Despite your field of work, sooner or later we all encounter blockages in our productivity. That is especially true for those who work at the computer, as the Internet is an inexhaustible source of non-work-related entertainment. However, regardless of the cause of your struggles, having a right mindset is crucial for consistent productivity.
The golden rule for being more productive at work is to start with small changes. Most of us have a tendency to set up huge goals, aiming to completely transform our habits within a day. That is a bold and noteworthy goal, but unfortunately, the things don’t work that way.
There are many studies focused on the psychology of habits. Some of them propose you can adjust to a new habit in three weeks, while others state you’ll need a minimum of two months. Even so, they all agree that the exact time period largely depends on a specific habit. So, if you weren’t as productive as you needed to be for months, it is nearly impossible to reverse that in a few days. Therefore, taking small steps, and appreciating your every victory is the only way you can achieve long-term success.
However, using simple tested methods, like a checklist or a set of rules, will also help you tremendously in this process. For instance, you could try the famous Seinfeld method, that requires you to put an x on your calendar for every day you achieved your goal. If your goal is to spend less time on social media, you could mark every day that you didn’t open Facebook or Instagram while at work. The aim is to have a chain of x’s, which may seem like a small deal but it is, in fact, a proven method, tested by many entrepreneurs, workers, and celebrities.
This is just one of the programs available to help you with your tasks. Some say that their productivity increased exponentially with the Pomodoro method, which times their work and pause sessions, while the others use traditional checkpoint technique when dealing with their daily tasks. Not every method was designed for everyone. Thus, you may need to explore several strategies to find the most helpful solution for yourself.
Whether you decide to time your work periods or have a daily list of tasks, the unbreakable rule of productivity is to appreciate and honor your every achievement. This spreads out to self-guilt, which is a common side-effect when it comes to decreased productivity. We all have flaws, and cannot expect our every day at work goes smoothly without any errors. It is only natural to have a bad day here and there, and guilt won’t help you in this matter but forgiving yourself will. By following that simple recipe, you can expect that your productivity will start improving naturally, along with your overall work efficiency and motivation in the long run.