How To Increase Productivity 🚀

We all know how good it feels after ticking off the tasks from our list and that too in an effective and efficient manner. We all want to be productive at our work yet a lot of us are unable to do so in a sustainable manner. In my school life, I always used to do things at the end moment just before the deadlines and doing so has helped me in becoming somehow productive at my studies and in my internships.

1. Create a to-do list 📃

It is very important to get rid of unnecessary thoughts which go in our mind. And to do so we have to write a to-do list. Before starting our day we should create a list of tasks which we need to do in a day. In this way, we would not forget anything and also there would be more chances that we complete these tasks. Also, by writing things down we don't have to use our energy to recall those tasks in our mind and we would be using that energy on other important things. Whatever you do be it assignments, projects, shopping, etc make friends with lists.

2. Making a priority ✔

Whenever we start a day we should make it a priority to complete certain tasks which are really important and cannot be postponed or delegated to others. The best way to do so is to have an extension in our browsers called Momentum. The best part of this extension is that it customizes our new tab windows with nature pictures which is really calmful and then there is an option to write our important tasks of the day and other tasks. So, whenever I open a new tab, my tasks show up and I am able to get rid of my distractions and focus on my work.

3. Typing skills and shortcut keys ⌨

Before lockdown, I was pretty bad at typing and used to look at the keyboard while typing and still, I was so slow but then I started working on my typing skills and now I am able to do a lot more tasks be it writing blogs, doing assignments or emails in less time and more efficiently. Apart from typing speed, I started using various shortcut keys and trackpad gestures which have made me a lot more productive in my everyday tasks. We all use certain particular applications in a day. For me, it includes Chrome, MS Office, One note, YouTube, google apps, Canva, etc. Knowing the shortcut keys of these apps makes me more productive as I don't have to look for a particular function that is hiding under a certain group under a certain tab and the less mouse I use, the faster I become. Those few seconds saved here and there while using various applications in a day accumulates to various minutes and also help me to focus much better as I get less distracted.

4. Taking breaks 🌴

Taking breaks is really important. After working for a certain time, we reach a saturation point. And, after reaching that moment our productivity declines. So, if we work more at that moment it would be counter-productive. So, we should take various breaks in a day to become refreshed and calm such that we are able to get new and fresh ideas and are able to do our tasks more effectively. And during those breaks instead of wasting time on gadgets we should talk a walk, do some physical exercise or any other activity which is calmful and would make you fresh or energetic ⚡

5. Perfection is overrated

Recently, I wrote a blog on Quality V/S Quantity where I talked about why quantity is far greater than quality. When we focus on perfection, we end up procrastinating and we forget one thing: that process is much greater than the result. While, if we are consistent and keep doing then we are able to learn from our mistakes and then we 3end up creating better things or doing tasks more efficiently. Be it creating an assignment, working on a project, remember sometimes getting things done consistently is more important than making things perfect.

6. Be minimalistic in life 🍎

 More is less. Steve Jobs is a pioneer of minimalism. When he joined Apple again he removed most of the projects and focused on a handful of products. After that what happened, we all know! Great products which revolutionized the tech industry like iPod, iPhone, iPad were launched under the leadership of Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was minimalistic. He wore the same coloured t-shirt, Apple Designs were minimalistic, his home was minimal and so on. If we have too many gadgets, too many things, too many applications and software and too many projects at the same time then we won’t be able to use our energy. When we switch between tasks a lot of energy is wasted. So, at a time we should focus on one thing. And as most productive people say, "Multitasking is counterproductive"

7. Become better at communication skills 💬

Most of the workdays are wasted on things like meetings, follow-ups, emails, etc. So, if you are good at your communication skills and are persuasive then you can save a lot of time. Learn how to write more effectively and then you don’t have to explain what you wrote and secondly, people would be able to understand what you are trying to convey. Learn how to persuade people, and then you would be able to save a lot of time and would be able to get things done. The only certificate which Warren Buffet showcases in his office is that of Public Speaking Course by Dale Carnegie, the famous author known for his books like "How to influence and persuade people"

 

My last piece of advice would be that increasing your productivity won’t happen in a day. It would require dedication and consistency so start making small changes in your life and in the long run, you would enjoy the benefits of these small efforts.