Welcome back to another post about productivity! Here at Save Ourselves, I strongly believe in being intentional about productivity. Productivity is not something that automatically happens, but to a large extent is within our control and we can make considerable changes within our habits and routines to enhance it to our optimal needs.
So in today's post I'm going to be discussing about a few things that we can intentionally bring into our lives that can help us optimise or increase our productivity levels.
Now, what exactly are PRODUCTIVITY ENABLERS?
Everything that can aid to our effort of being productive is a productivity enabler according to me. And I'm going to be sharing a lot of things that I have come across so far in this post. Let's begin!
How to use productivity enablers in our day to day lives:
1) Using energy wisely through sleep and food
Our body functions on the basis of the energy we provide it through sleep and food. So it is necessary to ensure that we our fuelling it properly and taking good care of it. Eating right, sleeping for the necessary amount of time, eating on time, eating enough are some of the basic concerns we can address to ensure proper functioning of our body and thus enable it to be productive for the maximum amount of time.
2) Putting things in their place
Knowing where your things are saves you a lot of time and lets you get to your actual task a lot faster. So a great way to do that is to have a fixed place for every object that you use and to make sure that it is returned to its place after it has been used. This is going to help you grab your pens, pencils, notebooks, laptop much faster when you need it and you can work on your task for more time and produce better work. It also saves you a lot of stress of losing and misplacing things. Its going to allow you to get into this habit of staying organised and systematic which is always a good habit to get into.
3) 'Making' your space before you leave
This is the greatest motivator to be productive according to me. A clean, tidied up space is going to give your thoughts clarity and not make you anxious when you are already overwhelmed with your workload. Coming back to a desk that is already set up with all the material you need to start working is going to give you that heads up to get to work and you'll be able to start your work much faster.
A sub tip in this is to prep the night before. Lay out your outfit, pack your bag the night before so that you don't forget things when you are in a rush and you're much more motivated to go and get things done because your past self has already done the preparations for you. I always feel so grateful to my past self whenever I do this, it feels great to be your own saviour!
4) Being clear about your tasks
Having 10 things to do at a time messes up our decision making skills and we don't end up prioritising the right way! So planning out you tasks will give you clarity in terms of what you need to do. And when you know what you need to do, you'll tend to get started with it much faster. Don't spend your precious time on deciding between things. Plan it out ahead and just go and do it.
5) Automating / simplifying tasks
I'm VERY lazy when it comes to tasks that involve a lot of objects and preparation. But as an architecture student I cannot avoid it. So instead if I have the option of doing things in a more simplified way I'm much more likely to do that task.
For example, whenever we have to produce a lot of drawings, I get less done when its actual handwork and I have to pull out my huge sheets and tracing papers and markers and my drawing board and my drafting material and all of that. It feels like so much work. But now a lot of times, I get the option of doing that task digitally, on my computer. That just requires my laptop and my mouse and it also makes it possible for me to do this anywhere I like without creating a lot of mess. In other words, it simplifies my work and at such times I;ve noticed my productivity being much higher.
So if you have such tasks that can have a simpler alternative, I'd suggest you take that. And this option is especially helpful when your motivation is on a low.
6) Using products that you actually enjoy
The key to do things effectively is to enjoy doing them! If you enjoy what you're doing, your will to see that task through is much higher and you are going to do a much better job. So having fun with all my tasks really makes me put that effort without letting it feel like HARDWORK. So what I do for that is:
Colour-coding my notes : I have a different colour of highlighter/ marker for all my subjects and it makes the job of note-taking so much more interesting. Because of this, the way I take notes has improved so much this semester both in terms of effectiveness and aethetics. And in turn, it also makes sure that I am attentive in all of my classes.
Using stationery I actually like : I am a big stationery enthusiast and I enjoy using products for my tasks. I have fun using those and that's whenever a task gives me the opportunity to use these products, I always look forward to that task, and my output is satisfactory. So you can see for yourself what is it that you actually enjoy using and try and use it in all the tasks that you can to make them more enjoyable!
(links given below!)
7) Listening to non-lyrical music
Listening to music while studying/ working has a very soothing effect on your mind it has actually been proven to help focus better. Now obviously don't listen to distracting music that's very loud and has lyrics because you're not going to be able to think properly. But music that's more sound-based or instrumental can have a positive effect on your output. You can listen to classical, jazz, nature sounds, some white noise, etc. There are a lot of focus/ study playlists available on various apps so do give them a try!
So these are all the tips I personally use in my day to day life and they have had a big impact on my intention to be productive. I understand that despite this, our productivity levels are going to fluctuate and it's completely fine. However my intention behind this is to let you know that we can take some efforts into managing our productivity.
I hope you have fun putting these into practice!
Products I use:
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Sakura Gelly Roll : https://amzn.to/2Z5ZHWV
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Sign Pen :https://amzn.to/2MlpWqx
Plain Washi Tapes : https://amzn.to/2Narp2l
Laser pointer : https://amzn.to/2MjtqK5
Notebook : https://amzn.to/2Z90zu6
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