It’s boring, isn’t it? Stuck in a room, starring at your screen, watching the time go by. You’re trying to cram every last bit of information in with a short time frame to do so. Adapting how you work can make productivity fun and effective; here are 5 tricks on how to do so.
1) Making it stick
It’s difficult to remember information when it’s unappealing. Make learning interactive in fusing the facts and intertwining them with an element that’s engaging to you. Amalgamate the details important to the work or topic and focus and use the activities- such as song lyrics – that grip you to create a source helpful to the enhancement of your task. One example of this; Use a current pop song (or create your own!) to remember the elements of the periodic table. Using references like this allows you to draw information at appropriate times as it’s something that’s important to you.
2) Use technology available to you
Technology is readily available to most people, so make the most of it. There’s apps, website and, videos that can excel learning to make the most mundane tasks, more fun. The best way to optimize this strategy is to alternate work with physical property (e.g.Books) and digital property (e.g. videos) in equal proportions with a break separating each new task.
3) Go outside
It’s unhealthy to stay locked in a room all day, go and explore the world or partake in activities that make you happy. Happiness is important as a study from the University of Warwick suggests “that happiness led to a 12% spike in productivity, while unhappy workers proved 10% less productive.” So, do an activity that you find enjoyable, we recommend going for a 15 minute walk at least once a day. This will not only break up constantly sitting down, but it will also give you the chance to take a well deserved break and clear your head while taking in some fresh air.
4) Challenge yourself
If works too easy, you get bored and give up; if it’s too difficult, you get frustrated and give up. The key is balancing difficulty and reward. Set yourself challenges that push you to your limit without becoming straining or an obsessive overload that’s a burden to work with.
5) Reward yourself
Work can be hard, reward yourself for you efforts. Create a system in which you reward yourself after finishing tasks and projects. Whether it’s a report you have been dreading or a big meeting you have to prepare for, after you have finished, reward yourself with some personal development time, lunch out at the new place which opened near your office, an afternoon treat – the possibilities are endless!
How will you challenge and reward yourself today? Let us know @thinkproductive
By Oliver McLennan