CAPTAIN PRODUCTIVE TIPS AND TRICKS
As discussed in yesterday's post, procrastination and time sucking demons can be a real p.i.t.a (pain in the ass). We all face them at one point or another in our lives.
Here are a few tips for today to help you break through the barrier and get closer to project completion.
1. Just do it - Seriously. Stop thinking about how much work it will be to do and just do it. Sometimes you have to literally force yourself to take the first step, but that first step is what makes the difference. Take it.
2. Feeling stuck? Remove yourself from the situation and take your work to a new area. Sometimes our physical environment can play a big role in our productivity...especially if we work from home. Those dishes that need to be washed and the laundry that needs to be folded can seem so important when that pressing report needs to be completed and you're stuck.
3. Get physical - often times procrastination comes from a deep rooted place of habit. It's where we've conditioned ourselves to go when things get tough. It's natural. You're body and mind have their guard up against uncomfortable things, kind of like a survival technique. In order to break through the barrier, physical activity can often open your mind to new possibilities and provide you with the motivation you need to push through. Working out releases endorphins and makes you feel like a champ who can accomplish anything!
4. Make a list and keep it short. Often times people spew out all of their "things to do" on a giant list that looks impossible. By keeping lists short, you feel more of a sense of control and motivation. I will write an entire post on list making techniques soon.
5. Set a timer. I found a website called The Pomodoro Technique and it is an awesome resource. I've been using my microwave timer for years. Here's how it works. You have a task that you've been putting off (sorting papers, writing, maybe even exercise) and the whole scope of it is overwhelming you to the point where you don't even know where to start. You set your timer for 20 or 25 minutes. Press start and begin your task. You only have to focus for the allotted amount of time. But here's the catch: you can't have any distractions. You must turn off your phone, disable your internet, put away the chips and focus SOLELY on the task at hand for the duration of the timer. Once it goes off, you take a short break and then you can set the timer again if you'd like. If not, you can celebrate the fact that you dedicated 20 minutes to a difficult task...that is usually motivation enough to keep going. Starting is always the heardest part.
The point of this exercise is that it allows you to create space to single mindedly focus on one task at a time.
Because, I don't know if you heard or not, but multi-tasking is dead.
More tips coming soon!
Here's to getting sh*t done,
Kyle
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