Things You Can Let Go Of To Be Even More Productive
Every person has their definition of productivity and being productive. In general, productivity means getting more done in the same period at a higher quality. Employee engagement at work is a hot topic worldwide as burnout and employee turnover rates continue to increase over the years. How we frame productivity matters here; by reframing the general productivity rules and making them our own, we can maintain a work-life balance. Sometimes we must let go of our previous ideas and efforts and take a step back to look at the larger picture. Constantly striving to be productive too can have a perverse effect on the self. In our digital age, distractions come in profusion; staying on task and reaching peak productivity levels is challenging. However, there are specific steps we can take and ideas to let go of to stay onboard the productivity route. Here are some:
Don’t push your self to brainstorm if you are in a writers block, be patient.
Some days we wake up with multiple ideas running laps in our mind. It’s possibly one of the best feeling ever, to wake up having found an answer, a solution to an ongoing question clouding your day and night. On other days, we wake up unmotivated, with no answers to pending problems. What’s important here is to embrace both. Try a change of scenery; get up and walk around the apt, house, or city. We tend to push ourselves to think more profoundly at our limits. Brainstorming is a compelling word and action; it can directly correlate to increasing productivity levels only when resorted to in times of need and readiness. When in writer’s block, brainstorming and finding a way out can seem impossible.
- Embrace that idea
- Embrace the feelings you are having in that block
- Take a step back and look at the bigger picture
- Remain in that block for a while if need be
- Be patient
Sometimes you have to go out of your way to get inspired. Don’t wait for inspiration.
Getting inspired by simple acts happening around us is typical. The inspiration can come from how a grocer sets up the flower stand to how a billboard showcases a political campaign in the center of the city. You can come across wall art, a stain of coffee on the street, or a never before seen dog breed and start accumulating ideas. Ideas come in abundance, but sometimes you must go out of your way to access them. When in an inspiration rut;
- Take a short break from work
- Go for a walk, or do another exercise of your choice
- Stay in the inspiration-searching mindset but let go of your excessive stress
- Try talking your ideas over with friends, family members, or colleagues
- Make yourself a delicious snack of your choice
- Give meditation a try
It’s ok to not be able to finish everything you set out to start. Don’t be a perfectionist.
Sometimes we can feel we are drowning in tasks and to-do lists. It’s essential to focus your energy and attention on things that matter the most; this can mean you are pausing specific tasks, and that’s just fine. When the worrying overpowers the doing, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Remember the saying, “It is what it is.” Because it is, not every task requires an all-hands-on-deck approach to be completed, and not every task needs completion. We have to make sure to re-prioritize our tasks on the fly. Think of the most productive person you know and how they have mastered the art of re-prioritizing. You can be a master prioritizer too.
Don’t get angry at your mistakes. Learn from them.
How would we learn if not for our mistakes? Try reframing your mistake, turning it into a learning point, an opportunity. Ask yourself where/what went wrong, but not in a blaming tone. Be kind to yourself and your mistakes. Instead of beating yourself up for past mistakes and losing time re-thinking them, turn a new page. Always move forward from point A to point B; bring point A’s learnings and wisdom with you along the way. As Henry Ford said:
“The only mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”
Join the Insumo community to let go of these things and more. Become a master of productivity!
