5 tips on how to be more productive

Procrastination is something that I believe we all struggle with. We all want to be as productive as we can, but most of us fail to do so. I’ve always been searching for the best productivity tools, times…but I never seemed to fully focus on the things that matter. I tried different morning routines, before bed routines, workouts, different apps and it never lasted for more than a week or so.

Especially right now, with the whole working from home thing, we have so many distractions around us that it just seems impossible to focus on what’s important. After a couple of weeks in quarantine and experimenting with different times and methods of increasing productivity, I’ve increased my productivity a lot. And that’s what I’m going to share today with you. Here are 5 tips to spark your productivity.

1. Find the time you’re most productive in

If you find yourself not productive, try to change the time when you do work. For example, after some experimenting I’ve realized that my most productive time is in the morning, right after I wake up. I used to go to the gym at that time, and then I’d spend my days lying around. When I changed that, and started working as soon as I woke up, my productivity went through the roof. I go to the gym in the afternoon now, and I know that after gym I can just relax and prepare for the next day.

2. Clear up your desk

A messy desk is distracting and may diminish your productivity. Try clearing it out, just have your drink, laptop or monitor and a notebook on your desk. Everything else should have it’s own place. After doing this myself, I feel like I'm in more control and more productive overall.

3. Take breaks

Try using the pomodoro technique. 25 minutes of focus, 5 minutes of break. I use this all the time, and it is extremely helpful. There are a plethora of apps out there that have this, so just take your pick. You should also experiment with the duration of the focus time. I recently figured out that doing 45 minutes of work and 10 minutes of break is more productive for me. So, try different times and decide what's best for you. One app that I can recommend for this is the Forest app. It costs like $2 I believe but definitely helps.

4. Use a To-Do List

Whether it’s an app or just a notebook, try using a to-do list to have a clear goal of what you want to accomplish for the day. Try to finish the most dreaded tasks first, and leave the easier ones for later. I also find it helpful to set a time by which I will finish everything. Let’s say I set myself to finish everything today by 5 pm. Try to do everything by then, and enjoy the rest of your evening, guilt-free. There are a couple of good to-do apps out there, like Todoist and TickTick, both of which require a subscription, but if you just want a simple To-Do app, I recommend Microsoft To Do.

5. Exercise

Last, but not least, I can’t stress how important exercise is. It helps you retain the information that you learn and it makes you feel better both physically and mentally. This is an actual study, look it up. Even a 5 minute stretch on a day when you don’t go to the gym, goes a long way. And sometimes it doesn't even have to be a workout, but just a brisk walk outside for 10-20 minutes can help you with focusing and thinking clearer.

Those are my tips for productivity, you can try them out and let me know what worked for you, or if you'd recommend something to me.