Whether in work or life, most of us strive to accomplish more in less time. Some of the focuses for the team here at Beforeyouspeak this new year include maximising our time, stronger concentration and limiting distractions.
While we will be still all relying on our coffee to pull us through, we took a dive into the top ways to lead with productivity in less time.
We are preaching to the converted here, but let’s get the most obvious out of the way first. Caffeine is associated with improved memory and a boost in cognitive functioning. The key formula to starting the work day to optimise productivity and efficiency.
Several studies have shown that the more you work, the less productive you are while working. Utilising methods like the pomodoro method sets the amount of time you are working on a particular tasks, to drive the brain to finish it faster without fussing about.
Does anyone actually like checking their emails?.. Asking for a friend. If you can, check your inbox after you have already got some sh*t done, so you can stop emails interrupting your thought process. We tend to be our most lethargic between 1pm and 3pm, so consider clearing your inbox then, since it’s less likely you’d be doing other ground-breaking work then.
There are so many productivity apps out there. One of our favourites is Forest, an app for your phone that allows you to stay focused on the important things in life. Whenever you want to stay focused, click plant a tree. Your tree will grow while you focus on your work. Leaving the app halfway will cause your tree to die… emotional blackmail much?! The best part is Forest has partnered with Trees for the Future, to plant real trees to make a difference.
Find It Here: https://www.forestapp.cc
Whether it's breaking big projects into smaller jobs, making the toughest tasks your first objective, or rescheduling something to the next day — do whatever you need to do to make your goals actually doable. Set yourself up for success rather than failure, so you feel encouraged to take on the day instead of stressing out about all of the things you didn't accomplish yesterday.
If you have yet to get the memo, multitasking is a myth. It’s almost impossible for us to truly focus on multiple tasks that require real brain power. And when you try, you risk sacrificing your mental health in the long run.
When planning ahead, put the bigger, harder, more pressing tasks at the start of the week, or day, so you can knock them out first and relax as you go on. Set yourself up for success.
Music motivates. If you’re working on something that doesn’t require too much brainpower, pump up your favourite tunes to get you in the mood.
It is essential to choose the right music for different types of work. For example, narrative lyrics can be distracting for cognitive work, whereas upbeat tempos work great for repetitive tasks.
Go Get Sh*t Done.