I’m guessing you’re reading this post as you are looking to be more productive and looking for a little inspiration. I decided to post about this as trying to be more productive is something I’m constantly trying to do, despite an ever-increasing busy timetable.
I work full time, and the weeks seem to just go nowhere, and I constantly compare myself to other people who I deem super successful. The truth is: we are all given 24 hours in our days and it’s how we utilise free time which can add to how productive we are, which is directly correlated to our success.
Here are some of the things I wrote down as part of my new year’s resolutions list:
-read more
-practise my Spanish
-get posting more content on social media
-learn more, do courses, learn how to use software etc
These all seem to be options which take up tonnes of time, and that’s true…but who’s to say that it has to be done in one sitting? Nobody- it doesn’t!
Here’s what I came up with when I thought about how I could do these activities while working full time and in between blogging, shooting and daily life in general:
When travelling:
Whether you’re on a train, bus or driving-you can still be productive! You want to read more or to get access to books. You can get an e-book and read off a phone or tablet, or you’re driving and don’t have free hands then you can listen to podcasts or audio books. Not only will it occupy you during your commute, but you’ll be learning something, or engaged in something other than your spotify playlist, or the radio etc. If you have a travel journey of an hour, it’s not a loss, you can still be productive.
When cooking or cleaning:
Unfortunately, we don’t have little house elves to help us with the cooking, or the cleaning, or the laundry (if only), and it takes up so much time. What I’ve tried to do is to try and listen to the Spanish radio, or the news when cooking or cleaning and I can be doing 2 things at the same time i.e cooking and hearing about what’s going on in the world. If you can multi task, then this is a really good option.
Going for water or breaks:
If you go for a 5/10 minute break, or go to fill up your water bottle at work, you could also do a task that doesn’t take up too much time. I, for example, sometimes like to post on social. It doesn’t add to the time I’d take for a break, and it contributes to one of my goals.
Also, during lunch breaks I try to watch youtube videos or tutorials. It doesn’t have to be everyday, but fits in something you want/need to do. Even if you do it only once or twice a week, you’ll feel much better about it and will hit your goal much quicker. I also sometimes read blog posts during lunch which is really nice and chilled.
While watching TV:
If watching TV is something you do a lot of, you can still watch it in the background while doing something else. For example, I often stick on Netflix while I’m blogging. I can still tune into the programme or film, while still working on my website.
At the gym:
If you have a series to watch, I guarantee you’ll be picking that over going to the gym (unless you’re a gym addict). If you do cardio like running or cycling, why not stick on an episode there? I guarantee it will be a less tedious task and your workout will pass by much quicker than just staring at a wall.
Obviously, these are way that I fill mygoals, but hopefully it’s inspired you to think of ways to do things that you want/need to do in between your other activities.
There will always be something that you can do, and remember, no matter how little it is, it’s a whole lot more productive than doing nothing at all and giving up.
Key things to remember:
-get enough sleep (or you’ll burnout and won’t be as productive)
-prioritise (make sure you don’t try to do everything at once, prioritise your goals and only do one or 2 at a time)
-plan (make sure you make a list of activities you need to do in order to achieve it. You can cross it off once done, and that’s a proven record of productivity)
-try and work your tasks during your peak hours i.e if you’re a morning person you may benefit from getting your tasks done before midday and vice versa if you’re more of a late afternoon/evening person
-have a break (regular breaks are a must, and try to give yourself at least one day a week just to yourself to unwind and reflect)
Have you guys got any more pieces of advice to be more productive? I’d love to hear them!
Good luck, and see you next time
Natasha
Tattiexo
