The Road to Productivity does not have to be a long or stressful one. In fact, these ideas will make you want to get to work right this instant. Well, maybe instantly after you read this article, there is no reason to rush into anything just yet. Are you trying to escape your work as you read? Well, regardless, you are going to love the first research-backed trick on how to improve your productivity.
Only one step away from productivity
Go for a walk. That's right, get up, and walk around (not in circles, someone might think you are crazy). Find a paper and a pencil to bring with you.
Did you know Steve Jobs had walking meetings? No wonder he changed the world as we knew it. According to each of four studies conducted at Stanford University and reported by Journal of Experimental Psychology, walking increases divergent thinking and creativity. After these researchers compiled and analyzed their study, the results showed that the participants who answered questions while walking were 60% more successful at giving better responses than the individuals who gave responses while sitting. So, if you would like to be more productive, get a move on it. Also, the next time you need your creative cap to start working, go for a walk.
Make happiness your priority. Your long-term happiness is predicted by the way your brain processes the world.
Productivity is about more than just getting things done; it is also about improving your performance by making things outside of work that make you happy a priority as well. According to a research article published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Express deadlines in days, not weeks or months. According to a study conducted by psychologists at the University of Southern California and reported by Psychological Science, our brains are programmed to prioritize our present selves over our future selves.
So, for us to save our future selves the headache of an assignment we have a month to work on, we need to tell our present self that the assignment is due in 30 days, instead. At least now we know why procrastination is such a major issue. A changed perception of time influences behavior, and results in people taking action sooner.
Rid yourself of procrastination
Another key to productivity is to stop focusing on your goals. This certainly sounds counter-intuitive, but there is a method to such madness. It turns out that too much of anything can be a bad thing, including obsessing over goals. Focus more on the concrete actions you are taking to get there rather than the result. According to a 2013 study in Applied Psychology and published by Wiley Online Library, successful weight loss in one week had negative effects on the following week. When the success on the process level was identified, participants had lower negative effects. Enjoying the process will lead to a more successful outcome. So refocus your goals to the process rather than the outcome.
Remember that small actions have big impacts. Keep a to-do list to boost your productivity. It will remind you of everything you have done throughout the day, and make you feel more productive.
Productivity is not difficult to master, and a setback here and there is nothing to break into a sweat over. In fact, according to Psychology Today, self-forgiveness has a role in decreasing our procrastination. The first step involves accepting the responsibility for a wrong, then experiencing the guilt and regret, and then conclusively overcome these feelings, and experience a motivational change away from self-punishment to self-acceptance. Their studies also show that self-forgiveness will lead to a change in behavior in the future.
Now that you are geared with all the tools that will lead you to a productive future, and have made your vow never to procrastinate ever again, feel free to share your findings with all of your other friends in need of a production boost.
