My Top 5 Productive Habits!
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence” — Vince Lombardi Jr. A more focused, productive lifestyle is desired by many, and of course, why wouldn’t it be? If we can enhance our workflow to reduce work time but increase ‘our’ time then surely we are winning?
The last few years academically have been great, I progressed from college into my first-choice University, however, (and as will be the case with many people) personally it has not been so great and this year I was adamant about tidying that up with a set of habits that would continue fuelling my ambition academically, but time to also develop my mindset so that I was achieving all-round; because that is just as important.
Let’s get into it…
1. Getting a good 8 hours 💤
This one sounds like a no-brainer huh? However, getting a good 7–8 hours of sleep each night is the foundation for another day of fire-fighting. It allows us to recuperate, our brain to function correctly and to feel refreshed and optimised to tackle the new challenges of the day. Now of course we have to sleep, so I can hear people contesting this as a habit, however, the reason I say adequate sleep is because it is so easy to fall into the trap of this “staying awake until it is complete” mentality, and if you can train yourself to say NO to completing work after 10/11 pm, you can prevent yourself from engaging in the sleep deprivation cycle.
For anyone wanting to watch a TED talk on the importance of sleep, I suggest Matt Walker’s: Sleep is your superpower where he suggests that “ sleep deprivation had shut down your memory inbox, and any new incoming files — they were just being bounced.”
2. Being organised 📖
Having too much structure can often create a repetitive, tedious cycle which is not the most pleasant experience in a world of spontaneity. However, having a basic organisational structure allows you to enjoy the spontaneity that life provides while also being able to hold down the fort and complete any of the daily tasks (regardless of however exciting or arduous they may be).
This can include, knowing your surroundings and current affairs. For example, I read the Financial Times and watch BBC News each day to feel organised and prepared for discussions in university and related modules or applications.
For me, the use of Trello and Notion allows me to store, timetable and organise all of my commitments while also allowing me to remain in control of my own life and enjoy the surprises of the unknown. The highlight of these apps is that they are so easily accessible that it doesn’t matter how far away from home I am, they can be accessed with the click of a button enhancing my workflow by allowing remote working.
You can see how I use Trello and Notion in my previous posts to enhance my productivity…
3. Keeping my space clean 🧼
For me, keeping my personal space clean is an important habit that helps enhance my productivity. As a university student during the coronavirus pandemic, I am no stranger to remote working, and despite the tribulations of lockdown, there are some elements I have embraced, and it is simply working on my own terms. This has meant that though I still attend all of my in-person events, I watch and research my lectures from the comfort of my home. This has allowed me to increase workflow and comfortability.
With working from home, comes other important elements, and for me, that is keeping my space clean. Often getting bogged down with university work and applications for post-grad life, your mind can often become very messy or busy. For me, it is important to be able to come back to a space that is clean to help clear the disarray in my mind and that place is my bedroom. By keeping it clean, refreshed and making my bed every day (hold that thought) no matter how positive or negative my day is, I have a clean welcoming space to return.
The importance of making your bed for me was reaffirmed by Admiral McRaven’s speech at the University of Texas in 2014. It exemplified the importance of getting the smaller things right, in order to get the bigger things correct and begins the day with a sense of accomplishment, encouraging you to achieve more tasks in that day. However, the key takeaway for me was how if you had “a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better”
4. Listening to good music 🎶
To some, this may sound like utter madness, and well if you saw some of my moves then you may reaffirm just that, however, there is good logic to this.
Research proves that when you listen to music you like, your brain releases dopamine, a “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Valorie Salimpoor, a neuroscientist at McGill University, injected eight music-lovers with a radioactive substance that binds to dopamine receptors after they listened to their favorite music. A PET scan showed that large amounts of dopamine were released, which biologically caused the participants to feel emotions like happiness, excitement, and joy — Lifehack: Scientists find 15 Amazing Benefits of Listening to Music
As a student, with the stress of exams and a heavy workload, it is often nice to be able to wind down from the stresses of studying or worrying over an exam and listening to your favourite music can help with this. For me, it helps in three ways:
- Listening to my favourite music during the morning places me in a good mood to fight the day — I feel more productive and driven to achieve my goals
- When I have an arduous task, sometimes upbeat music helps remove the ‘dry’ element from the task and helps me establish a workflow
- After a busy day, I will often go on a jog and listen to music to unwind and gain a sense of control and cleanliness in my mind
As Billy Joel says “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from”
5. Surround yourself with positive energy 🕺
I think when you are busy or overloaded with commitments, maintaining relationships can sometimes be rather difficult, especially when you’re exhausted, it's easy to fall into the trap of being snappy or dismissive. Negative people don’t help with this; in fact, they can often exacerbate the situation. That’s why whether you’re embarking on University, a new career, project whatever it may be, it is crucial that you surround yourself with people who are full of positive energy. You should try to surround yourself with people who encourage your big dreams, are a supportive network and are people who you can find comfort in.
These people can be people who you can unwind with during the evening and watch a movie, or go for a swim or a run with — ultimately they help and encourage as opposed to making you feel bad or more stressed.
And they are my top productive habits! As a student, my world can often change quickly with a heavy workload and student community commitments. However, there is a fascination about being busy and occupied, but it is also integral to strike a healthy balance and unwind appropriately. If you have any top habits, I would love to hear about them, drop a comment or a follow if you’re interested in joining my writing journey.
Equally, feel free to connect with me over on Twitter
Until next time, take it easy ❤️
