5 simple
but effective tips to improve your productivity!
They say we have the same 24 hours as Beyoncé, Bill Gates
and Ronaldo. However, these three insanely successful megastars owe it all to
their incredible work ethic, dedication and motivation. I can’t promise you
will become super rich and famous, but these top tips might just give you that extra
spice to get more sh*t done. Let’s face it, we all like to get sh*t done.
5. Plan ahead
We all live on our smartphones so currently we have no
excuse to be late and forgetful. We all have an email address and of which the clear
majority come accompanied by a calendar service (Outlook, Hotmail, MSN, Gmail etc.)
This calendar service can be easily synced to your mobile devices, laptops and
tablets no matter where you are. I currently use outlook and have my personal
calendar, professional calendar, and my two work calendars all synced to my
devices using the iCloud plugin for outlook desktop.
This allows me to see at a glance my appointments, whether
it be doctors or dentists. My gym routine, so which sessions are to be done on
which days. My meetings and appointments at work, whether it be a new client
meeting or just a follow up phone call for a sale. The most important factor
with synced calendars is the reminder function. The reminder function sends a
push notification to your device prompting you when you are due to commence a
task. This personally helps my time management and thus has kept me on top of
all my ‘adult’ responsibilities (Zzzz…).
Click here to see my tutorial and how to set up and get the most out of Outlook,
tasks, reminders and calendars.
4.
Go to bed earlier!
If it’s after 22:30 and you’re still reading this, GET TO
BED. What are you an owl!? Kidding…maybe. Being able to sleep earlier and wake
up earlier gives you more time to get your mind and body into the right state
to prepare for the day ahead. If you often sleep late, wake up late and end up
at work late with your tie half done, breakfast missed, and your dad’s Y fronts
on… you need to stop. It looks bad on you. There aren’t no two ways about it,
you are perceived unreliable, unprepared and subconsciously, the chances of
being overlooked for added responsibility are increased dramatically. “I don’t want
added responsibility” you might ask, then you are either in the wrong job or
you hate being paid more which in turn makes you weird, weirdo.
One of the latest features on the iPhone is the bedtime app.
It allows you to plan how much sleep you need to wake up at a specific time. I
set my alarm for 22:30 which allows me to rise and 06:30 and get a solid 8-hour
sleep. I can then get dressed in my gym gear and take my bag and work clothes
which I had prepared the night before and go straight to the gym to kick-start
my mind and body. When I get to work I’ve already set in motion a chain of
productivity whilst all your colleagues are still slumping and pulling
themselves around. It’s a fantastic yet simple way to position yourself as a highly-valued
member of staff.
3. Eat more healthily
This may sound crazy but a 20 McChicken nugget share box or
a large meat feast Dominos aren’t good for you (Abuse and foul language are
encouraged in the comments section below.) That feeling you get on your stomach
after eating fast food can be described as a lead weight both metaphorically
and physically. How are you meant to get up and be proactive and productive if
the food baby in your belly is telling you it’s time for a lie down and Netflix.
Going back to point 5, if you plan some time to go out and food shop on a Sunday
afternoon, and then prepare some freshly cooked meals for the week ahead, you
will not only improve your health, but you will save money and feel so much
better in your mind. So, it’s a buy one get one free really.
Who doesn’t want to save money and feel better about
themselves both physically and mentally? When you’ve cooked off five batches
just simply pop them in the fridge along with portions of fruit and when you
get up bright and early all refreshed on Monday morning, pack your bag and put
Monday in a headlock. SMASH.
2. Distance yourself
from Social Media
I can’t stress this point enough.
Our generation spends more time complaining about what they don’t have on
social media than the time they commit doing anything about getting what they don’t
have. Obsessing or complaining about what somebody else has won’t make it any
easier for you to get it. Please, please, please remember that Social media is
a fabrication of what others want you to think their life is about and don’t
ever compare yourself to it.
The time you spend on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram
over the course of a month could easily convert into the reading of many
inspirational books, the writing of a business plan for a venture you’ve always
wanted to start, creation of a blog on a topic you are passionate about and
even spending more time with people you shouldn’t take for granted. Please
learn, and learn quick, that you don’t need validation from strangers and that
your life is yours to pursue whatever you want.
1. Stop the “I’m only having a few”
Alcohol in my opinion has got to be the most productivity
destroying activity there is. Not only does it redirect your time from building
towards your goals, it completely puts you out of action for the next day AT
LEAST. It drains your hard-earned cash and if you consume excessively it can
really f*ck your body up. There is a fine line between enjoying your youth and
destroying your future. The hangover can also negatively affect tip number 2,
3, 4 and 5 resulting in alcohol taking the crown for top tip.
I have been alcohol free for over three months now and I’ve
never looked back. I no longer fear missing out. I am saving money which I plan
to invest in ideas and ventures I have always wanted to pursue, one being the
blog you are reading this very second and I also manage to keep to my healthy
diet whilst regularly attending the gym. A lot of people are very good at
justifying their dreams but it takes a lot to make the sacrifices required to go
out and try and make them happen. Having the will power to cut out alcohol is a
massive turning point in your life and will kick-start your motivation to
achieve.
Signing off…
I hope you found these quick tips useful. Please do share
your views both positive and negative as there is never a right or wrong way to
live your life which I completely understand. I can only vouch and state that
these tips have helped me massively in fast tracking me towards my aims. A
quick share of this article would also be hugely appreciated.
Jason West
A Modern Professional
A Modern Professional
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