Hacks on productivity - 8 ways of getting the most out of your 24 hours
Hey there,
So you’re looking for some ways to become more productive, are you? Maybe asking yourself why you aren’t getting the things you want to do done? We all have 24 hours in the day. So why do some people achieve more in their time than others? It all goes down to Productivity and Efficiency. How well you end up using your time. So instead of wishing you had more time in the day, why don’t you try using these hacks to implement into your daily routine and get the most out of your 24 hours.
- Wake up earlier
This sounds so simple but it must feel so difficult sometimes trying to pull yourself out from the warmth and comfort of your bed. But imagine this, while you’re sleeping, someone else is up and pushing themselves to achieve the dream that you want. While you’re turning to your other side, someone else is turning pages of the book that will get them the right knowledge to achieve your dream. While you’re just waking up, someone else just finished two assignments, a session at the gym, had two breakfasts and is now looking for a new challenge.
I am not saying to go from waking up at 12 pm to 6 am. But if you want to achieve more in the day, you need to start waking up earlier. This means, instead of going to bed at 2 am, you’re in bed by 11:30 pm. Having a good sleep will supply you the energy to go through your day and it sets you up with a fresh mentality. So, when you go to bed today, try being in bed 30mins earlier and setting your alarm clock, 30mins earlier and see how that goes.
2. Have a regular diet plan
Everyone loves food. How can we not? It can taste so good while having a number of functions in our bodies, such as: giving us energy, repairing our tissues, supporting our bodies structure, and helping protect us from viruses and diseases. For us to be productive, we need to have our regular meals. If you’re thinking you have to train all day long and can survive on one meal a day. Sorry to break it to you, but you are only hurting yourself. So, set yourself a rough estimate in the day where you can just stop, chill out and refuel yourself with that good-food.
3. Exercise and stretch
Most of you will ‘sigh’ on this one but when waking up, your muscles are tensed up and feel a bit weak so to say. However, making exercise and stretching a part of your daily routine will get you more aware and create a better mood. It will get your brain working and leaves you feeling ready to take on new challenges in the day. So, why don’t you try going for a light jog or putting in a few sets of sit-ups, after stretching out those tight muscles of yours?
4. Set yourself goals and deadlines
Top-level athletes, successful business-people and achievers in all fields all set goals. Why set a goal? Because it enables you to a long-term vision and a short-term motivation boost. It helps you to see what you want and allows you to organize your time so that you can focus on getting those goals and turning them into accomplishments. Why set a deadline? Because it enables you to know what you’re dealing with and how long you have to complete the task. It helps us prioritize our work and pushes us to get that work done. So, why don’t you try setting yourself up with 3 to 5 goals for today and/or 3 to 5 goals for this week and give yourself a deadline? See how that goes.
5. Think positive
Ever heard of the saying “What you think, you become”? Well, it’s true. If you are constantly thinking negative thoughts such as: ‘I am a failure’, ‘I can’t do this’, ‘What’s the point?’, then, of course, you’re going to be in a negative mood to attacking your goals and not being productive. However, the beautiful thing about the mind is that you can reprogram the mind, simply by changing the pattern of thoughts. Instead of saying ‘I am a failure’, you could think ‘I failed at this but if I change … then maybe I can get it right the next time’, or instead of ‘I can’t do this’, you could think ‘I can’t do this yet, but if I practice then I will get it soon enough’. The change you are looking for has to happen within yourself first.
6. Meditate
When I say meditate, I don’t mean sitting in the lotus position and humming for hours. All you have to do is take a couple minutes away from everything, go on a walk, lie on your bed, sit in a corner, and just try not thinking at all. Just visualize. Visualize all the things you want to achieve. Maybe you can see yourself driving a Ferrari or receiving a Nobel peace award. Just let your imagination run wild and focus on deep and controlled breathing. Just by doing so, you relieve yourself from stress and anxiety, allow your body to take in oxygen more efficiently, and become more self-aware of what you actually want. Sometimes you just need to unplug and reset.
7. Engage with similar minds
Having friends and people we like to hang out with is just a part of normal human things. We like to talk about similar interest, go out and engage in activities and get to know one another.Think of the 5 friends you engage with the most. Now, what if I told you that you are the average of those 5 people. You see, truth is that the people whom you associate yourself with, you end up becoming like. So if your friends like to sit in front of the television all day then no wonder you aren’t motivated to get things done. You have to engage those of the similar mindset to your own. Try arranging a meet up with that kid that get’s the A+, or call your best friend and talk about your dreams for the future and what you hope to achieve. If you really want to be a productive person then you need a few productive people that will help you set the standard for each other.
8. Find your WHY!
Your reason for wanting to achieve the things you want. This is the main point that will get you from point A to point B. When you get knocked down and you feel like you can’t give anymore, your Why has to be greater than that knockdown. You have to find your reason because that is essentially the first and the last motivation that will hit you, knock you down, get you back up and get you going.
Have a Great Day!
Kind regards, Damian Zabielski