10 Ideas to Stay Productive
Of all the qualified authorities to write about productivity, I’m certainly the least of these. I struggle with organization and prioritizing tasks, and with the distractions of technology, I’m your classic procrastinator.
Before I forced myself to sit and write this, I had a sudden urge to clean the toilet and put away some laundry. To avoid this, I recruited the advice of my co-workers who offered their top 10 productivity tips.
1. Written To-Dos: The most common theme across the office. The written to-do list is a precious commodity for some and a daunting task for others. Company-wide, we prioritize and track all our tasks under the term “achievements.” The result? Our entire organization completes projects on time and welcomes new projects without dropping the ball on current work.
2. Google Keep: While not everyone has access to ASI’s internal system for managing tasks, Google Keep is available to provide similar benefits:
• Multiple lists for different purposes (shopping, to-do’s, etc.)
• Shareable lists. Add items to your partner’s shopping list. Another user can access the list and check off items.
• Saves completed items checked off.
• Lists are easily accessible and shared in real-time from any device.
3. Categorization: Each morning (or the night before bed), break down your daily “achievements” by category and what needs to occur “before lunch” and “after lunch.” You may have tasks related to the categories: “kids”, “household”, “management”, “programming”, and “meetings”, for instance. Splitting the categories and related activities into AM and PM, help make your day feel more manageable and organized.
4. Keyboard shortcuts: Do less and increase productivity more. Using keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse enables you to work faster, more efficiently, and with increased precision. (CTRL+A, select all, is my personal favorite).
5. Music to Focus: Aside from the sounds of furious typing, under-the-breath cursing, and Doug the dog pacing, the office is largely silent. I always assumed the developers needed silence to concentrate, but apparently, they listen to their favorite playlists. Some of my favorite instrumental sounds include Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and “EDM bangers”, obviously.
6. Chocolate Works: Keeping our senses engaged boosts focus. Taste is no different. Next time you are tempted to check how low your bitcoin investment is headed, try popping a piece of dark chocolate in your mouth. A study from Northern Arizona University showed eating a piece of dark chocolate activates your brain in a way that increases your level of attention.
7. Take a hike: Are you still reading this? Go on, get out of here! Take a walk, breath in some fresh air (see? we can even use our sense of smell to get motivated), and come back ready to focus on the last few tips for productivity. The brothers in our office, Ben and Eric, treat themselves most days to a quick walk around the block together. Whether they’re discussing paint swatches or toddler tantrums, they return ready to get back to work.
8. Clean Workspace: How is your desk looking right now? Any handwritten notes from ASI that can be hung up? How is the lighting? Your chair? A naturally lit, clean, comfortable workspace is a huge step toward increasing productivity.
9. Sign Off: Ben (VP of ASI) recently found himself getting sidetracked by a routine of checking headline news online and social media updates. I think we are all guilty of stepping into the time vortex egged on by online distractions. To combat this habit, he since has wholly signed out of social media and online news sites. Now, he subscribes to only paper sources and allocates time to reading a physical newspaper.
10. Journaling is Power: Last month Ben and I experimented with journaling each day before starting work. A concept pulled from the book Writing to Learn by William Zinsser, Ben and I committed ten minutes to jot down anything that came to mind related to the workday. We agreed the exercise of writing was aiding us to not only become better writers but a key driver for organizing thoughts and even problem-solving.
In Closing
Phew, I did it. Several snacks and walks later, I can check off this assignment. Jokes aside, we are a staff of employees and individuals dedicated to increasing your productivity with software tailored to your business process.