It’s National Productivity Day and we don’t know about you but we’re feeling awfully unmotivated. So to capitalize on the day and try and get some things done, we’ve come up with a few ways to be more productive without facing the dreaded procrastination. And we’re going to share them with you after a short break….just kidding!
To start off, develop a productive (but enjoyable) morning ritual. Pairing a few efficient tasks with your morning favorites can really get you off to the right start. Maybe you really want to make your bed, shower and shave every morning…but most days you just roll out of bed and sit down to breakfast and coffee. Instead, try getting out of bed and immediately making it. Then start your coffee pot and set yourself up for a quick and efficient shave (bonus efficiency if you use a simplified system like MultiShape, because it’s every grooming tool you need, in one!). Then grab some coffee, take your shower, and finally sit down to eat breakfast. By mixing in your favorite morning habits with some necessary tasks you’ve effectively developed a morning routine that makes you feel ready to take on the day.
Don’t think you’re above to-do lists. We know, it might be super old and uninventive advice, but you’d be surprised at the amount of people who don’t keep to-do lists – and it’s really an amazing way to be more productive. The very simple fact is that to-do lists accomplish several things at once. For one, they get all of the “don’t forget to’s” out of your brain which can immediately lighten your mental load. Secondly, they make the things you need to accomplish visual which helps you grasp the time commitment you’re going to need. And lastly, they make it super easy to prioritize your tasks.
Of course, once you’re ready to accomplish some of those to-dos…that’s when our not-so-good friend procrastination hits. Yep, you start scrolling through TikTok, hitting the heart on your friends Instagram posts or say “hey this would be a great time for me to catch up on Yellowstone.” It’s easy to get distracted when there are so many distractions around! So, try turning off that TV (hide the remote if you have to), turning your phone to focus mode – and maybe plug it into your charger to help trick your mind that it’s out of juice.
Once you’re in productive mode – whether you’re painting your bedroom, creating a presentation for a big meeting at work, or planning our your next cross-country road trip – don’t forget to dedicate a time for breaks! It may seem counterintuitive, but the goal is to avoid burnout, so if your task will take two hours, give yourself a little respite halfway through. If you’re the responsible type, take as much time as you need to catch your breath and then get back into it. If you’re like us—easily distracted—set a timer and know that once that thing goes off, its back to business. An added bonus here is that taking a break often makes you more productive and gets your creative juices back to flowing once you’ve returned. So, keep those engines running by making time to refuel!
One of the best parts of being productive is the end result, and if that isn’t reward enough, then go ahead and reward yourself! Maybe it’s a cup of coffee from your favorite neighborhood coffee shop, or maybe it’s a new grooming device like MultiShape (hint hint) to make sure your mornings stay streamlined and productive. Or, maybe it’s a simple pat on your own back! Whatever it is, a little reward for a job well done never hurt anyone, so if all else fails to get you moving, this one should do the trick!
And hey, if you’ve yourself here because you needed a distraction…we hope we’ve given you the motivation to get back to it!
