Trust me on this: I am a pro at productivity. (Pun totally intended.)
Little disclaimer to start with: productivity really isn’t everything. Life isn’t defined by how many tasks you tick off your to-do list. And it’s ok not to be busy all the time. But most days, truth is we just gotta get stuff done. Not only for work, but also when you have a blog, you do photography, art, anything that calls for consistency and discipline. On a home weekend day, I juggle between blogging,writing, exercising, preparing work for school and making sure I have a social life. I am a human to-do-list ticker. And I like that! I get through a lot in a day, and this is why I wanted to share my tips for those of you who need a little boost of organisation to get things done. Let’s get started!
WRITE YOUR TO-DO LIST THE DAY BEFORE
Every evening, I have this little ritual of writing down my to-do list for the next day, as well as planning my workout if I do one that day too. I find that writing the list in the mornings isn’t as effective: if you wake up sleepy or unmotivated, your to-do list will reflect that. Maybe you’ll cheekily decide to skip a couple things because there and then, as you write it, you already can’t be bothered. Write your list the night before, make a little ritual of it: put some calming music, maybe stretch or relax a few minutes, think about happy things (do you practise gratitude?) and then, write the list of things you want to accomplish the next day. You’ll be in a positive, can-do mood and thus the next day you will have your list ready to guide you through your tasks.
WRITE YOUR LIST IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER + PRIORITISE
At some point, a couple years ago, I used to have a timetable rather than a to-do list – I’d write hour by hour what I had to do. This still works for some people, but I am a lot more flexible now. However, I still write my lists in chronological order, with the first tasks of the day, and slowly progressing on. I leave aside the minor tasks like ‘changing my nail polish’ or ‘responding to X’ (I have a two-column system, on the left the important tasks and on the right the more mundane ones.) Chronological order should reflect what works for you: in the morning, do you prefer answering your emails or doing your workout? After lunch, would you rather clear out your wardrobe or write a blog post? Think about what suits you best, and write the tasks in order. It really helps to know where you have to start – and leave those smallest tasks for when you have time to kill.
GIVE YOURSELF A TIME FRAME FOR EVERY TASK
Now, this is a bit different from calculating an exact timetable for each of your tasks. It is more about allowing yourself some time, but knowing when to stop. This is mostly for longer tasks, like doing some work from home or doing some blogging. Don’t let it drag on too long, otherwise you’ll feel the strain, and what could have started as an enjoyable task can become a burder and drag your mood down for the rest of the day.
I often write bits of my novel, and I try to sit at my desk and open the page even on days when I don’t feel that inspired – if it’s on my to-do list for the day, I give it a go. And on days when I am inspired, I still don’t write more than an hour and a half in a row – right about that time, I generally stop, close the page, and congratulate myself on having made that progress – no matter how big of small. If you don’t give yourself boundaries (especially when it is work-related!) you lose the feeling of ‘yes, I’m gonna do this’ and use up some precious time that could be spent by having a little break, or just doing another of the tasks on your list. When it is the right moment, you need to stop and take a breather. Do one of those little tasks that will switch up your mind from that draining things you’ve been working on for a while. And you’ll pick it up again the next day!
HAVE SHORT BREAKS, OFTEN + REWARD YOURSELF
If you make yourself work non-stop from 9 to 6 (on a good day), sure you’ll accomplish loads, but you won’t really appreciate all the work you’ve done. My aim is that even with work, you ought to enjoy what you are doing. Of course, if you could tick off the task by snapping your fingers, you should do it (I know I would!) but since it has to be done, it may as well be enjoyable, right? And for that, taking breaks is key. Reward yourself on the spot: you accomplish something, you tick it off, you get a rest. This might be a cheeky flick through your Instagram, reading a few pages of a book with a cup of coffee in hand, or watching an episode of a series you like. You decide how long you need your break to be, depending on how long you need to recharge. Often, I do it by looking at the clock: if I finish something at 3.35pm for example, and I want a break, I’ll give myself until 4pm to read a chapter of my current book, for example. If I have finished a task a little early, say ten minutes before I’d planned to start my workout, I’ll use these ten minutes to look at Instagram, or answer a couple messages on Whatsapp. I could start my workout early, or I could take that time to breathe and give myself the time to do something that isn’t a chore or a goal. Time to just be. These little rewards are self-care in their own way, and will make you want to get on to the next time with more enthusiasm.
READ THIS NEXT: TIPS TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND
AND FIND MORE MOTIVATION TO CONQUER YOUR TASKS HERE: WHY YOU SHOULD DO THINGS NOW
What is your trick have a productive day?
Lots of love,
Julia x
