Improving Productivity

It is common to feel unsatisfied when a work day ends, due to non-completion of work. It is difficult to stay productive and feel satisfied at the end of each work day. Productivity helps you add hours to your work schedule and here are some ways to increase your productivity:

1. Complete the most difficult tasks in the morning, while starting your day at work. Do not leave them for the last. Leaving them for later would simply drive your intent from pursuing them. Always take up the difficult, lengthy tasks in the morning and the shorter, simpler ones in the evening.
2. One of the most important factors behind not feeling productive is lack of love for one’s work. If you do not love what you do, chances are you will never feel charged up and inspired to do it. Always choose a profile of your liking.
3. Don’t think too much about the tasks given to you. Just start the work without giving it much thought, or without getting dreaded to complete a certain task.
4. There will be times when you wouldn’t be as productive and efficient as other days. Think of it as normal and don’t get too worked up thinking about it.
5. Try to stay away from the Internet. Of all things leading you to an unproductive day, the Internet is one of the biggest culprits.
6. By making a list and prioritising your tasks, you would be much better off in handling them than going ahead without any written plan. Feel in control of your work and don’t fret.
7. Half of the generation today is sleep deprived. Make sure you get enough sleep before starting your day. Sleep away to glory on weekends and make do for the time lost on the weekdays.
8. Find time to exercise daily, even if that means spending ten minutes stretching your muscles at home. After a eight- or nine-hour shift, our bodies need oxygen. And only a good night sleep and exercise can guarantee that. Stay in shape and say bye-bye to lethargy.

These are some of the suggestions that can make your life sorted and work easier. Follow these on a daily basis to increase your productivity at work and also at home. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to write and add on to the list.

Avoid Being Lazy.

What’s the point of going to work every day when you pass your work-time reading random articles online or checking out your friend’s vacation pictures on the Facebook or other social networking sites? While being lazy is an unhealthy way to live life, it is fatal for your professional growth. A lot of times we get overwhelmed with the work load and make ourselves an excuse to not work at all. If you are facing a similar dilemma, try dividing your work in smaller, doable chunks. You will be surprised at your newly-found confidence to complete the tasks in time.

Overcoming laziness does not only entail sleeping well or completing the customary “8-hour-sleep”. A simple practice like being organised and keeping your work space uncluttered can help you avoid laziness at work. Lethargy by definition is physical or mental inertness and therefore can have physical or mental causes. Always pull your weight at work and try to resolve physical inertness by taking nutritious diets, exercising and sleeping well. On the other hand, get going with smaller tasks and trick your brain into being productive to take care of mental inertness. Let us read some basic techniques to fight laziness.

Are You Simply Tired? Find out if you are tired or if the cause lies in the way you think. If it is former, relax yourself. Give yourself some time and relax. If you are disturbed by anything around you, find out what it is and why it is making you uninspired and de-motivated. Work on it by working on your senses: sights (vacation), sounds (music), taste (food), etc.

Organising Self is Key: When your room, car, office space or even the office washroom is dirty, it can affect your thought process. Organise, mend and clean up the spaces you frequent and get the balance back.

Goal Up: Goal up your life, or, in other words, set some achievable targets and tasks and achieve them. Prioritise everything and utilise your skill-set and talent in achieving the goals that inspire you. Anything from rising up early, to exercising, to planning a vacation, to initiate the dreadful task at work. . .jot everything down in your journal and read it upon waking up every day.

Exercise, Dress Up, Get Started: Get your blood flowing by exercising every morning; wear that dress you always wanted to but never had the confidence to; feel lively and do some pep-up talk to self; eat healthy and take all the required nutrients; be practical and don’t think too much about what is to come; live in the moment, compliment and reward yourself at achieving your daily goals. Get started today!

Quit Rage.

Anger is a natural emotion. Everyone gets angry on occasion but the need of the hour is to manage anger. Anger can take many forms including irritation, self-botheration, explosion-like and avoidance. Rage controls you, which is why they say that you have lost your temper. When anger gets uncontrolled, it becomes rage. Busy lifestyles, tight deadlines at work, familial and peer pressure to outperform competitors, the rush to become a success and lack of patience are some of the many subtle reasons causing stress, anxiety and depression, ultimately leading to rage.

Let us explore ways in which you can quit your rage:

Breathe it Out: Let go of rage by simply counting your breaths. Breathe deeply and not from your chest. Many experts suggest that neurological rage response does not last for more than a few seconds. Like the legend goes, count till 10 when raging and see if your flared nostrils have subsided. Slowly repeat the words or phrases that can relax you, such as “take it easy,” “relax”, and the like.

Own your Feeling and Communicate: When angry with someone, first confess to yourself the reason and own it up in front of the other person, instead of flying into a rage and making a menace of yourself. Rage is known to get you overly exaggerated and dramatic. If you say things like, “I am upset with your behaviour,” or “I was not expecting this out of you,” and talking in a calm manner about what has upset you, it can keep the situation from becoming volatile.

Exercise: When you exercise, a lot of pent up energy exits from your body. And a composed mind is better equipped in handling issues of anger than anything else. Go for a walk in the park and try to divert your attention to the beauty around you. Return when you feel calm. You can also try changing your environment. Change your surroundings. Take a break from anything that is causing you anxiety. Be at peace and have some personal time. You can also visualise yourself in your favourite place doing things that you love the most.

Always remember, anger is not necessarily a bad thing when used as a constructive response to a threat. But one should work on anger before it becomes an uncontrollable rage, understand it and take steps to change the situation. Redirect your anger in a positive way. Anger is a healthy emotion if expressed appropriately. As they say, decision taken in a rage, while having lost your temper, is a decision you are sure to regret.

Quit Rage. Manage Your Anger to Achieve More.