7 Easy Tips To Instantly Increase Your Productivity
Being productive is something that most people find difficult to do. We live in a world where there is nothing but constant distraction around us and it can be very easy for us to get taken away from our work. Being able to sit and be productive is becoming a very rare and valuable skill, so I wanted to give a few suggestions on how you can increase your productivity.
#1 Identify your ‘WHY’ that keeps you going
It’s hard to get to work, especially for long periods of time. In order to do work, you have to have a reason for why you are doing what you do. There has to be a reason behind the long and hard hours you will be putting in, or else they won’t get put in. Have a reason for why you are doing what you are doing, and it will help you keep going and keep you productive. For me, knowing what will happen if I don’t put in the work, is enough to keep me going.
#2 Don’t focus too hard on the end result, focus on what you can do right now to get there.
It’s easy for people to fantasize about their ideal life instead of actually living it. It takes minuscule energy to imagine a lifestyle with millions of dollars, but it takes a very large and special amount to grow and maintain such a life in reality. Don’t get caught in the fantasy where you live out your ideal life in your head instead of in making it happen in real life. Focus on what you can do right NOW in this very moment, to make that fantasy you have come true. Building towards it gets you closer, thinking about it does nothing.
#3 Focus on being productive instead of busy.
There’s a difference between being productive and being busy. Being productive means working on important tasks that need/very much should get done. Being busy means doing any kind of task or tasks. Anyone can be busy and anyone can convince themselves that since they are busy, that they are being productive. How you solve this issue is by looking at your priorities and focusing on the one’s that will help you move most towards your goals and completing those first.
#4 DEEPLY understand what will happen if you don’t do the work.
Like I previously stated, the only motivation I need to keep me going is knowing what will happen if I don’t. If I don’t grind, I don’t eat. Whether you love the situation you are in now or not, be aware of all that can go wrong. Especially if you stop putting in the work. Stay positive and keep good vibes flowing all through ought your day, but be aware of what can happen and what can happen if you stop putting in work. Whether it be kids, bills, family, etc. Something relies on your grind and your hustle, so don’t stop.
#5 Give yourself short deadlines
Parkinson’s law states that the time it will take to complete a task will be equal to the time that is allowed for completion. So, if you have a project that is due in 3 months but only takes 8 hours to complete, you will allow the project work time to take up the whole 3 months. What could’ve been done in 1–3 days, takes months because that is how much time you had to complete it. This is a direct example of the word procrastination. Beat this by giving yourself short deadlines to complete your tasks. If you have to do something that should only take an hour to complete, give yourself an hour to complete it. However much time you want to spend on a task, set that as the deadline and stick to it. Pretend as if you HAVE to get it done by that time.
#6 Do not multitask
The biggest myth in productivity is that multi-tasking is a good thing to do. Multi-tasking is just a good way to mess up multiple things at the same time. Choose a task, and focus on it until it’s completed. Don’t try to do something else at the same time. Give the ONE task at hand your FULL attention. Lose yourself in that moment and once you are done, do the same thing with your next task. If you have two things to do, don’t attempt to do both at the same time. Do one and give it your full attention, then move on to the next one. That will help you get it done more quickly and efficiently.
#7 Learn to ignore things
In a world filled with an abundance of distraction, an important skill to pick up is the ability to ignore the outside noise. The noise can include people, television, social media, the media, etc. Learn to ignore all of it. Of course, there is time and place for you to do whatever as you please, but if you have work to do and have to be productive, be able to ignore all the noise that will come from the world and try to distract you from all that you are trying to accomplish. Remember that your goals are more important than the temporary satisfaction you get from the distractions. You and your goals come first. Don’t let other people distract you. For the exception of your close family members, no one person and their offerings of distraction and destruction should be chosen over the work that must be put in for you to achieve your goals.
