Productivity is different for everyone! It’s such a subjective word because people measure productivity in different ways. Often times, trying to fit and reach this term “productive” is the downfall of actually being, well productive. Planning, being creative, taking care OF YOURSELF, just existing, all of these things are considered productive.
Today, we’re going to be specifically talking about the productivity one might be looking for when it comes to finishing tasks regarding their studies/work/planning their day.
When you have a lot to do and it starts to feel impossible to get them all done during the day, I recommend three things:
- A timer
- Priority to do lists
- Academic trackers
Academic Trackers
For example, if you’ve got to read chapter 7 and it’s 80 pages long and there’s four sections in the chapter, track the sections not the entire chapter. Tracking the sections will allow you to visualize your progress more rather than if you just have one task called “Chapter 7”. That one big task will take a long time to get through and you may not even be able to do it all in one day – which may be more of a stressor. Instead of section numbers, you can also break down the pages so you can have a checkpoint every 10 pages. That way, if there’s 80 pages in the chapter, you’ll have 8 tasks and you’ll be able to track your progress that way.
What ever makes you feel more comfortable, break it down that way.
This may not work for everyone because some people don’t like seeing a giant list of things to do but I for one, like to get everything out of my head and onto paper. It always feels like there’s been a wait lifted off my shoulders.
Priority To Do List
After you make you an Academic Trackers/Brain Dump, you can also make a daily to do list, but not just any to do list, a priority list. Make sure that on your to do list, you highlight at least three things that you have to absolutely get done and focus on that. Then after you get through those three things, tackle the rest. And once your work stamina builds up and you’re able to finish three tasks pretty fast, make your priority to do list with four tasks, and so on.
There are actual studies done about the science of effective to do lists. I’ve heard in some youtube videos that the number’s around 5-8 but I’m not sure how accurate that number is. I don’t really cap myself on my total tasks but I do make sure that I have 3 things that I have to finish so I feel good about myself.
Timers
And last but not least, my favorite way to get focused on completing my tasks is a timer. Getting back into the groove of studying or being productive is tough because it’s hard to focus on a task without getting distracted. Timers give you an assigned number of minutes you have to be focused during and then afterwards, you can take a break.
When I’m trying to build up my productivity stamina, I start off small. I work for 15 minutes, take 5 minutes off for a break, and do it again. That way, you’re allowing for distractions but making sure that those 15 minutes you do work are effective and efficient. After you get used to 15 minutes, bump into up to 30 minutes, and keep increasing it. For me, timers help me focus on the task I have ahead of me or what I need to get done in the next 15 minutes, rather than everything I need to get done in the day which is always an overwhelming thought.
Technically, this is called the Pomodoro Technique. Now a days, you can find many timer study apps that also have inbuilt features that prevent you from logging onto social media and such.
I use the Forest app on my phone or a stopwatch on Google when I’m timing myself
I hope these tips were helpful! Leave behind a comment on something that you do that keeps you productive 🙂