Blogpost
3 items that boost your productivity
Here are 3 items that will help you boost your productivity! A to-do list, daily planners, and a timer. These free options will boost your productivity to the next level.
Planners will boost your productivity
It is not the planner in itself that will improve your productivity but it is the way you use that planner. You can either use a paper version, a digital one or print one from the internet. Here you can find printable planners. I prefer using daily planners to time-block and weekly planners for an overview of the week.
This is how your daily planner can look… For this example, I just used the Google Calendar. As you can see it is color-coordinated:
- Yellow: work
- Purple: projects
- Green: body movement
- Pink: me time
- Blue: personal
- Orange: no screens allowed
Of course you can create as many categories as you need or like. The color system creates an immediate overview of what kind of tasks you are doing. But not specific yet. That’s when I use my to-do list. It looks like a lot but you make it as busy as you please. I used to just have one big item for work but now I split it up in smaller time-blocks.
Whenever I have finished everything on my to-do list for that time block before the time is up, I allow myself some brainless scrolling or a treat. You can pick something you can look forward to so it motivates you to keep working.
Use to-do lists to boost your productivity
Create a large to-do list so you can mark every finished task. I can create the smallest of tasks when writing my to-do list. The more you can highlight the more productive you feel and it gives you the energy to do even more. Also, to-do lists you can here or on my website. But a white piece of paper will also do. You should have this list close by more often than not. Why? When you get distracted because you think of another task that you have to do you just add it to your list instead of doing that task first and then continue what you were doing.
The good thing about a daily to-do list is that you throw it away after a day. Even when you didn’t finish everything you just write that on your list for the next day. So you have finished your list and just created a new one.
Use a timer to time your work and breaks
On average we get distracted every 40 seconds. If we follow that distraction we work less than be distracted. So use a timer. How will it boost your productivity? I have a 45 min work time and a 15 min break time. When on work time you should try and ignore all distractions. if you get distracted snap out of it asap. Of course, it is harder than you think but try to really focus and put your mind back to work ASAP after getting distracted.
The break time is to follow your distraction. Preferably away from your work area. It helps to give your mind some rest. Do that scrolling that you have been urging yourself to do or pet your dog that had been lying there asking for your attention? These 15 minutes you do whatever the distracting part of you wants to do.
