{"id":38955,"date":"2016-02-17T23:04:48","date_gmt":"2016-02-18T07:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=38955"},"modified":"2017-10-31T06:48:29","modified_gmt":"2017-10-31T14:48:29","slug":"want-make-life-easier-try-5-strange-simple-productivity-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/want-make-life-easier-try-5-strange-simple-productivity-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Want To Make Life Easier? Try These 5 Strange But Simple Productivity Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n

Most of us would like to make our lives a little easier. And one of the best ways to do this is improve our productivity and free up some time.<\/p>\n

We know that if we could just find a few little habits to help us get on the right track, we\u2019d be able to push through the day smoothly and efficiently. We\u2019d get more done in less time, and have extra time at the end of the day to relax and wind down.<\/p>\n

We know because we\u2019ve all done it before.<\/p>\n

And in my quest to find the productivity hacks that actually make a difference, I\u2019ve come across a few straight forward tips that had a real noticeable impact on my performance.<\/p>\n

Here are 5 strange but simple productivity tips that when put into place, will make a clear difference to my productivity:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Write down EVERYTHING you do for one week.<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What gets tracked gets improved.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s very simple to just keep a journal on you at all times, taking note of each thing you do and the time you spent doing it.<\/p>\n

    In just a week you\u2019d see exactly where you\u2019ve been wasting time, and you\u2019ll be far more aware of its time-sucking nature in the future. You might find out that you spend 4 hours a day on Facebook or 2 hours checking emails \u2013 and you\u2019ll be better able to allocate your time.<\/p>\n

    If you keep the practice of journalling up, you\u2019ll also be motivated week by week to improve your performance.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Put a plant in your workspace<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      There is a growing body of evidence<\/a> that suggests the putting plants in your workplace is good for productivity and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

      Being locked in an office for hours on end has the unusual benefit of make you appreciate nature more than you otherwise would. By placing plants in your work environment, or even by hanging images of nature around the office, workers report more productivity and more satisfaction than if their view was dominated by buildings or sidewalks. If you don\u2019t want to put too much effort into caring for the plant, make sure to ask for something that doesn\u2019t need watered often.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n

        Listen to the right type of music<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        I\u2019m sure most of us enjoy music, so adding music to your work is a tip that I think is pretty easy to get on board with. What\u2019s important is to make sure however that you are listening to the right type of music.<\/p>\n

        This study showed that<\/a> classical is best if your work requires attention to detail or numbers, pop music if it you do any type of data entry, ambient sounds if you need to solve equations, and dance music for proof reading and problem solving.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. \n

          Set a big, scary, completely unrealistic goal \u2013 and then fail<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          This actually acts like a warm up for our brain, we switch into creative mode in order to prepare for a new challenge, but without the pressure of having to complete the goal (knowing it\u2019s completely unrealistic). When we fail, we can move on into other tasks that seem simple by comparison.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. \n

            Don\u2019t work so much <\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Founder of The Energy Project, Tony Schwartz, has said \u201cmanage your energy, not your time\u201d \u2013 and in a culture that is overworked, these are really words to live by.<\/p>\n

            Most of us try to be more productive by cramming more hours into our day, while the reality is that we produce better results if we structure our work around the natural cycles of our body.<\/p>\n

            One of those cycles is called the ultradian rhythm. During this period we have 90 minutes where we progress from higher to lower alertness. What this means is that at the end of the 90 minutes you must take a break in order to get back to a higher level of alertness again.<\/p>\n

            Think about it this way, you don\u2019t want to run a marathon at work, you want to do short sprints with intervals. Make sure the break is a complete break from work related thought, or you\u2019ll start the next phase without the benefits of having rested your mind.<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Simple changes in your productivity can help make your life a whole lot easier. Try experimenting with these 5 strategies today and see what a difference they can make to your work.<\/p>\n

            Have any experience with these tips? Did we leave any out? Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n

            ———————————————————————————————————<\/strong><\/p>\n

            Attention Pick The Brain Readers!<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

            Thank you for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it!<\/p>\n

            If you\u2019re interested in becoming a more productive person, you\u2019ll surely want to get your mornings off to a great start. So head over and grab our FREE eBook guide:<\/p>\n

            Morning Mastery: the simple 20 minute routine for long-lasting energy, laser-sharp focus, and stress free living<\/a><\/p>\n

            If you want an easy way to get more out of your mornings and start the day off right, this is exactly what you need.<\/p>\n

            Click here<\/a>\u00a0to get your copy now.<\/p>\n

            Ben Fishel is a freelance writer, and the creator of Project Monkey Mind<\/a> \u2013 a blog that delves deep into psychology, spirituality, and the mind, and offers practical wisdom for the digital age.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Here are 5 strange but simple productivity tips that when put into place, will make a clear difference to my productivity: Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10935,"featured_media":39067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[30,6,31],"tags":[4641,4631,66,4634,4640,4922],"yoast_head":"\nWant To Make Life Easier? 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