Happy February everyone! Have you ever just sat down to complete a task, had every intention of completing said task… but then somehow got distracted and that task was left behind? Or the task was completed, but it was painful to get it done? Today we’re talking productivity and how to be better at it.  Let’s be honest, if you could spend 15 minutes completing the exact same task that would normally take you 90 minutes, why wouldn’t you?! We all want more bang for our buck, so here are some tips to increase the quality of your time spent on tasks, so that you can decrease your quantity of time spent on it: 

 

Put yourself in an environment where you can focus.

Think: clean workspace, comfortable chair, natural light, low-traffic area. 

Turn off all possible visual distractions.

TV in the background, phone nearby with text messages coming in… turn ‘em off for now. Did you know: studies have shown that even having your phone in the same room as you will cause you to want to turn it on and play around? Go plug it into another room during your work time to be the most productive! 

Put on calm music to help you focus.

Some people can’t work in dead silence, and that’s okay! Classical, low-fi beats are great genres to stick to when trying to hammer something out. 

Write your to-do list from easiest to most daunting.

This way you are more likely to start crossing things off of that list instead of staring at it not knowing where to start. FYI: Each time you cross something off of a list, your brain actually releases dopamine (a feel good hormone) which gives you a boost of confidence and that great feeling of accomplishment. Keep it simple! Check off the small things first! 

Reward yourself after being productive.

40 minutes of full attention, no distraction work = 20 minutes of a mindless break. Also a great time to get up and move, walk around (get some water!)

 

Let us know if you try out some of these tips!