Boosting Productivity
Whether you are in high-school, university, working in a job, or managing a firm, you would understand the importance of productivity. Getting your tasks done on time, and quickly, reduces stress and frees up a bunch of time for your other hobbies and passions - whether it may be reading, watching movies, hanging out with friends, playing sports, or even gaming.
As a person who loves learning, but also enjoys some free time, I have realized how much increasing productivity has benefited me. Here, I will share some tips I picked up on my journey.
#1: Calendar-ing
One of the most important things you should do is learning to calendar all your events and due dates. It helps you keep track of places you need to go, and tasks you must complete. Personally, I use two things: Apple Calendar and Notion (You can use Google Calendar - or any other calendar app, and an app you can take notes on).
I use calendar to keep track of my daily general schedule and also put down any meetings or co-curricular activities I have. Doing so helped me avoid missing any meetings or clubs. I look at my calendar 2 times a day - in the morning (for the current day), and at night (for the next day).
To keep track of my homework or anything I need to do at home, I use Notion. When I get back from school and sit at my desk, this is usually the first thing I look at. I have also found it incredibly useful to get your homework done the day you get them. You never know, the next day you might get a bunch more work to do, and it may start piling up. And we all know, when we have a million things to do, we get overwhelmed and begin procrastinating.
#2: Pomodoro Method
An effective study method that I use for general study is the Pomodoro method. This is when you study for 25 minutes followed by a 5 minute break, and then repeat (this is a 25-5 pomodoro). You can do a 50-10 pomodoro if you feel 25 minute intervals are too short. I alternate between these two depending on how I am feeling.
You need to make sure that you are concentrated on your tasks in the study intervals. Knowing that I have a 5-10 minute break waiting for me, I try to get as much done as possible to maximize my satisfaction in the break. I have found that putting your phone on do-not-disturb (or just turning off the notifications) and putting it away from eyesight significantly helps in avoiding procrastination.
How you use the 5-10 minute break is up to you - but make sure to enjoy during rest intervals. Don’t be studying in your breaks as well. If you study too long without a break, you may get a burnout which would lead to much less productivity later. So, I recommend taking breaks regularly.
#3: To-Do Journal
Finally, I also like to keep with me a ‘To-Do Journal’. I have a book for the sole purpose of recording daily and weekly tasks: every week, I write down what I want to get done by the end of the week. This helps make sure I am on track and making good progress. I also write down the tasks I want to get done for the next day (I generally write this down the evening before).
Writing tasks to do for the next day helps your mind comprehend what you will have to do, and so you won’t feel as surprised from your workload the following day.
I generally get through all these tasks using the Pomodoro method, as discussed above.
Finally, I also set a ‘Quitting time’. This is the time of the day I would like to get the next day’s tasks all completed. After this time, I like to rest and pursue my other passions. Adding a quitting time to your daily to-do journal will encourage you to get all your tasks completed by that time; you won’t want to work after that time, would you?
Ending Note
Implementing a calendar has helped organize my life. Following the Pomodoro method has vastly boosted my productivity. And making a to-do journal ensures that I am on track and am making a good progress. Personally, these have helped me a lot, and I would recommend that you at least give these a try. (You can do digitally or on paper - your choice!)
Note: If you want to learn more about this, you should definitely read “A Mind for Numbers.” The author explains in simply ways about how our minds learn, how we should improve our memory, and so on…. I have reviewed this book (my review), if you are interested in reading.
