Guide To Productive Living (9 Ways To Live A Productive Life)
Avoid Procrastination
Putting things off in order to do something less important is a common trait for many of us. To avoid this, try to distance yourself for all those potential distractions that could put you off the tasks you should be doing. Often the best thing to do first is the very thing you are least looking forward to doing as you’ll at least get it out of the way.
Avoid Time Wasters
Start your day with a list of things you know you tend to waste time on. Keep the list nearby. When you notice you’re wasting time, add that time-waster to the list. This will serve as a reminder of things you shouldn’t allow yourself to do–like watching music videos when you should be sending emails.
Organize Yourself
Organization is key as without it you’ll only be unnecessarily wasting time. How much time do you spend looking for something because you are disorganised. Declutter your home and working environment and give everything a permanent place where you know you’ll be able to find it. Get rid of the things that you just don’t use or need.
Set Goals With Reminders Daily
Every day comes with new tasks to accomplish. Make it easy for yourself to complete each task by taking life one day at a time. Do you have a huge report due next month? Consider what you’ll do each day to finish it instead of waiting until the last minute. You can set up reminders to stay organized and make sure you don’t forget anything.
Be Careful Of The Social Media
Among those who use social media, the average person spends 3.6 hours per day socialising online, reveals research conducted by Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange. That’s about a quarter of the time you’re awake! Imagine what you could do with those extra hours.
To keep yourself from wasting this time, remove social networking apps from your mobile device’s home screen and the toolbar on your computer’s browser. While the sites won’t be completely out of reach, this practice can keep you from checking updates on impulse.
Avoid Multitasking
Multitasking is a myth! As NPR reports, humans can’t physically multitask. Our brains instead juggle attention from one task to the other so quick we’re given the illusion we’re multitasking.
But we’re not very efficient at it. If you try to do too many things at once, you probably won’t finish those tasks to a high standard. Plus, it could take you more time than if you simply focused on one task at a time, meaning you only hinder your productivity by multitasking.
Make A To Do List
Free your mind by making a list of all the things that you need to do, that way you can look at it and tick stuff off as you go. A list on a scrap of paper, on you mobile phone, or in a notebook will all serve their purpose. As you cross off things you’ve done this may encourage you to crack on and complete the remainder.
Do The Most Important Things First
It’s easy to start your day with the simplest tasks. It makes you feel like you’re accomplishing something even when you’re avoiding your big project. But by the time you’re done with your less important tasks, you’re already worn out and even more reluctant to start on your priority work.
Switch things up and perform the most important tasks first. It will be a relief once you’re done, and the rest of your day will run more smoothly.
Use Your Free Time Wisely
What do you do when you’re in the waiting room for an appointment or headed home on the bus? If you’re staring out the window, you’re wasting valuable time. Instead, you could be sending emails or brainstorming and taking notes on your next project at work or school. You could even use this dead time to work in your daily stress-relieving breathing exercises as long as you’re doing something productive.
[Credit: Oluwatomisin Amokeoja]
