3 Useful tips from experts to boost your productivity, when it’s required
Imagine, there’s a project with an uncomfortably close deadline that’s been left on my project backlog for so long. I got a message from a client that I actually need to respond to, but he is going to eat my valuable time and mood just by escalating unnecessary things. Hold on a second, wasn’t I planning to read and write more often this year?
On some days, it is challenging to do everything that needs to be done. Can you imagine how much less guilt, stress, and frustration I’d feel if I could somehow just make myself do the things I don’t want to do when I am supposed to do them? Not to mention how much happier and more efficient I would be.
I’m in a confused (I do love that & I hate this a lot) relationship with productivity when I’m not in the right mood.
Let me start with the reason why I love it. Once I cross something off my to-do list or surpass a goal, I’ve set for myself — that sense of accomplishment feels amazing. For a flash, I feel completely fulfilled. There’s a chemical in the brain responsible for this, and I’m here for it. Sometimes I add tasks that I’ve already completed to my list so that I can mark them done. That really makes me more energetic.
Now, let me explain why I also think productivity is the worst. Do you want to know why? Here you go- For many years of my life, I’ve equated my ability to be productive with my worth as an individual but unnecessary escalation and trouble make me feel crazy. Afterward, I look for a reason to be happy again and explore new hobbies or interests. Once I find a creative hobby, my first thought is, “Great, now how will I be able to make money off this?” If I’m not exhausted at the end of the day, my first thought is, “Maybe I should get in some extra work.” this is often a simple way to get burnt out. Convincing enough?
Now, the fact is that I can get better about not putting things off if I use the right strategy which won’t affect my productivity. If you feel the same way, you can use the same message for yourself: Productivity is important, but it’s not everything. Your inner peace is everything. Finding balance is everything. It’s okay to have a side hustle that you’re super passionate about. And it’s also alright to play games for eight hours straight. It’s okay if you worked late yesterday and checked 50 items off your to-do list. It’s also okay if today, you simply crossed off five.
Problem 1# Skipping a task because I am afraid that I will mess it up.
Solution: Get a “prevention focus”
At any task, there are two ways to feel. Either you will do commodity because you know it as an expressway to end up better off than you are now — as an acquisition or success. As in, if I complete this project successfully, I’ll be suitable to reach my next level of career, or if I keep at it regularly, I’ll look surprised. Psychologists call this a creation seat — and exploration shows that once you have one, you are motivated by the study of making earnings, and work stylish once you feel eager and auspicious. Sounds good, right? If you’re worried about squeaking up on the job, then this is not the seat for you. Perturbation and mistrust undermine creation provocation, leaving you less likely to bear any action at all.
Problem 2# Skipping something off because I am not “feel” like doing it.
Solution: Think like Spock and ignore your feelings. They’re getting in your way.
Most of the time, once we say things like “I just can’t get out of bed early in the morning,” or “I just can’t get myself to exercise,” what we actually mean is that we can’t get ourselves to feel like doing these things. In any case, nobody is tying you to your bed every morning. Intimidating bouncers aren’t blocking the doorway to your gym. Physically, nothing is stopping you — you only don’t feel like it. Think about that for a minute because it’s important. Somewhere along the way, we’ve all bought into the idea — without consciously realizing it — that to be motivated and effective we need to feel like we want to act. We’d like to be eager to do so. I actually don’t know why we believe our thoughts because it does not make any sense. Yes, on some level you would like to be committed to what you are doing — you need to want to see the project finished, get healthier, or get an earlier start to your day. But you don’t have to feel like doing it.
So, if you’re sitting there, putting something off because you don’t desire it, remember that you simply do not need to feel like it. There’s nothing stopping you.
Problem 3# Skipping something off because it’s challenging, boring, or otherwise unpleasant.
Solution: Use if-then planning.
Too often, we attempt to solve this problem with sheer will: Next time, I will be able to make myself start working on this sooner. In fact, if we had the willpower to try to do that, we might never put it off in the first place. Studies show that folks routinely overestimate their capacity for self-control and rely on it too often to keep them out of hot water. Do yourself a favor and embrace the very fact that your willpower is limited. It may not always be up to the challenge of getting you to do things you find difficult, tedious, or otherwise awful. Instead, use if-then for getting the job done.
Making an if-then plan is just deciding what specific steps you need to take to complete a project — it’s also deciding where and when you will take them.
Finding a balance in productivity is easier said than done. As always, we are going to have to take some time to figure out what works best for us. Over time I realized that these three strategies I’m offering you — brooding about the consequences of failure, ignoring your feelings, and being interested in detailed planning — don’t sound as fun as “Follow your passion!” or “Stay positive!” but they have the decided advantage of being effective.
**Special thanks to Montasir Nafiz, who contributed equally to making this piece possible.
