How to be more productive and beat procrastination? 10 tips to boost your productivity.
How to beat procrastination, accomplish more and stay focused; 10 tips to improve your productivity significantly.
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Being productive is the art of being able to get more done in less time and meet the deadlines. However, distraction is the enemy of productivity. To form the habit of getting things done, one must incorporate some strict rules into their workday.
If you’re struggling to be productive and are a victim of procrastination, in this post, we'll go over 10 tips to boost your productivity and build a habit of focused working, whether you work from home or in an office.
Table of Contents
- Plan your roadmap for the day
- Work all the time you work
- Break down big tasks:
- Do the tasks you don't want to do first
- Use paper to-do lists
- Take mini breaks
- Focus on tasks that will lead to real results
- Use your time consciously
- Keep a procrastination list
- Fight off your temptations
- Build a habit of productivity
1. Plan your roadmap for the day:
The moment you wake up in the morning, make a schedule for the day. Prioritize the tasks that need to be done first and group the similar tasks such as replying to emails and other small activities. Having a detailed plan and schedule for the day is like being given a set of instructions to follow throughout the day.
Use the time blocking method; it’s a time management technique in which you divide your tasks into blocks of time. Each time has a starting and finishing point. Set each task to a certain hour. For example, you can set a certain task to accomplish between 12 PM and 1 PM. This is how you can structure your workday's schedule and appoint times to take breaks as well.
Below is an example of a time block to-do list:
- 11: 00 AM to 12:00 PM: Talk to the clients
- 12: 30 PM 1: 30 PM: Create a design for the project
I hope you understand how to make a time blocking schedule now. Think of this schedule as instructions from your boss or manager, who is holding you accountable.
2. Work all the time you work
To generate more output and tick off tasks from your to-do list, you need to implement the key called "focus" into your daily routine.
A 20-minute task that you focus on is better than a 1-hour task in which you get distracted repeatedly. When you give your full attention to a task, you improve its quality. For example, if you study a college subject without getting distracted and with full focus, versus if you study for 5 minutes and then check your phone for a notification, what do you think is the best way to get more results?
Naturally, the output of a concentrated task will be greater. So, incorporate deep work into your productive routine, and you'll see a big improvement in your productivity. Multitasking won’t help you do more but will sabotage your performance. Avoid trying to multitask. Focus all your mental energy on one task at a time so you can do your best work and get a good result.
3. Break down big tasks:
Large projects or tasks can be intimidating; to make them easy to accomplish and manageable, divide them down into smaller subtasks. It is also useful because you can delegate and distribute subtasks among the members of your team. You can track the project's development by drawing a visual map of it.
The Pomodoro technique is another option; it involves working on a task for 25 minutes before taking a 5-minute break. After working for four sets of 25 minutes, you get an extended break. The pomodoro technique will help you accomplish that big task easily.
4. Do the tasks you don't want to do first:
Some tasks are ones you don’t feel like doing or might procrastinate on or ones that take more time and energy to do. Getting these tasks completed first can give you a sense of accomplishment and will motivate you to work on other tasks.
5. Use paper to-do lists:
If you use apps to make a to-do list, I suggest using a paper to-do list instead. Even if you're using your phone for work, you might be tempted to open other apps, which will take your attention away from what you're doing. Writing your to-do tasks down on paper will keep you from getting distracted. You can pin that to-do list paper to your desk so you can easily look at it.
6. Take mini breaks:
You must prevent burnout and stress by taking short breaks and rewarding yourself with activities like going for a walk or treating yourself to a cup of coffee. This will help you get your energy and focus back so you can do your work better.
You can’t expect yourself to work 24 hours a day; this can’t be possible. To the contrary, working constantly without taking breaks will undermine your ability to work.
7. Focus on tasks that will lead to real results:
Many of the tasks we do each day have no valuable outcomes. You should examine your daily routine to identify the activities in which you invest time but receive little to no value in return.
If you put in 20% of the work, you'll get 80% of the results, according to the most well-known principle, the 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto principle). Keeping that in mind, eliminating those low-value tasks can help you work on other significant tasks, which will give you 80% of the productive results!
8. Use your time consciously:
Managing your time isn’t about "hacks," it’s a skill that you need to build. Start with baby steps to get rid of distractions and get better at concentrating on your work. Monitor your schedule and figure out what things are distracting you.
Brian Tracy, in his book “No Excuses’ says, "Discipline yourself to act every minute of the day as if everyone were watching you."
Always keep in mind that time is a valuable thing and use it wisely. The more you use it wisely and spend it on important tasks that give you results, the more you increase productivity. Say no to distractions and keep your focus on your important priorities.
9. Keep a procrastination list:
Every time you put something off, write it down on a list. If you procrastinate again, write it down again. This method will force you to get started on that task the next time. Keeping a list of the things you've been putting off will help you overcome your procrastination and get things done.
10. Fight off your temptations:
The fact that we give in to temptations throughout the day is another major contributor to our lack of productivity. Often if I have to work on a task, I tell myself that I will get some work done after watching a movie. This often leads to the procrastination of other tasks. You will be more productive if you have the self-control to ignore this temptation and focus on your work.
Take breaks, but on time, and follow the roadmap that you wrote for yourself. Remember to treat that to-do paper as instructions from your superior. Building your willpower to follow your schedule is the best way to get things done and beat procrastination.
Build a habit of productivity
Make it your habit to be productive and focused, and you will never be a victim of procrastination. If you work from home, you can use a system to help you be productive.
Read my other blog post, where I explain how you can eradicate distractions and use a system to achieve more and maintain your mental health.
You are welcome to share your feedback and let me know about the strategies you employ to get things done. You can either follow me on Twitter or send me an email at yasirkhan28991@gmail.com.
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