6 Small Habits To Help You Be Productive

Hey, Psych2Goers! Do you look at your hectic days, and just wish you could get more done? Does your brain oftentimes feel like a jumbled mess of grey-matter scrambled eggs? Jumping from total mental chaos, to a super chill, “go-with-the-flow-attitude”, may seem like a big leap. A leap as large as The Grand Canyon. It won’t happen overnight, but if you do small, incremental changes, you can find yourself getting more and more of your daily tasks done.

Here are ‘6 Small Habits To Help You Be Productive’!

DISCLAIMER: This post is for educational purposes and is based on personal opinions. This post is not a substitute for professional advice, but general guidance. We advise you to always listen to your intuition and always do what is right for you.

#1. Make A To-Do List

Writing down a list of all the things you need to accomplish, is a great way to visualize your tasks. Otherwise, you may be racking your brain for the answers. If there’s a notebook you keep around, making to-do lists is a great use of those pages. By all means, use the note app on your phone if you prefer that method. Writing notes on your phone might be easier, but they can also lead to more disorganization. And ironically less productivity.

How many unorganized notes are currently on your phone right now? Is it sitting at a rather unwieldy 218? Oof. There’s something to be said for the more old-school and tactical way of putting pen or pencil to paper. In the end, always do whatever works best for you.

#2. Limit Your Social Media Time

In today’s day and age, it’s almost impossible to not spend hours and hours looking at all of your socials. You may spend all your time in bed looking at other posts. So much so, that you lose track and are now late. It’s important to keep up to date with your friends and family, but catching up on all of your DMs can be exhausting. Everything in moderation.

To be more productive, you can even try putting your phone on ‘Airplane Mode’. If you need the time and space away to be more productive, this cellular feature can help you focus. Try it! Just make sure you remember to turn you phone off of Airplane Mode and back to normal before too long. Otherwise your friends and family will think you’ve disappeared somewhere over The Bermuda Triangle.

#3. Listen In During Your Commute

When heading to work or school, do you prefer driving a car, or taking the bus? Did you just acquire a new and super sleek bicycle that you’ve been wanting to show off? No matter how you get to your destination, the journey can be a lot. According to Marlynn Wei, MD., JD., : “Commuting also has significant psychological and social costs. It can be a major cause of stress, due to its unpredictability and a sense of loss of control. Commuters can experience boredom, social isolation, anger and frustration from problems like traffic or delays.”

To help reduce stress and be more productive, perhaps try listening to some music, an audiobook, or a new favourite podcast on the way there. It won’t make the travel any shorter, but it can make it more bearable. You’re likely to feel better upon arriving at your destination, because you’ve accomplished two things at once. But please, always be safe out on the road!

#4. Don’t Rush

Speaking of being safe, it’s important to pace yourself. If rushing to get to work on time, you might be putting yourself and others at risk. In the midst of getting tasks done, rushing may make your work sloppier than usual. If you normally put in first-rate projects, but you’re rushing, those around you may take note.

Rushing to get a job done can become counterproductive. If you try getting something done in half the normal time, you may have to re-do it again, and then spend twice as much as you would have normally the first time. Darnit!

#5. Allow For Some Breaks

mug with coffee and two cookies on brown coaster

It’s important to not over-do it. Especially when you’re in The Zone, going totally ham. There can be benefits to taking breaks periodically throughout your day. You may be someone who thrives off just powering through the work. If that works for you, then all power to you. You want to make sure you’re not burning yourself out though.

Taking time for a coffee break can help with relaxation, and can give your mind some much-needed cool down time. Or heated up time? Because of the coffee… Never mind. If you’re a perfectionist, you may feel guilty about taking breaks. We all need to sit back and pause every once in a while.

#6. Give Yourself Deadlines

Being stressed out is never fun. There is however, such a thing as “manageable stress”. As hard as that may be to imagine. Whether they’re external or self-imposed, deadlines are a great motivator for productivity. You may get too flustered when others put deadlines on you. If you can, maybe ask for a little leeway on their end. If you’re more comfortable, try creating your own deadlines that you yourself can totally accomplish.

Having an accountability buddy to check in, is another great way to be productive. Whether they’re a friend, family member or significant other, The A.B. can ensure you’re meeting those deadlines. Also, it’s just fun to say the words “accountability buddy”.

Final Thoughts

Are you energized? Do you feel more ready to take on the day now? Hopefully this list has helped boost your confidence and given you some practical ways to improve getting things done.

What other productivity life hacks come to mind? Please like and share this post with anyone who could use a bit more productivity in their lives. Change may come in small shapes. It may come slowly, but it will still come. Until next time!

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