5 Smart Strategies For A More Productive Day
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

5 Smart Strategies For A More Productive Day

Too much to do and not enough time? This might help.

121
5 Smart Strategies For A More Productive Day
bruce mars

Don’t you love the feeling of finishing your day with everything on your to-do list checked off?

Whether you’re a student with homework and tests to study for or a young professional with projects and deadlines to hit, it’s so much easier to enjoy your downtime when you don’t have overdue tasks nagging at your thoughts.

So, let’s get you more of those good days, shall we?

Here are five strategies you can use to be more consistently productive:

1. Avoid your phone while working.

Have you ever found yourself making progress on an important project when, suddenly, you pick up your phone to respond to one text, only to get lost on an hour-long Instagram safari?

You’re not alone. Phones can be a huge distraction.

So it’s no wonder that research says we’re less productive when our phones are nearby. We do a little better when we can’t see them, but, shockingly, simply being in the same room as your phone can make you less productive — even if your phone is turned off.

I believe this is especially true when we’re working on difficult or stressful projects. Our phones offer such an easy escape that the odds of us staying focused are not in our favor.

So, when you’re trying to be productive, put your phone in another room, if possible.

2. Play this trick on your brain.

Procrastination murders productivity. And in my own life, I’ve found that I tend to procrastinate on projects I find stressful. It might be because they’re hard or boring, because the pressure to do them well is high, or because I don’t really know what I’m doing and I’ll have to learn as I go along. Whatever the cause, this fear can send me into the tailspin of eating a snack, pacing the house, doing laundry, writing a new one-man show — you know the drill.

The funny thing I’ve found is once I start a project, most of the fear goes away. I end up remembering that I’m smart and capable and I can figure out what I don’t know — or simply ask for help. So to avoid procrastinating and have a more productive day, I really just need to get started.

Here’s the mind hack I use to help myself do that: instead of thinking about completing an entire project, I’ll simply focus on the first step. Login to the software, open the Google doc, get an answer to the question that’s been holding me back.

Focusing on a simple first step makes it easier for me to dive in and pick up some momentum, which often helps me keep going and finish projects in one sitting.

Sometimes, I’ll plan ahead by starting projects at the end of the day, so I can pick things up confidently in the following morning.

The big takeaway is if you can push through the scary beginning of a new task, you’ve often won half the battle and can avoid wasting hours on procrastination.

3. Make sleep a priority.

Starting your day rested gives you a huge advantage when it comes to productivity. It provides you with extra energy, better focus, and more willpower, which makes it easier to dive into hard projects like I mentioned earlier.

Sleep is the obvious solution, and it’s not just about the sleep you get the night before your busy day. It needs to be a habit.

Sleep coach Patty Tucker argues that binge sleeping on the weekends is not as effective as simply getting restful sleep on a nightly basis, saying:

“The harm of bingeing on sleep on Saturday and Sunday is that is makes it hard to get a full and well-constructed night of sleep on Sunday night, which then sends us off into the workweek on the wrong foot.”

If you need help falling asleep, here are a few strategies from “How To Get Out Of Bed In The Morning,” one of my recent posts here on the Odyssey:

4. Choose your food carefully.

Did you know what you eat affects your productivity?

It’s true. If you’re wondering whether you’ll finish your to-do list by the end of the day, the answer might be hiding in what you packed for lunch.

The reason? Author and psychologist Ron Friedman points out that our bodies process different foods at different rates.

“Some foods, like pasta, bread, cereal and soda, release their glucose quickly, leading to a burst of energy followed by a slump. Others, like high fat meals (think cheeseburgers and BLTs) provide more sustained energy, but require our digestive system to work harder, reducing oxygen levels in the brain and making us groggy.”

So what’s the solution? First, Dr. Friedman recommends grazing on energy-promoting foods throughout the day, to reduce the dips in energy that happen between larger meals.

And what foods should you be grazing on?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics champions a balanced approach, saying:

“A balanced meal includes whole grains, lean protein, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy and a small amount of healthy fats. Balance out your plate with all the food groups for sustained energy.”

If you don’t have time to pack a healthy lunch, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for the drive through or the vending machine. Food delivery apps like GrubHub, Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Bite Squad can multiply your options by giving you access to restaurants you might not have time to visit yourself.

To get a great deal on these food delivery services, take a look at “4 Clever Ways To Save Money On Food Delivery,” which I published recently here on the Odyssey.

5. Reverse engineer your most productive days.

The four strategies above will give you a great head-start as you try to make the most of your day. But if you want more customized ideas, one of the smartest things you can do is to simply take notice of your most productive days and try to identify what might have caused them.

Discovering what ingredients lead you to a productive day makes these days more repeatable. So the next time you’re laying in bed, proud of all you accomplished, take a minute to think about what you did differently, consider writing it down, and, if it makes sense, try it again when you wake up.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71077
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132636
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments