Best Productivity Hacks of 2018
In a world driven by metrics, stress and tight deadline, productivity has become an art form like no other. Everyday thousands of us are looking to create ways to become that little more productive, to get more things done. We’re constantly walking a tight rope between what needs to be done, what we’ve done and when we need to do it. In this environment it’s all too easy to get frustrated when we fail to make any headway into our to-do list. Luckily we’ve got some of the best productivity hacks of 2017 to get you back on track.
1. Cut Down On Social Media
Falling into the black hole of social media browsing is one of the quickest ways to kill your productivity. The temptation to click and scroll your way through your news feed can easily lose you half an hour as you flow down a stream of social posts and kittens. If you’re trying to get through an extensive to-do list, regular browsing can eat up your time very quickly.
Before you begin work, sign out from all social media on your phone, laptop or tablet so that you won’t be distracted by any notifications or messages. Even the slightest “ding” or vibration can take you right out of your chain of thought and put temptation rat the end of your fingertips. This may be a challenge at first but you’ll thank yourself when your work rate hits a new level.
2. Know How to Get the Best Out of Yourself
Everybody works differently, and knowing how to get the best out of yourself can help you to take your productivity to new highs. If you work well in the morning, then get yourself up and running as soon as possible to get an early start. In contrast if you work better in the evening, setup your schedule so that you can concentrate on your work when you’re at your most creative.
If you struggle to keep track of your tasks keeping a simple to-do list can be a great way to loosen up your mind so you can concentrate on doing what needs to be done. Part of getting the most out of yourself is being honest about when your procrastinating so if you notice this is something you do a lot, acknowledge it and come up with a plan to address it.
3. Hit Your Biggest Projects First
Most of us feel weary when looking at a towering to-do list but in most cases we can still get the job done with a little effort. Diving straight in and hitting your biggest projects first is a great way to take the ‘weight’ out of your daily tasks. Striking out at the most demanding errands whilst your mind is fresh is much better than going through the easy jobs and then confronting the hard jobs when your mind is fatigued.
By completing work this way, you may also find that you clear your workload much quicker, as you’ll have much more energy to approach the big tasks before you are fatigued by the rest of your working day. If you’re really dreading a task plan how you’re going to tackle it before you start.
4. Get Some Sleep
No amount of productivity tips in the world will save you if you’re too tired to think. Too many people overlook getting a good night sleep in favor of staying up late gorging on late-night TV or overworking. No matter how hard you’re working, you should always make sure to get a solid night’s sleep. Accommodating time for 8 hours of sleep will pay dividends in terms of your ability to think and your overall health.
If you’re having trouble sleeping try to keep away from any screens for 30 minutes to an hour before you go to bed. Likewise, reading a book can be a great way to unwind and countdown before going to sleep. Don’t overlook sleeping, as a well-rested mind is the foundation of productive work.
5. Stop Being a Perfectionist
Succumbing to the temptation of perfectionism is one of the easiest ways to make your to-do list unmanageable. All too often, perfectionists fall into the trap that everything must be perfect before a job can be considered completed. Whilst you don’t want to produce poor work, very few things in life need to be perfect.
So long as you do a solid job it’s ok to move on to the next item on your to-do list. Overspending time on one project can be detrimental to the other tasks you’re working on. Putting perfectionism aside will allow you to speed up your work rate lower your stress levels.