Sometimes, remaining productive throughout the day feels more like an urban legend than a realistic standard.
Productivity” and “caffeine intake” are often synonymous — workdays are made or broken with a cup of coffee. Or maybe you’re one of those people who love early mornings and birds singing outside your window. Either way, morning people and caffeine-addicts alike can suffer from a lack in workday productivity at any point. This is why the concept of staying productive all day long seems like a fantasy.
However impossible it may seem, all day productivity isn’t out of your reach. Change your work habits with these tips, and you’ll see what I mean.
Conquering Unproductivity
To start off each day in the most productive way possible, make a list the night before. On paper or within an app, visualizing your priorities with a list is an easy way to manage tasks and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Also, ticking off each completed task is deeply satisfying.
One approach to your nightly list is to set a goal or a theme for each day, so you can see how each line-item relates to what you want to get accomplished.
Your instincts may tell you to push any desire to take a break aside and work through it. In reality, the opposite approach guarantees more workflow. If you allow yourself short, intermittent breaks throughout the day, you’ll experience less burnout. Just remember not to make your breaks “too fun” and end up procrastinating.
Just as you shouldn’t undervalue taking breaks in your workday, definitely do not discredit the wonders of food. Eating gives you energy, this is just a fact of life. Working through lunch actually hurts your workday.
And finally, make sure you are always well-rested. Without proper sleep, both you and your work suffer.
Follow the tips above and modify to your personal working habits as needed, and you’ll be well on your way to conquering unproductive days.
Have any tricks of your own help you make it through the day? Share them in the comments below!