Productivity is
not something I struggle with. When I was a student, I used to work, study,
socialize, read, and exercise on a regular basis. My friends were always
wondering how I did it. Let me tell you something: the lack of productivity has
nothing to do with laziness. Sometimes you don’t feel like doing the tasks on
your list, but that doesn’t mean you’ve become a lazy, useless person. It just
means you’re not motivated enough or you simply need a rest to recharge your
body’s batteries.
Believe it or
not, getting productive is easier than it seems. You just need to trick
yourself into the ‘high achiever’ mode. And I know exactly how you can do that.
These are the 6 productivity hacks that never fail to work for me:
1. The Pomodoro
Timer
If you’ve never
heard about the pomodoro method before, you probably think I’m talking about
tomatoes. Nope! This technique, which was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the
80s, is based on the principle that the human brain needs short breaks in
between longer sessions of work. Cirillo used a kitchen timer (in the form of a
tomato) to time the sessions: 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest.
Before you start
the work, you plan how many pomodoro sessions you’ll need to complete it, and
you’ll develop a plan accordingly. If you don’t feel like using a kitchen
timer, you can simply use Strict
Workflow – a Chrome
extension based on the pomodoro principle.
2. Strike a Pose!
I never work on
the computer or study while in bed. I know that you want to get in a
comfortable position, but the ultimate physical comfort is not necessarily a
good thing when you’re trying to study or work. People invented the desk and
chair for a reason, you know. Sit with your back as straight as possible, and
you’ll be surprised with the way your posture makes you more focused.
3. Exercise!
When your body is
energized, your mind gets brighter. When I was a student, my roommate was
astonished by the fact that I woke up 1 hour earlier than necessary not for the
purpose to get my makeup done, but to do yoga. Trust me: moving your body matters.
If you really
can’t make yourself get up, the least you could do is commit to a daily 7-minute workout. You’ve got 7 minutes per day for exercise,
don’t you? Have a healthy smoothie after the session and you’ll be ready to
fight any distraction that comes along.
4. Do Not Multitask
Multitasking is
impressive, but it’s also a myth. When you’re trying to listen to a lecture and
do your homework for another class at the same time, you’re not going to
remember anything from the lecture and you’ll be too distracted to do the
homework. Take one task at a time and get focused on it.
5. Get a Good Sleep
All-nighters are
necessary during exam sessions, but don’t turn them into a habit. Getting
enough sleep is a mandatory requirement for proper productivity. Sleep
deprivation makes you stressed and unfocused. At least 8 hours of sleep at
night will prepare you to face the tasks of the following day.
6. Follow Your
Progress
I like to keep
to-do lists; they prepare me for the responsibilities of the day, and they give
me a timeframe to stick to. However, I also keep a ‘done’ list, which makes me
aware of the progress I made. Hey, if I edited three chapters today, I can do
the single one that remains, right?
You don’t have to
make a special ‘done’ list; just mark the covered tasks in your usual app and
you’ll already feel like the productive person you are.
We can’t
accomplish great things without hard work and great commitment. We are all
victims of procrastination, but we are also fighters. With the 6 hacks above,
our productivity levels can go sky high.