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DON’TS:

There are many things we must not be doing in addition to be doing if we want to be productive in our daily lives. Here are a few things that we can add to our “Do not do” list 😉

Don’t pretend like you’ve got everything under control especially when you know you’re struggling to keep up with deadlines and such. Downplaying your problems will make others assume that you don’t need help. It is ok to show your vulnerability once in a while to seek assistance in moving forward with your work.

And the other important thing is to remember to say no. It’s ok to let a ball or two drop in all the things you’re juggling.

In matters of work and tasks at hand, never follow your feelings. Our brains are meant to protect us at all costs, and the minute you start second guessing what you should be doing, it will tell you to drop what you’re doing and pick up an easier thing to do instead!

DO’S:

1. Win the morning – and in bite-sized timeslots. Seizing the day needs a great mindset from you.

2. Prime yourself for being your best. Eat well, eat what makes you feel better not happy. And clear your environment of any potential distractions. Make your environment work for you.

3. Prioritize like a maniac. If you don’t have a solid agenda, others will make one for you, and its often in their best interest. Just like how email is almost always someone else’s agenda for you.

4. Don’t fall for the “busyness bandwagon.” Being busy can’t be a proxy for real deep meaningful work that will push the needle on your work.

5. Have a time boundary for every task. Freedom within the confines of a boundary is true freedom. Otherwise, it lacks meaning.

And when you get to work, here’s how you can do it.

• Set a 20 minute timer (Pomodoro technique, working in small bites)
• Work until the timer rings
• Take a 5 minute break, send a message to someone who’s waiting on you
• Repeat the process until it’s time for a bigger break.
• Believe in the power of the compound effect.

Brain breaks are really effective in keeping your momentum intact. Having access to the right tools and resources is just as important. All these incentives for you to continue for the long haul.

For me what works is to write a contract to myself every morning. The template is pretty standard, with tasks divided as physical vs. digital and today vs. later. (And the best part about the “later” list, some of the tasks on that list might end up being tasks that you will never have to do ever!) Of course, you can get pretty creative with have other sub categories – like onetime tasks or repeating tasks etc etc, but this should suffice for now.

There’s also a today’s non-negotiable. Without which I cannot end the day. And how I get to it by eating the frog the first thing in the morning. If it’s a draft I’m working on, I just put my heads down, before distractions, weakening will power and unforeseen issues arise during the course of the day.

Ask yourself what your reason for wanting to be productive is in the first place. Set a goal through a contract to yourself. You can batch similar tasks together or mix it up like me. I like to do a physically taxing task right after a mentally challenging task. I like the rhythm, of how I get to play with my energies.

In the end, time is an invaluable, nonrenewable resource for everyone. And it’s time to make that dent in the Universe that you’ve always dreamt of!

What Consistency Actually Is @Mind_Essentials

A Handbook To Positive Productivity

Find out how science helps us make our productivity sustainable.

Find the free resource guide HERE.

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The Ultimate Guide To Personal And Professional Goal Setting

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