5 Ways to Increase Productivity
There are 2 categories that most people find themselves in; those who are always busy on the go, never having any time to enjoy life, and those who are so laidback that they always seem to be playing catchup with their tasks. But while those people in the first category appear to be getting a lot done, they often don’t produce quality work. Studies have shown that people who spread out their energies into multiple tasks at once often produce very poor quality of work, as opposed to those who pick just 1 task and focus all their energies on it until it is completed. For those who deal in the quality of work, I like to call them productive doers. I refer to them as productive doers because they care more about producing high quality than quantity. In this video we will take a look at 5 important strategies that will make you a productive doer.
- Don’t follow your feelings:
Your emotions are ever changing, and they change rapidly according to the environment you’re in at that given moment. It is important to understand that emotions are temporary feelings that act as our body’s natural coping reaction to situations. Never let a temporary environment or situation cause you to make a permeant emotional decision. Your decisions should be logical and rationally thought through based on a structured plan. For example, you’re working at a job in order to complete a 2 year practicum, and after which you’ll obtain your much needed job certification. At the end of your first year with the company, you are paired with a coworker who is making your life a living hell every single day. You don’t walk away from the plan based on this temporary situation. Instead you make a rational decision and try to find creative ways to deal with the problem. Remember feelings are always temporary, but plans are long term, so stick with the plan.
- Know your priorities:
You need to understand what’s most important to you. Is it the temporary gratification of the now or the bountiful long-lasting reward of the future? Always evaluate your motives and ask yourself why you want to accomplish that task. If it’s a significant goal, then it will have a significant why. This will help you find the true motivation you need to enable you to prioritize and give it your level best. Once you’ve categorized it and given it special priority, the required motivation will come along with it.
- Discomfort is a good thing:
An uncomfortable environment or situation usually means that growth is taking place. It also means that a critical lesson is being taught. Pay close attention and open your mind to receive the important lesson. Growth and advancement always come with a struggle. Ever wonder why the term “growing pains” exists? When a seed is planted in the ground, its life initially is a very difficult one. The seed has to first of all break out of its shell. Secondly, it still has to push up through all the dirt. Even after it has survived all that, it still has to worry about the insects and birds that would continue to threaten its survival. Learning to play the guitar or the piano is hard. Your fingers go through a world of pain during the repetitive process. But the pain is a sign that you’re improving. Remember, no pain no gain. Pain and discomfort is a sign that you’re out of your comfort zone. It means you’re learning something new or are getting better at something by putting in focused hard work. Discomfort is a necessary resistance that is required for growth.
- Practice mindfulness:
Mindfulness is the practice of always being conscious of the day to day habits that affect your growth and character as an individual. Mindfulness is taking stock of those habits that negatively impact your plan and taking decisive, purposeful and conscious corrective actions against them. It’s about being in the now and making constant mental documentation of your habits. By doing so, you’re able to pay close attention to the distractions that rob you of your productivity and your focus. Mindfulness allows you to constantly rein in your feelings and asses your priorities in making rationalized decisions. This will give you greater control over your reactions when faced with sudden, unpredictable and difficult situations.
- Be flexible to forgive yourself and adapt quickly:
As human beings we all make mistakes and fail. Those among us who are the greatest achievers are in fact the biggest failures. People who achieve the most in life often are the ones who have gone through the most trials. By trials I’m not just talking about the struggles that come on the journey of success; but I’m also talking about the many attempts that successful people need to make before they can finally taste success. Successful people never shy away from putting in the hard work and are always prepared to learn from their failures. As we mentioned earlier, learning new things can sometimes come with a lot of discomfort and involves a lot of struggle. In order to achieve productivity you must allow yourself room to fail. You should never allow your failures to stifle your progress and freeze you in your tracks. When you fail, instead of wallowing in your emotions, get up quickly. Pull yourself together and keep your eyes on the plan. Failure is a temporary event. It is just a snapshot in time. Dust yourself off and adapt quickly. The longer you stay down, the harder it will be to get back up. Focusing negatively on your failures creates a negative emotion that decreases motivation and cripples productivity. Be flexible, forgive yourself for your mistakes, adapt, strategize and get back on track – keep it moving.
