5 Ways to Form Productive Habits That Will Help You Get Ahead in Life

Have you ever wondered how despite sharing the same hours within one day, some people get more done than others? It’s not magic, time leaping, or having super hero powers that sets them apart and gets the job done. The secret lies in productivity. Psych2Go shares with you 5 ways to form productive habits that will help you get ahead in life:

1. Fully commit.

Although people often shy away from the word “commitment,” because it’s considered such a strong word, it is only through being strong that helps one endure more. By fully committing yourself to a task or project, you put more effort into achieving it, rather than just dreaming or thinking about getting it done. Instead, you’re making it happen. If you catch yourself drifting off, Josh Pais, creator of Committed Impulse, recommends saying, “I’m back!” as loud as possible to help you snap out of distracted spells.

2. Avoid multi-tasking.

Humans’ brains aren’t wired to multi-task. And while multi-tasking might seem like a more efficient way of getting many things done all at once, that’s actually only an illusion. Research shows that multi-tasking causes you to make more errors and takes you more time to complete a project. To avoid multi-tasking, take a break from social media and electronic devices. Unless there is an emergency, all text messages and emails can wait until you have the time to respond.

3. Get rid of “friendly interruptions.”

If people constantly come up to you for advice on their own project, it might seem like no big deal to take a few seconds to give them your opinion, right? But in actuality, if this is an ongoing process where your coworkers, friends, or family members are constantly relying on you for your feedback, it’s best to establish some space and boundaries so that your own work doesn’t get put on the back burner. It’s not fair to you that you’re prioritizing others’ needs over your own.

Don’t fall into that trap and saying “no” doesn’t make you any less of a person. Let them know you can tend to their questions when you have time once you finish taking care of your own responsibilities. Putting yourself first from time to time doesn’t make you selfish. In fact, it’s essential if you want to get anything done.

4. Don’t bottle up your emotions.

Letting negative emotions fester up until you have a breaking point isn’t healthy. Sure, it might keep the drama to a minimal when you’re not displaying any emotions that might provoke conflict, but holding in the anger, stress, and disappointment will only make you feel worse in the long run. To prevent this from happening, you can try cognitive behavioral therapy, exercising, meditating, journaling, or learning how to communicate more effectively with others. People do their best work when they feel confident and good about themselves, so it’s a good idea to monitor and alleviate your negative emotions.

5. Hang out with people who encourage good habits.

Surround yourself with people who you admire and who want the same things out of life. Not only will your networking expand, but being around them will act as a reminder to the kind of person you’re actively working towards becoming. It’ll also give you opportunities to seek answers by asking about their own experiences that gives you more perspective and you’ll feel less alone when facing the same obstacles as you work on reaching similar goals.

What productive habits have you formed? Leave a comment down below!

References:

Gelb, S. (2017). How Successful People Do More in 24 Hours Than the Rest of Us Do in a Week. Retrieved October 3, 2017.