6 Tips to Become More Productive and Prevent Overwhelm
I understand with this age of technology, staying productive can be rather difficult if you don’t have the right tools. With the demands of family, work and life, it can be hard to focus only on one thing without worrying about something else. Below are a few tips to help increase productivity in your life and prevent stress or overwhelm:
Plan out your day the night before
Don’t wait until the morning of to decide what you’re actually going to do for work that day. A quick 10 minute planning session the night before will have you set up for success – and productivity – the following day!
Focus on three core tasks a day
We grossly overestimate the time we have in any given day. As a result, we put a ton of things on our To Do list and then feel bad when we don’t get them all done. By focusing on three of your most important tasks, you’ll be productive and closer to reaching your goals.
If you finish your 3 tasks early, then you have more time to knock off other things off of your to-do list as well.
Work in 90-Minute Intervals
A study from Florida State University showed that productivity and performance are at their peak during uninterrupted 90-minute chunks. If you have a strenuous job, another option would be to work for 45 minutes and to rest for 15 minutes for every hour that you work.
Don’t multitask
While multitasking may seem more productive, it’s actually not. In fact, researchers at the University of Michigan found that productivity decreased by 40% when people tried to do two or more things at once. Use tools like StayFocusd, and FocusMe to block distracting websites, limit the amount of tabs you have open, and prevent distraction.
Take Breaks
Research conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration showed that short breaks between longer working sessions resulted in a 16% improvement in awareness and focus. Further research confirms that longer productive sessions of 90 minutes followed by short breaks lasting 15-20 minutes (but no longer) sync closely with our natural energy cycles and allow us to have more focus and higher energy levels throughout the day.
Hold yourself accountable
Track your time spent each day by creating an Accountability Chart to see where you can increase your productivity. Remember, if you aren’t tracking it, you can’t improve it.
If you need help creating goals and sticking to them, let me know. I would love to help.
In Good Health,
Amber Stewart BS, ACSM EP, CTNC, TBMM CES
Hi! My name is Amber and I’m a Body Goals Builder, Master Life Coach, Certified Health Coach, CTNC Mental Health Specialist, Stress Alchemist & Fear Conqueror
I used to be a people pleasing, work-a-holic who stressed herself out to climb the wellness industry’s corporate ladder, while obsessing over her self image. Soon I realized that none of it mattered if I wasn’t happy with myself, inside and out, and surrounded around people who loved and respected me.
Now I help individuals who are stressed out, out of shape and struggling to find balance in their lives learn how to ease their worries, improve their health, create 10x more joy in their lives and manifest the life of their dreams. At the STEW Project, we are maximizing our living potential by Simply Taking an Emphasis on Wellness.
