You know those days when you have so much to do that you decide to watch 30 episodes of The Office instead?
Yeah, I get it.
Productivity is a cycle. The more you allow yourself to be unproductive, the less likely you are to improve on your productivity. You have to have your own momentum. Start now!
How to Boost Your Productivity
If you haven’t figured it out already, you will figure out very quickly what routine and what working style works for you. Some people can be very productive while sitting on the couch with their feet up, while others need to be in a traditional office setting. Regardless of how and where you’re working, here are a few ways you can boost your productivity:
Take Breaks
I used to have the hardest time with this. I skipped over all my lunch breaks and plowed through the day because I thought my breaks were slowing me down. In reality, the lack of a break made my afternoons move much slower than they do now. Take at least a half hour for lunch, and take a few ten-minute breaks throughout the day to chat with your coworkers or play with your dog, if you’re lucky enough to work from home. Breaks give your mind a chance to refresh and your body a chance to re-energize.
Avoid Isolation
I’m very introverted, so normally I’d be the last person to say that it’s important to surround yourself with great people – but it’s true! If you work in an office, make sure you say hello to your coworkers, grab lunch with them once in a while, and engage in casual banter in the break room. It’ll force you to enjoy your office and your work a lot more. If you work from home, try working from a coffee shop! Even if you don’t speak to anyone other than the barista, the environment of people talking around you and mugs clinking on plates can encourage you to work full-speed ahead for a few hours. It invites a change of scenery and a change of pace, and change can actually be very good for productivity.
Go List-Crazy
This may seem like an obvious one for my fellow type-A-ers out there, but you have to use more than your Google Calendar. Start every day by pulling out a fresh sheet of paper or opening up the Notes app on your computer. Type out a list of everything you want to get done for the day, and not only high-level/big picture items. “Work on content calendar” is not going to convince you to get it done, but “Assign content projects for the month of May” just might. Think about S.M.A.R.T. goals are you’re writing your list. Are the items on your list measurable and attainable? Are you giving yourself a reasonable deadline to work towards? The more “SMART” items you have on your list, the more likely you are to work hard to cross them off. Plus – there’s nothing better than the feeling of dramatically crossing an item off of your to-do list.
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to ask your coworkers for help on projects or even outsource certain items. This is especially important for intricate projects that require a variety of skills. Content writing is a fantastic example. High-level managers who have never worked in creative departments tend to not realize how difficult it can actually be to produce quality content. You can quickly write some “decent” content, or you can hand it off to someone who knows what they’re doing. It may cost you a bit extra, but it will probably be best for your business in the long-run.
Interested in enlisting in MY help? I am fully aware that $100 per blog post can seem like a HUGE cost for a small business. I am offering discounted, customized business solutions for those in need of long-term projects. Reach out and we’ll see what Your Content Advisor can do!
Anastasia Parris 