Time is a funny thing. It never changes but we constantly alter how we perceive
it. With each passing day we expect to be able to help more clients or sell more product; it shows us that we have an unaltering desire to become more productive.
On a daily basis we all try to increase our productivity. Listening to music, switching up working locations, having coffee are all aimed at helping do more with limited time. Despite what summertime might have you think the days are not getting any longer. Here’s what you should do to double your daily productivity.
Work in 90-minute cycles
Have you ever tried to work on a project for half a day straight? Not only do you experience quick burnout but you also don’t maintain a consistent level of productivity. Working in cycles is the how our body naturally functions and the same can be said when making the most efficient use of time.
According to research we are most productive in 90-minute increments. Now, it’s no easy feat getting your mind recalibrated to work undistracted 90 minutes at a time. We live our lives in multi-windowed, multi-tabbed, push-notified madness and step number one to getting more productive is reducing those distractions.
Kill your electronic notifications
Do you really need to know your cousin commented on a pic of last-night’s the moment it happens? Probably not, so why do we consistently subject ourselves to digital distractions? We live in a world of FOMO – fear of missing out – and push notifications fuel that anxiety. We fear missing an important email, text, tweet, post, direct message, or chat, convincing ourselves that it will be the one message we have to respond to immediately. Just ask yourself, when did the last notification you receive truly require your immediate response? Odds are they can wait.
Reward yourself for hard work
No matter how you slice it, we’re animals. We can shape ourselves into acting a certain way the same way B.F. Skinner did using operant conditioning. Presenting ourselves with a pleasant reward after completing a desirable action causes us to view that action favorably and increases the likelihood we’ll do it again. If you can only max out focus working in 30-minute cycles, reward yourself with something like chocolate or a YouTube break when you work 45 minutes distraction-free.
Pick up healthy routines
Getting more productive begins even before you power up your computer. Routines that give your body clarity will help you focus once the work starts. These morning quick fixes should have you starting the day as your best self:
– making your bed
– drinking 1 liter of water before coffee, tea, juice, or food
– 20 – 30 minutes of cardio, yoga, stretching, or bodyweight exercises
– create a to-do list for the day