The psychology of getting things done

It is not easy to be productive in a world of distractions that manages to capture your attention in a matter of seconds. Getting things done on time is the desired goal for everyone when working, although it requires nowadays a specific mindset if you want to succeed.

It’s all in your mind

In order to be productive, you need to be determined that you will actually get things done on time. By allowing yourself to waste time with distractions, you lose your focus and end up working late. It’s time to maintain your determination by keeping in mind the outcome of your concentration.

Find your own motivation

It is a good idea to give yourself a reason to focus and work harder, in order to serve as a reminder when you’re about to give in to the temptation of a distraction. For example, if you finish your tasks on time, you’ll be able to have fun with your friends, watch your favorite TV show, find time for yourself, etc. Which one works better for you?

Set your daily goals

If you want to have a clear idea of your work, you can set at the beginning of each day your daily tasks and goals. It’s not just the task that you’re writing down, but also the daily goal that reminds you of what should be done by the end of the day. For example, if you set as a daily goal to write 5 articles, how would you feel if the day passed with just 2 articles?

Leave the distractions aside

We all like checking Facebook from time to time while working, but we know this doesn’t end up well in terms of our productivity. How about leaving it aside when focusing on a task and only check it once or twice per day? This could also include our addiction to our emails, with our tendency to check our mailbox every 30 minutes, even when we don’t expect any urgent mail. How about setting a ‘mail-time’ every couple of hours?

Reward yourself after a difficult task

Sometimes even a small reward helps to maintain our motivation at high levels, especially when we have to deal with a difficult task that we keep postponing. When you feel that you have to deal with tasks that you tend to avoid, a reward for your effort will make you try harder to get done with it. Looking for ideas of small rewards? How about a Starbucks coffee, an ice-cream, or even 20 extra minutes on Facebook? Which one works better for you?

Lists increase your productivity

If you want to stay organized with your tasks, start creating lists with everything that is pending. You can even divide your lists to urgent and non-urgent tasks, in order to have a clear view of every single project you need to complete. What’s more, there’s no need to overload your brain with all your tasks, if you can simply write everything down on extremely useful lists.

Cross completed tasks off your list

There is a feeling of accomplishment when crossing completed tasks off your list. Even by erasing a single task of your ‘to-dos’, you know that you are a step closer to finishing all your work. One step at a time!

Repeat the productivity tips that work for you

After monitoring the productivity tips that work better for you, make sure you include them in your daily routine, in order to become more efficient from now on. Are you a morning person, or a night owl? Which task should you finish first? How often do you need breaks?

Are you determined to get things done?

What matters most, is your ability to stay concentrated on your daily goal, in order to maintain your self-discipline. If you feel that you are ready the get things done, then you’re halfway there!

Tereza Litsa

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