Boost Productivity- 10 Clever Tips

Day in, day out you might have the same routine and it can be difficult to keep your productivity levels up. So here are 10 ways that you can keep motivated and boost your productivity:

1. Set yourself goals
What do you want to achieve that day or week? If you set yourself goals it will help to motivate you and will have something to work towards. Also seeing how much you’ve achieved will give you a greater sense of accomplishment the tasks are complete.

2. Create to do lists
Stay on top of tasks by making a list of everything you need to do before you start your day. This will help you to keep track of everything you have got to do throughout the day and will keep you focused. There are many great apps out there that you can use to remind you of the tasks you need to complete.

3. Listen to music
A Canadian study has found that listening to music improved efficiency of tasks and helped form the creation of better ideas. Listening to your favourite music is also known to improve your mood whilst you work, especially when you are completing lengthy and repetitive tasks.

4. Start with the hardest task first
Although it might be the task you are dreading, completing the most difficult or time consuming task first will mean that you will stop putting it off and can then get one with tasks you enjoy more.

5. Eliminate your distractions
On average we check our phones over 150 times per day and most people struggle to go over 10 minutes without looking at their device. If you find yourself falling behind on your work then make sure you put your phone or devices aside while you focus on the tasks at hand, then you can reward yourself with some time on social media once you have completed what you need to do.

6. Switch Locations
When you are stuck in the same environment day in day out it can become difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. If you are in an office, for example, and have no option to change your surroundings, make sure you take breaks throughout your day by taking a short walk or moving to a different area of the office for a coffee break.

7. De-clutter
A messy work area can cause you to be disorganised and therefore less productive. Studies have shown that, on average, people spend 4 and a half hours per week searching for pieces of paper and important documents, which is causing you to lose 1 hour of productive work per day. Clear space = Clear mind.

8. Look at the bigger picture
When you have a lot of tasks to complete it can often become very overwhelming, taking a step back can help you to assess the tasks at hand. Is what you are doing actually productive? If not then it is probably not worth doing. Think back to your goals and decide whether or not what you are doing is contributing to these goals.

9. Focus on one task at a time
it can be tempting to complete multiple tasks at once in hopes to complete them faster. However, this can cause your head to be all over the place as your will constantly be switching between activities. So make sure you focus on one task at any one time to stop confusion and to complete them faster – so you can move onto the next!

10. Stay hydrated!
It has been proven, by a study conducted by the University of East London, that drinking water and staying hydrated throughout the day, can result in a 14% increase in productivity. So make sure you keep a bottle of water with you at your desk and fill it up throughout the day, as staying hydrated will also help to improve your mood, decrease stress and help you to stay energised.