5 Small Daily Changes That Make a Difference
My dad always said, “You can lie to everyone else, but never lie to yourself. Cause the moment you start lying to yourself, you’re aiming for destruction”.
For a very long time I struggled with being productive (and I still do, can’t lie), getting work done, and being happy. You know that instant happiness you get while watching your favorite TikToker or Instagram family or influencer, or reading all the funny tweets and short videos on Twitter. Then after 2–3 hours, your brain gets tired and longing for something else, something new, something different.
So we decide to sleep, eat (I called it depressed eating, lol), cry, or even better, we find a different social media to surf probably YouTube. Catch up on everyone living the life we only dream of, as we while away time.
Then, at the end of the day, we say “Damn, I wanted to do this and that.” “The day was too fast today.” 24 hours is too small for me.” “I need more time.”, and we end our complaint with the most glorious “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
This was my story for a very long time, till I made the hard decision to change it.
Where I come from, people don’t believe that depression is real, and I didn’t believe it either.
I may not be able to fully wrap my head around the concept of depression but I know I was damn empty for a very long time. I woke up every day feeling empty and went to bed the same way. The emptiness was eating deep into me and I was tired.
I began to get busy with things and gradually started getting myself back. But I was still getting little to no results. I had something to wake up to, but that was just as far as it went.
I’m high on observing especially when I’m the one in the middle. So I began to take note of some cracks in my daily activities that were limiting me from achieving my full potential on a daily.
I made a few simple adjustments to my daily activities, and the results were obvious.
Here are five little things I changed that substantially increased my ability to achieve more every day:
- Create a Personal Sanctuary:
The bathroom may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of productivity, but for many of us, it’s a sanctuary of solitude. It’s where we escape the chaos of the world and get lost in our thoughts. Unfortunately, it’s also a place where we can waste a significant amount of time scrolling through social media.
I found that leaving my phone outside of the bathroom reduced the time I spent there and allowed me to regain control over my schedule. Time is precious
Lost time is never found again.
Benjamin Franklin
2. The Power of Timers:
The ticking clock can be your best friend when it comes to getting tasks done. Having a timer on or being time-conscious should not be limited to work hours only. I realized that having a timer running, even when I was scrolling through social media, made me more aware of how much time I spent absorbing information about other people’s lives that wasn’t adding to mine.
Before, I would waste hours on very easy activities or simply not be able to account for where time went. The timer became a constant reminder that kept me focused on my tasks and helped me reduce daily time wastage.
“One must work with time and not against it.“
— Ursula K. Le Guin
3. Say Goodbye to “What Should I Do Now?”:
One of the keys to productivity is having a clear plan. We’re easily distracted, and our minds tend to wander from challenging tasks. That’s why asking yourself, “What should I do now?” will often lead to the easiest task, and most of the time we end up back on the endless loop of social media.
Instead, I started jotting down a list of tasks in the order they needed to be completed. This simple practice kept me on track, and I found myself accomplishing more each day, aligned with my goals.
“Implement whatever organizational system works best for you, but then be sure to review your to-do list at least once a week.”
-Cheryl Barker
4. Assign Time to Every Task:
Time is a precious commodity, and it flies when you’re both productive and not. I always had a to-do list, but I noticed it wasn’t enough as I would barely accomplish anything on it. I ended the day with barely 1 complete task. I knew I would go nowhere with that attitude.
So, I started allocating time slots to all my tasks, and I was brutally honest about how long each task would take. This approach forced me to be more disciplined and time-conscious. Time waits for no one, and if you squander it on the wrong things, you’ll get the wrong results.
I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.
-Golda Meir
5. The Pen and Paper Mind Control:
Our minds are incredible, but they can be wild, darting from one thought to another. I am no therapist or mind genius from Harvard, but this simple practice gave me a little control over my mind.
To maintain control, I’ve adopted a simple practice — I keep a pen and notebook nearby at all times when I’m working. My mind seems to remember every detail when I’m ready to work. I jot down everything that enters my thoughts, whether necessary or not, and sort them out during my free time. This keeps my mind clear and focused on the task at hand, making me more effective and efficient.
“A clear mind is a canvas for creativity to flow.”
-Unknown
In conclusion, productivity isn’t about doing everything but doing the right things at the right time. These simple changes transformed my daily life, and I hope they can help improve your productivity too. Never forget that consistency is the key to success in any endeavor.
