Hacks on productivity - 8 ways of getting the most out of your 24 hours
Hey there,
So you’re looking for some ways to become more productive. Maybe you are asking yourself why you aren’t getting the things you want to do, done? We all have 24 hours in the day. So why do some people achieve more in their time than others? It all goes down to Productivity. How well you end up using your time. So instead of wishing you had more time in the day, why don’t you try using these hacks to implement into your daily routine and get the most out of your 24 hours.
1. Wake up earlier
This sounds so simple and yet it can be so difficult sometimes trying to pull yourself out from the warmth and comfort of your bed. Trust me, I know. Especially during the winter period when the outdoor just looks so cold and dark, even at 10am. But, waking up earlier can give you time to just breathe, have breakfast, check in with how you are feeling and what you want to get done today.
I am not saying to go from waking up at 12 pm to 6 am. But if you want to achieve more in the day, you need to start waking up earlier. This means, instead of going to bed at 2 am, you’re in bed by 11:30 pm. Having a good sleep will supply you the energy to go through your day and it sets you up with a fresh mentality. So, when you go to bed today, try being in bed 30mins earlier and setting your alarm clock, 30mins earlier and see how that goes.
2. Have a regular diet plan
Everyone loves food. How can we not? It can taste so good while having a number of functions in our bodies, such as: giving us energy, repairing our tissues, supporting our bodies structure, and helping protect us from viruses and diseases. For us to be productive, we need to have our regular meals. You simply can not be productive for a long period of time without fuelling your body with some food. So, set yourself a rough estimate in the day where you can just stop, chill out and refuel yourself with that good-food.
3. Exercise and stretch
Most of you will ‘sigh’ on this one but when you wake up, your muscles are tense and may feel a bit weak. However, making exercise and stretching a part of your daily routine will get you more aware and it allows you to create a better mood. We have about 7,000 thoughts that go through our brain in one day. Doing some exercise and stretching allows your brain to slow down and focus on something that doesn't include social media.
4. Set yourself goals and deadlines
Top-level athletes, successful business-people and high achievers in all fields set goals. They allow you to have a long-term vision and a short-term motivation boost. It helps you to see what you want and allows you to organise your time so that you can focus on turning those goals into achievements. Well, why set a deadline? Because it enables you to know what you’re dealing with and how long you have to complete the task. It helps us prioritise our work and pushes us to get that work done. So, why don’t you try setting yourself up with 1 goal for today and 1 goes for this week and see how that goes.
5. Think positive
Ever heard of the saying “What you think, you become”? Well, it’s true. If you are constantly thinking negative thoughts such as: ‘I am a failure’, ‘I can’t do this’, ‘What’s the point?’, then, of course, you’re going to be in a negative mood and not being productive. However, the beautiful thing about the mind is that you can reprogram the mind, simply by changing the pattern of thoughts. Instead of saying ‘I am a failure’, you could think ‘I failed at this but if I change … then maybe I can get it right the next time’, or instead of ‘I can’t do this’, you could think ‘I can’t do this yet, but if I practice then I will get it soon enough’. The change you are looking for has to happen within yourself first.
6. Meditate
When I say meditate, I don’t mean sitting in the lotus position and humming for hours. All you have to do is take a couple minutes away from everything, go on a walk, lie on your bed, sit in a corner, and just try not thinking at all. Just visualise. Visualise all the things you want to achieve. Maybe you can see yourself driving a Ferrari or receiving a Nobel peace award. Just let your imagination run wild and focus on deep and controlled breathing. Just by doing so, you relieve yourself from stress and anxiety, allow your body to take in oxygen more efficiently, and become more self-aware of what you actually want. Sometimes you just need to unplug and reset.
7. Engage with similar minds
Having friends and people we like to hang out with is just a part of normal human things. We like to talk about similar interest, go out and engage in activities and get to know one another. Now, think of the 5 friends you engage with the most. What if I told you that you are the average of those 5 people. The truth is that the people whom you associate yourself with, you end up becoming like. So if your friends like to sit in front of the television all day then no wonder you aren’t motivated to get things done. To change your productivity, your friends can . Try arranging a meet up with that kid that get’s the A+, or call your best friend and talk about your dreams for the future and what you hope to achieve.
If you really want to be a productive person then you need a few productive people that will help you set the standard for each other.
8. Find your WHY!
Your reason for wanting to achieve the things you want. This is the main point that will get you from point A to point B. When you get knocked down and you feel like you can’t give anymore, your Why has to be greater than that knockdown. You have to find your reason because that is essentially the first and the last motivation that will hit you, knock you down, get you back up and get you going.
I hope this article is helpful and please comment below if you have any questions or any examples of hacks that you use to improve your productivity!