Feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Here are 10 ways to be more productive in your life — via Madamenoire.com.
Rank tasks by importance
- Rather than feel overwhelmed by everything coming at you at once, prioritize your responsibilities by importance. What do you need to take care of ASAP? What can wait until the end of the week? Once you weed through your to-do list, it will become clear what you need to accomplish first, which should help prevent last-minute emergencies that arise when you jumble everything together.
Change up your eating habits
- Oh yes, the type of food you eat can have serious effects on your productivity. According to the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), 66 percent of employees with an unhealthy diet are more likely to report lost productivity. Needless to say, fatty and unhealthy foods can slow you down making it a wee bit harder to concentrate and, thus, be productive.
- Instead, choose superfoods you can snack on throughout the day that will boost your energy and mood.
Sleep!
- It’s kinda hard to drive a car when it’s on empty. The same can be said about your body. You may think you are getting ahead by working super late and pulling all-nighters, but you my dear are only hurting yourself. The Harvard Medical School reveals that a lack of sleep can cause dysfunction in the immune system, weight gain, road accidents, and greater irritability. Do yourself a favor and get a good night’s rest (ideally eight hours). This will make you feel more refreshed and ready to tackle your day.
Take breaks
- There comes a time when you have to get up and walk away from what you are doing. It doesn’t matter how much of a robot you think you are. Everyone needs a break. When working, schedule time to leave your desk for lunch and collect your thoughts. There is a reason why companies have lunch breaks! Go out for a walk, listen to tunes in your car, or catch up on a good book. Whatever your downtime activity of choice may be, enjoy it. Everyone needs a mental break.
Delegate tasks to others
- If there is something on your plate that a co-worker can handle, by all means share it! Too many times, we try to take on way too much in an effort to be the shining star at our job. While this is ambitious, it can set us back. Additional work can lead to additional commitments and failure to deliver within the allotted time frame. If you have a trustworthy co-worker with a similar work ethic, have them give you a hand to take some of the load off your shoulders. You may even earn points in the teamwork department.
Focus on one activity at a time
- Multi-tasking can lead to many things kinda getting done versus individual tasks fully completed. By focusing on one activity, you are dedicating your undivided attention to the task at hand, and have a higher probability of completing it with great success. Did you know that multi-tasking can reduce productivity and short-term memory? Just as we try to control our portions when eating, we should do the same when it comes to our workload.
Cap distractions
- Ah it’s so tempting to jump on your phone or the computer for a quick Facebook scan, but don’t fall into the trap! One harmless pin or tweet can lead to minutes (and even hours) spent on social media. In reality, distractions can come in all shapes and sizes. If you find yourself trying to juggle too much, limit activities that decrease your production. Just save it for later and dedicate that time to accomplish what you need to do.
Exercise
- You may think that you don’t have time for exercise, but oh does it help in the productivity department. Staying active can increase your endurance making you more alert and able to tackle your tasks. It also improves your mood and boosts your energy causing you to work more efficiently. As a thirty-minute workout only requires a small percentage of your time, fit a quick session in before or after you work.
Set obtainable goals
- Just the thought of everything you have to do can feel overwhelming, so why think about it all at once? Stay productive by concentrating on manageable tasks you can accomplish throughout the day. Once you have completed one, cross it off your list. It may sound cheesy, but visualizing your small successes can make you feel good and give you the willpower you need to keep going
Learn to walk away
- Rest, refocus, and regroup. Let this be your mantra when tackling your workload. When you are working on a task with no end in sight, put it on the shelf if it becomes hard to concentrate. This doesn’t mean you are choosing not to accomplish it. It’s amazing how quickly ideas begin to surface when you take a break. It’s like finding keys when you stop looking for them. Learn to walk away when you lose your focus and schedule some time to review it at a later time or date. (Madamenoire.com)
