Are you struggling to be as productive as you were a few weeks ago? Have you found yourself staring at a blank screen a lot more lately?
You know what you should be doing, but after a January filled with planning sessions, goal setting, and high-energy activities to distract you from the grey outside, February can often feel a slog. And with summer feeling a long way off, staying productive can be a challenge.
So, here are 11 tips to get you back on track…
💗 Start the day with a focus on you – eat breakfast, read the news, work out, go for a walk, meditate… When you’re feeling great, your attitude to your work can dramatically improve, too.
⌚ Do your most demanding job in your peak productivity time, whenever that is. Mine’s in the evening but that’s not going to work for you if you’re an early bird. You’ll know when you work best, so you choose. And tackle your most challenging task first – a great read about why you should do this is Brian Tracy’s ‘Eat that Frog!’
❌ Stop multi-tasking! I keep saying this because it’s a productivity and concentration killer. Do your brain a favour and focus on doing one thing well at a time, rather than draining your focus by trying to do lots of things at once.
✍🏻 Write your to-do list the night before, so everything is ready for you to crack on with at the start of the day. It’s also helpful if you struggle to switch off at night because getting all those things out of your head and down on paper or onto your task management tool, helps your brain relax.
✔️ Prioritise your to-do list and be realistic about the time you need to complete each task. It’s always better to be left with a spare half an hour than to watch your unfinished jobs stack up as the week goes on.
⭐ Outsource. This will leave you more time to spend on your important tasks. But the key is to give the right task to the right person; someone with the right skills and someone you trust. For some inspiration on what tasks you could delegate, take a look at our free guide ‘99 tasks to give to your VA’ or check out the services we offer.
📧 Turn off distractions, such as email and social media notifications or anything that interrupts your productive flow.
🏃♀️ Move! Studies show that exercise enhances brain function. Start viewing exercise as part of your work, not just something you do for your personal benefit.
☕ Take a break with a business friend (or a group of them!). I find taking a break and talking with someone who understands the challenges of running a business can be just what’s needed to get those ideas flying and motivation roaring again.
😁 Be optimistic. Happy people are more productive and research shows those of us who are naturally optimistic achieve great success.
💤 Get enough sleep and take care of yourself – this one’s clearly a no-brainer but it’s one that we often forget when we feel like there’s a lot to do.
All of these tips might sound simple but they’re not necessarily easy. Don’t be hard on yourself if you slip back into old habits from time to time. Just don’t stay stuck in those old habits!
There’s plenty of support available to help you get your spark back, so if you’re interested in finding out more, get in touch with us today.
