How many times have you gone to do something on your task list and you easily got side tracked because you lost focus due to a notification on your phone? Or someone you live with yelling for your attention? I’ve crafted six tips that I’ve recently put into practice that have changed my productivity for good.
A peaceful atmosphere is key to focus
Our senses can have a direct affect on the way we think.
Imagine it. You visually see a cute outfit and then you think about buying it. You smell cookies in the oven, your brain processes that signal and you tend to feel hungry.
Now, envision just how much is going on around you that affects your ability to think and focus on your tasks at hand.
By finding a quiet peaceful place like a coffee shop, library, park or even an isolated room in your house, you’re able to place yourself in another mental dimension.
I’ve found that lighting candles creates an additional touch to make my mind relax. Consider lighting a candle or adding essential oils to a diffuser to set a relaxing aroma and vibe in the room.
Speaking of! This candle is aaaaamazing! Like I have four of them burning as I type this, lol. I also have a diffuser like this too! Adding lavender is such a calming feeling.
Activating ‘Do Not Disturb’ on my phone
This one is pretty straight forward.
Technology distracts us from anything and everything we try to focus on in 2020. With all of the social media apps, texts and phone calls.. notifications are constantly buzzing on our phones.
Have you ever tried to leave your phone on the couch or counter without habitually reaching for it? If you haven’t, I advise you give it a shot.
It’s HARD!
But it makes us realize just how much we rely on our phones as a security blanket.
Put that badboy on “do not disturb” so you can concentrate on what’s in front of you and not what’s causing your phone to tenaciously ding every few minutes.
Brain dump at the end of your day
Collectively releasing all of your racing thoughts at one time is simply one of the best feelings in the world.
I can’t tell you how many countless nights I’ve spent laying in bed because my head wouldn’t stop processing what I did that day or what I had on my schedule for the next.
Brain dumping is truly just taking every word or though in your mind and jotting it down onto paper. I say paper and not your phone, because the light from you phone stimulates your brain even more.
This doesn’t need to be structured or even organized into a list. That only leads to more thinking.
Throw every word randomly onto the paper as if it were a mental trash can. Once your mind feels cleared, leave them there and walk away.
Bada-boom. One less crowded mind.
Make a list of “to dos” and actively cross them out
Something about our brains seeing us in action makes things stick a little bit more, don’t ya think?
It creates a sense of accountability and that feel good anticipation of being able to scratch it out. Seeing one more thing marked out on the list also gives us a taste of accomplishment.
Create an equal focus to break ratio
Finding a strategy that allows you to take intermittent breaks will keep you on track to accomplishing your tasks as well as give you something to look forward to in the process.
No one wants to do something they’d prefer not to. Add in a day’s worth of tasks and you’ve lost your mind. By giving yourself scheduled breaks, you get a lot more done that you might think.
As much as I wish I came up with this strategy I’m about to tell you about, I didn’t. Insert sad face, because it’s GENIUS.
The Pomodoro Method has worked wonders for me, regardless of what it is I’m having to do.
Never heard of it? I’ve got you boo.
By applying this method I’ve started to dread tasks ALOT less. I was able to get so much done because I knew I had breaks coming up. So I would give each 25 minutes my all.
If you haven’t used this before, you definitely should!
Stop focusing on what you can’t control
If you haven’t found out by now, life doesn’t work out like we typically plan.
The way you respond to the curve balls life throws at you, will really determine your overall outlook and attitude towards life.
Stressing over things you can’t change only adds more intensity to the situation. So here’s a great quote for ya!
“Anxiety is having to remind myself that being afraid of things going wrong, isn’t the way to make things go right.”
I hope these tips help you accomplish whatever it is that you have on that to do list!!
Remember: head down, blinders on!
You’ve got this!!
Comment your thoughts!