Productivity hacks to stay ahead of your competition
Productivity hacks to stay ahead of your competition
These past two years, much has changed in our everyday lives and how we go about our days. The world came to a halt once the pandemic hit, and we found ourselves balancing work or learning from home with our personal time, all the while being restricted on where we could go. It can be viewed as an opportunity where we were able to spend more time with our families that we hadn’t had pre-Pandemic. It’s been said“Necessity is the mother of invention,” but it could be said “Necessity is the mother of adaption”, and this is what this pandemic has taught us.
Working from home has now taken on a new identity, and accelerated the movement to making work more accessible from anywhere.Tasks that once were slated for after work now have become a part of the work day, like picking up groceries or making it to an appointment. Things like changing a baby's diaper, dogs barking, children being actively around while working from home all while we take our meetings. It was challenging to separate work life from regular home life as many were inexperienced in doing their work from home. In fact, according to a survey many men and women started to work from their washrooms, while working from home so they can avoid disturbances and work in peace. Nevertheless, you don’t have to resort to working from your washroom to escape being disrupted, and we’re here to help offer an alternative to being able to maintain your work environment. We know that work from home is here to stay. Two new surveys have shown that employers have accepted that remote work is here to stay. Giants such as Amazon and Twitter have offered the flexibility to work from home on a permanent basis. With companies realizing the shifting work landscape, we have to brace ourselves for this permanent shift in work culture in order to best realize the most efficient work environments for people around the world.
Here are some productivity hacks to not be left behind:
Tip # 1: Take out time to go for a 10 minute walk
Ten minute walks outside in nature have been shown to have a very significant impact on your overall health. These walk’s can refresh your mind and also take your mind away from all the stress and the disturbances. It gives you the opportunity to give time for yourself where you can destress and be more centered.Studies show that these ten minute walks can reduce stress and anxiety, aid in better sleep, which results in increased productivity. Take out 10 mins for this activity!
Tip # 2: Have a proper sleep schedule
Being a parent is hard, especially while working from home as you balance the care of your children and focus on your work. Having the right sleep schedule is really vital to how you’ll be able to function the following day. The recommended sleep time for adults is 7-8 hours. Hence, make sure you get enough rest and sleep to be so energetic that you don’t have to rely on your coffee or energy drinks.
Tip # 3: Take some time out for your hobbies/passions
Everyone has some hobby/passion that they would like to spend their time on.Spending time on your hobbies will take your mind off the stress of your work into something you really enjoy. This will increase your productivity as it refreshes your mind and it doesn’t feel like work to you. Taking time on your hobbies has also been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep and also improve our social connections.
Tip # 4: Meditation
This is no secret that this ancient practice is hailed as one of the keys to success for many billionaires. In fact, many of the big companies have invested in creating mediation rooms designated for meditation only. Meditation helps to declutter your mind and just focus on the things that really matter. I like to call this time “me-time”, since this is the only time I get to introspect myself in peace. It also helps in calming your mind, which is extremely useful for increasing your focus on the task at hand. In a world where mental health awareness is increasing day by day, it's no surprise people are taking to this ancient practice for increasing their mental health. Take out some time (even 2 minutes) to meditate, as it will pay off dividends in perpetuity.
Tip # 5: Focus on quality, rather than quantity
Nowadays, many people are focussed on “hustle culture” and the quantity of hours worked in a week, rather than the output produced in that time frame. You will see so many people gloat about how they worked “80 hours the previous week”, but there is much more effectiveness in the quality of that many hours being worked, as opposed to just the amount. This might work for some people, but it often doesn't work for the majority. Instead of getting more work done, it deteriorates their current work. It is really important to focus on the quality of work rather than the quantity, since spending ten hours wisely is better than spending sixteen hours to produce the same output.