It seems to get more difficult to get work done each day. There are endless amounts of distractions surrounding us and the growing list of responsibilities eating away most of our time. How often have you found yourself wishing there was more time in the day? If you’re having trouble accomplishing your goals, here is a list of tips to help improve your productivity and make the most out of your days.
The biggest curse that comes along with advanced technology is the increase in distractions that come along with these devices. If managed properly, our phones and computers can be tools to accomplish work, network with others, get exposure, and help us build careers and our professional lives. However, we tend to get lost in the “void” of endless scrolling on social media, spend hours watching Youtube videos, or waste our days away binging shows and movies.
As they say, everything in moderation. The key to increased productivity is finding balance between a productive investment of time using your technological resources, and using them for enjoyable purposes and entertainment. The less time we spend mindlessly staring at screens, the more we are able to get done in the present moment.
Set yourself up in an area where screens aren’t around if you’re able to do your work without technology. Leave your phone face down, or preferably in another room for a little bit of time while you focus on getting stuff done.
The main step towards improving yourself is admitting where your faults are and what areas you need to strengthen. Acknowledge unproductive habits, and tendencies to procrastinate. Notice what methods you rely on for distractions, or the ways in which you delay addressing responsibilities. There’s no need to be hard on yourself, we all put off doing things we do not want to do. However, if you seek change, you have to address these behaviors in some way. Be patient with yourself, and try your best to change habits that do not serve you.
Looking at life in a big picture, grand scheme kind of way can always make your chest tighten with fear. It’s overwhelming to think of the future mostly because there are so many unknown variables that our minds obsess over trying to predict and prepare for. If we take everything one day at a time, one task at a time, it makes our large goals and plans seem less ominous and difficult to attain.
Making small goals each day will always keep you moving towards something, rather getting stuck in complacency, uncertainty, and fear. Keep a physical to-do list or checklist that you can mark off as you accomplish your tasks. Before you know it, you will look back and see how much progress you have made along the way while you have accomplished these smaller goals. It makes achieving your dreams seem that much more possible.
It is easy to promise ourselves that we will complete everything we set out to accomplish, but often we promise more than we deliver. If you want to improve your productivity, you must hold yourself accountable to changing negative behaviors, and always push yourself to try to achieve the goals you want to accomplish. Nothing in your life will change if you don’t take action.
Actions speak louder than words.
If you keep a journal, this provides physical proof of improvements as you track your daily tasks, goals, and more. Journals are a great way to stay organized and remember important dates, deadlines, and events. They also allow you to record any ideas you have while during the day; make sure to write your ideas down as soon as you can because no matter what you say, you most likely won’t remember them later.
Write down your schedules, account for available time to allot to work, and track your goals and habits in your journal. This allows you to stay on top of your responsibilities and the physical act of writing everything down truly motivates you a little more to be able to check off that you’ve accomplished your tasks.
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