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Sometimes, it’s hard to get over a productivity slump.
Have you ever had the unfortunate experience where you weren’t able to accomplish something? Isn’t it frustrating? Let me tell you a little secret. It’s easier to prevent productivity slumps from happening than trying to get over them.
Freelancers are the frequent victims of productivity drops because they have a flexible schedule, no consistent daily workflow and can work from anywhere they want. This amount of freedom increases the risk of being lazy, and to prevent that, I will share a few hacks with you:
Make Lists
Lists are the absolute task organizers. When you think of the daily tasks in mind, all the intricate activities you have to deal each day, you’ll probably end up being burnt out, or frustrated because they seem so complicated in your head. Here’s a secret – break them off into smaller bits.
What you need to do is to get a small piece of paper, write your tasks, divide them into smaller milestones and prioritize.
At first, it will be daunting for you to prioritize a task when everything is important. But there are a few things that will make your life easier. The formula behind this can be illustrated like this:
Priority Number = (Amount of Income + Amount of Urgency)/Level of Difficulty or Time
Take a Break
A lot of people think that the most important element in productivity is work. It’s actually rest. People who have mastered productivity know that having the ample amount of rest divided over the hours of work is essential.
If you want to kickstart your productivity, learn how to take a break. When you work for 10 hours non-stop, you will feel tired. Because your mind is operating for long stretches without rest, it succumbs to exhaustion thus making it function less productive.
If you really need to be working for 10 hours, take scheduled breaks in between. This will allow your mind and body to refresh and gather the necessary energy it needs to be more productive.
Remember that 4 hours of inspired work tops 10 hours of mediocre work. It’s not about the amount of time you put in, it’s about how you use that time to make your work better.
I personally use and suggest the pomodoro technique. This technique has a simple premise: you work for a short period of time and then take a small break.
These are the steps of the Pomodoro:
- Choose a task.
- Work for 25 minutes and don’t stop until the time is over.
- Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)
- Get back to work.
Note that you also need to take long 15 or 30 minutes breaks after four Pomodoros.
Clean Your Workspace
Most people have a bunch of paper all over their desks or cluttered wires from multiple devices on their tables. This level of chaos makes your creative juices run dry. A cluttered desk makes your thoughts feel cluttered as well.
Take all the unnecessary distractions off your table and work with what is left. This way, you’ll condition your mind that this space you are in right now is solely made for work. No other stuff that is not related to work should be found on it.
I suggest that you create a designated area in your place for relaxation items just so your mind knows how to act when you’re in your workplace.
Conclusion
There you have it guys! The three secrets of mastering productivity. I hope you learned something new and good luck with your daily tasks.
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