With the increase in the volume of information and the distraction, it is sometimes difficult to stay motivated and to work as focused as possible on the projects you have proposed to you. This not only reduces productivity but also the level of happiness because we often end up feeling unfulfilled.
That’s why we recommend some useful tips in this regard that would help motivate you to work better and be more focused.
1. Identify your Essential Tasks
If you want to start your day right, then you have to prepare the night before. Make a shortlist of the most important things to do the next day. These should be the tasks that, if fulfilled, will make your day better.
Try to keep the list short by noting three to five tasks. The more tasks you add, the harder it will be to reach the list and ultimately fail.
As author Gary Keller, who wrote The ONE Thing, says, the main idea is to identify ONE thing you can do, and if it is done, then it will make everything else easier for you.
2. Start the day by solving the most difficult tasks first
If you leave the most difficult tasks for the end of the day, then you will be exhausted and you will end up postponing the task for the next day, thus postponing day after day.
What could be better than solving the task with the greatest impact, and which could make the other tasks easier?
To do this, however, you need to stay away from things that will cause you to procrastinate, and make sure that you avoid anything that distracts you from that task.
So, start your day with the most difficult thing on your list.
3. Avoid distractions
Our brain does not have the ability to work on more than one thing at a time. So when we claim to be doing “several things at once,” we are actually switching between tasks. It can take up to 23 minutes for our brain to fully regain its concentration after our attention has been distracted from one thing to another. These distractions could be various people around you interrupting you or even electronic devices, through various notifications, sounds, or vibrations.
But the problem is that we feel productive while multitasking, so we get a positive release of dopamine as a reward. And this reinforces the bad habit of multitasking.
By avoiding distractions, you will stay involved in your work, and it will help you to be more effective and motivated. To do this, you can remove any electronic devices near you while working, close the door to the room where you work, or use a pair of headphones while working.
4. Group several tasks
Task grouping refers to grouping similar tasks and working on them in batches. This concept is not new and is commonly used in operations management as an integral part of maximizing production.
Whenever there is a task, preparation is needed for it to take place. For example, set a time, place, or event to start doing this. By grouping tasks according to similarity, use setup time for more things, instead of having to set them up over and over again, wasting time and energy.
For example:
Reading or writing emails: Instead of constantly opening your email account, spend an hour or two a day checking your emails. Usually, 1.5 hours after you start the workday is a good time to run the first batch.
Reporting: If you have to write or read reports, don’t do it the soon as you receive them, but group the whole process and spend part of the day doing it.
5. Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro technique is used for time management and was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It basically consists of creating 25-minute work intervals and then taking a 5-minute break, after which a new work interval would begin for 25 minutes. It is usually recommended to take a longer break of 15 minutes after 4 Pomodoro intervals.
Studies have shown that we tend to lose focus and decrease productivity if we work long periods of time without a break. Therefore, it is important to take regular breaks and maybe even do some physical activity, such as walking, to increase concentration but also to improve our energy level and work better.
By following these simple tips, you will feel more motivated to work harder and better.
