answer is yes, do it now!
If the answer is no, then add it to your to-do list so you can carry on with what you are doing and complete it later.
This simple little rule is incredibly effective because you are not going to miss two minutes from your day, yet it encourages you to be much more productive with your time.
Know when to say “no”
This one really is as simple as it sounds. Sometimes you have to say no to things, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Overburdening yourself or taking on too many projects, or tasks, at once is not only going to reduce your productivity, it will also reduce your overall quality of work. This won’t just be for the additional project, or work, you took on either but for all of your ongoing projects, as well as adding unneeded stress onto yourself which nobody needs.
Saying no to people is not always easy, but sometimes it is needed and you will not only thank yourself for it in the long run, but so will your clients when they receive a much better quality piece of work.
Start the day with the easiest, or start the day with the hardest
This one comes down to your own personal preference, so you will have to work out which way works best for you.
Either start your day with the hardest task first so that it is out of the way, and everything after it will seem much easier for the rest of the day, or start your day with the easiest task first to get yourself into the right frame of mind and build some momentum for the rest of your day.
Everyone is different, so for this you’ll have to figure out for yourself whether you work better in an uphill or downhill environment.
Listen to productive music!
No matter what your taste is, everybody loves music, so take advantage of that! When you have a long day of work, or a big project ahead of you, put on some productive music to get yourself focused and get your head down.
Music not only helps make you more productive because it is enjoyable, and helps you to stay in a zone, but it can also greatly help with preventing you from getting distracted by outside noises/factors.
Over to you
At the end of the day, we’re all human and we are all going to struggle with remaining productive at times. But, going out of your way to incorporate these five tips into your daily routine will greatly help with combatting this.
Of course there are many more productivity hacks that you can try out there, but these five are all small changes with big results that are most effective to me. The main thing that any productivity hack will entail is forming a habit, and sticking to these hacks every day, not just when you are struggling to remain productive.
If you are interested in discovering even more productivity hacks then I recommend this article from Aaron Brooks: https://www.ventureharbour.com/productivity-hacks/
James Shears.
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