Improving Productivity

Sometime we all struggle with being productive or actually staying productive. There are times I just want to lay around, watch t.v. and take honestly take a nap when I know I have things to do. Now, of course everyone have different ways of getting things done that work for them but here are a few tips I came up with that may be able to help you with productivity.  

Sleeping Schedule: It is important to get the proper amount of sleep. It can be very hard to focus and get this done when you are tired so try to get enough rest and try waking up early. Start your day off an hour earlier than you would normally do to better prepare yourself for the day ahead of you. Waking up early allows you to pray, meditate, or whatever you like to do and it also starts you off with a positive attitude. 

Create To-Do List: Write down your tasks daily. Make a list of everything you have to do and prioritize that list and put the task in order by importance. Write the list down so you have a visual and constant reminder of what you need to do. Also, be sure to check off the tasks you complete to keep track of what you have completed. 

Eliminate Distractions: Get rid of anything that is blocking productivity. For example, social media can be a huge production barrier for me. Sooooo, I will put my phone down and make sure I don't touch it unless it's an emergency. But, I'm sure to give myself mini breaks in between my tasks to maintain focus and give yourself a rest to increase productivity when you start your tasks again. I also set a time frame for social media use. I do not get on social media until after 12 pm and at night I don’t get on social media after 11 pm. That was I start my day off with something more productive than grabbing my phone as soon as I wake up to get on social media. Also minimizing my screen time before bed helps me fall asleep faster. A good way to monitor your distractions so you can minimize them, would be to use the “screen time” feature in your settings (for i-phone users). Instagram also monitors your activity in the settings.

Don't procrastinate: This is easier said than done. We all tend to put things off until the last minute but when improving productivity we must avoid procrastinating. When you know you have something to do, get it done, do not keep telling yourself "well, i'll do it later" handle your tasks as soon as you can. Set short and long term goals to help you get things done. Give yourself small rewards for completing tasks in a timely manner.

Maximize on your time:  Take advantage of any free time you have. Also make sure you use all of the time you set aside to complete task.  I like to set deadlines for myself. After writing my to-do list I normally write out times that every task will be completed in and estimate how long I think the task will take to complete. During that time i try to meet my mark and complete the task before my deadline I have set for myself. 

I know these may seem like common sense pointers but sometimes we forget to do these things and we forget how helpful they can be. I hope this post helps improve your productivity.