to-work-or-not-to-work: “Productivity is about making smart choices (continuously) with your energy,
to-work-or-not-to-work: “Productivity is about making smart choices (continuously) with your energy, focus and time in order to maximise your potential and achieve beneficial results.” – Mohammed Faris 1. Find your energy hours. Everyone has a specific time in the day where their energy levels are much higher than usual. Use that time to your advantage. Take that energy and get the majority of your work done and out of the way. For me, the mornings are usually when I feel the most energised, so I get to work straight away. To find your energy hours, try working at different times during the day. See which time of the day allows you to work at your very best. 2. Establish routines. Once you have found your energy hours, base your day around this. Create a routine for each day of the week. When do you study? When do you go to school? Do you relax for an hour after coming back from school? Do you tidy your room on Sunday? Establish a schedule and you’re less likely to get side-tracked and much more likely to maximise your productivity. 3. Ditch the to-do lists. Yes, it’s good to write lists of things you need to do, but you’re never going to get around to doing them if you don’t plan time for it. So instead of relying on a to-do list, add the task to your routine. Will you be able to work on this task on a Saturday afternoon? Great! Put it into your schedule. This will ensure the task is completed. 4. Don’t multi-task. You can’t do multiple things at once. It seems like you’re able to, but what you’re really doing is constantly switching your attention from one task to another. Don’t do that. Focus on one thing at a time. That way, you’re putting all of your attention on a task and are likely to get it completed faster and at a higher standard. 5. Complete similar tasks together. If you’re studying, instead of switching from subject to subject throughout the day, try to stick to one subject. On Monday, create flashcards for a Biology topic, then revise the topic and then do a Biology past paper. This will ensure your mind is concentrated on one thing at a time and not constantly switching gears. So get your chores done together. Study one subject at a time. Send your e-mails and messages at one time. Dedicate today to your English essay. Don’t interrupt tasks with an unrelated task. 6. Finish quick and easy tasks first. If you need to make a dentist appointment, do it. Do you need to write a quick e-mail to your teacher? Get it out of the way. Finishing the quick and easy tasks right away will leave you with ample time to tackle the more challenging ones you’ve got up ahead. It will also give you peace of mind that you’ve gotten something done today. 7. Take breaks. You’re not a machine. Productivity is not working 24/7. “Being productive is about knowing when to have fun and when to work hard; when to relax and when to be serious. It’s about making smart choices.” Allow your mind and body to take a break every now and then and relax. Scheduling these breaks can be beneficial so that you’re not constantly taking a break when you don’t need to. 8. Prioritise. Yes, that idea you had on the train was appealing, but is it really that beneficial? Is it important enough for you to spend your valuable time and energy on it? Will it get you where you want to go? Probably not. So prioritise projects and tasks. Ensure important tasks are completed first and well before any upcoming deadlines. Make sure that your time is better spent doing things that will actually benefit you and bring you closer to your goals. 9. Become accountable to someone. It’s super easy to make promises to yourself, saying that you will do this and do that. Likewise, it’s also extremely easy to break those promises. However, this is different when you have someone you are accountable to. Perhaps, at the end of every week, you can report to a parent or a trusted friend on your progress so far. It’s extremely difficult to tell someone that you haven’t accomplished your goals for the week. This will make it far more likely for you to get your work done. 10. Review your progress. At the end of each day, you should evaluate your progress. What did you accomplish today? What did you do well? What did you not complete today? Why? How could you improve? When will you complete it? Asking yourself these questions and being honest will help you see where you’re going right and where you’re not doing so well. I hope this is useful to some of you and that you put your time and energy into good use. -- source link