If you’re one of those people who made New Year’s resolutions, the list was probably made for being more productive. In fact, it probably makes the list for all people – year after year – because productivity can be elusive for everyone.
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Even if you start 2022 with a constructive few months – by April, you may already be down. Commitment to productivity in your job and personal life can be as unused as your gym membership. “Maybe tomorrow” becomes “maybe next week”, then “maybe next month” and much more.
Before you allow your good intentions to widen that road you-know-where, take note. There are ways you can recover that drive for productivity and make it a habit instead of hope. Don’t just resolve to increase your productivity game in 2022; Do it.
Setting some boundaries
If you do not set limits on what you do and do not want to do, you will continue to land outside the limits. Deciding what you are not going to do in 2022 will keep you focused on what you will do. These limits will help you to say “no” to waste time and “yes” to tasks.
Boundaries are the rules used to indicate interaction with others. This interaction can be with your favorite coffee joint with family, friends, colleagues, and even baristas. This means they are personal, professional and transactional.
You may decide not to engage in office gossip this year. Or maybe you just don’t run to the bathroom and hide every time an annoying coworker comes up to you. Imagine what you can achieve by keeping these two activities out of bounds.
Your productivity will increase if you stay focused instead of hiding in the perimeter. Obviously, to know where they are, you need to set some boundaries. But once you’re done, you can focus on what’s important and leave out what’s not.
Breathe life into that to-do list
Now that you have set some rules for what you are not going to do, make a list of what you are doing. To-do lists come in all forms and lengths, so start by deciding which format works best for you. If you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to try a few for size.
Make sure your list doesn’t stay on your desk like the last strategic plan of the company that sits on the shelf. A good list should be consulted and revised every single day, items should be marked off and new ones added. If not here’s a new product just for you!
You can add textures to your list using your calendar instead of multiple sticky notes. This will make you think realistically about how long it will take to complete a task. In addition, you are less likely to over-schedule your work on a day full of meetings.
To-do lists can do more harm than good if they overwhelm rather than encourage. If your current method doesn’t work, give it some oxygen. Properly covered, it will withstand a great deal of adverse conditions.
Free up your prime time
Everyone is more productive at times than others. The time of day, the day of the week or the month of the year are all variable. The strategy is to determine where the sweet spot of your productivity is and use it to your advantage.
If Monday is your prime time down with two cups of coffee at 11am, turn it off from your calendar. Instead, set a task for that time, which is especially important for a tight deadline. This is a great opportunity to check out a lottery assignment.
Releasing those parts of the time when you are most productive means eliminating related distractions. Close your office door (if you have one) and hang the “Don’t bother” sign. Keep your phone in a drawer and mute those annoying notifications so you don’t get tempted to look.
If you make it a habit to save your most productive time for actual production, even your coworkers will notice. This can help you avoid confusion even when working in a cubicle or open office space. You will be more prepared for prime time.
Employ some tools to trade productivity
Productivity applications have become ubiquitous. These are all designed to increase productivity at work, at home, in individuals or in groups. In fact, you can reduce your productivity by spending too much time figuring out what you want to use.
Still, if you find an app that makes you more focused, more organized, and more productive, use it. You may find that everything from simple tasks to making a list of honey at home is easy. Using productivity applications for more work than you need will make you more efficient at using them.
Hiring apps and productivity hacks for multiple purposes at once can make you more productive on multiple fronts. For example, kill two birds with a Pomodoro technique that you are using to maintain focus at work. During this five minute break, do some squats or sit-ups and get your workout done as well.
The fact is that productivity devices do not work for everyone. But if you haven’t tried because you don’t think they’re your thing, you should. Any task is always easy if you accomplish it using the right tools.
Give your productivity a leg up
Everyone needs a little help from time to time to keep up with their resolutions – or start over. It’s okay to ask for help, stumble a little, and restart if necessary. The only real failure is to give up trying to be more productive.
As you focus on your determination to improve, celebrate your victory and not defeat yourself for the loss. Productivity, after all, works. Improve yourself a little more this year and you will be amazed at what you can do.
Image credit: Karolina Grabowska; Pixels; Thanks!
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