7 Great Productivity Hacks You Should Try, According to Experts
In this article we will talk about some interesting productivity hacks you can try and apply immediately.
These are not just the habits you find on every personal growth blog. In fact, these are some great and effective productivity hacks that really work, according to some experts I have interviewed.
Ready? Let’s get started!
A Few Productivity Hacks You Should Try
The productivity hacks that can really help you get things done are often the ones that trick your brain into believing that you can definitely do something – and that it can be easier than you thought.
1. Try Gamification
According to certified coach Victoria Tretis, gamification is one of the best productivity hacks you can try.
From using an egg timer on your desk for a race against the clock in terms of output, all the way through to assigning different tasks points based on time/effort and setting your own personal records throughout the month.
Research shows that gamification can improve motivation and productivity. Here’s the example of an interesting study.
2. Track time
“Understanding how long certain tasks will take immediately improves productivity because you can be realistic about what can be achieved within a set amount of time,” explains Tretis.
See, the moment you mentally allocate a certain amount of time to a certain task, it doesn’t feel as overwhelming as before.
It’s like saying “Ok, washing the dishes will just take five minutes, I can definitely do it!”
3. Create a routine that matches your energy
As entrepreneur Adam Enfroy suggests, a good idea is to create a routine that matches your energy.
Let’s say, for example, that you’re not a morning person, so you struggle to focus first thing in the morning. And checking and responding to emails is one of your highest priority tasks, but needs to be done well.
Simply schedule it for later in the day, instead of going straight to it.
Your biggest priority doesn’t necessarily have to be the first task you choose to focus on. What matters is you make sure you do that task when you are able to properly focus on it, so that you do it better, and faster.
4. Make time for self-care
As Karthik Manoharan, co-founder of WeCodee Innovations, suggests, scheduling self-care activities to recharge your batteries can help avoid burnout from work or other forms of stress.
It could be anything that allows you to relax and unwind, such as reading a book on your favorite couch, a soothing bedtime ritual, a 10-minute walk, meditating, painting, or anything that makes you feel good and helps you unplug and recharge.
5. Alternate 20 minutes of work with 10 minutes of music
This interesting suggestion comes from Chris McNeil, Founder of Thaut and host of the Thought Leadership Studio podcast.
You can even try different intervals, for example alternating 30 minutes of work with 5 minutes of music.
“I’m a musician, so I play guitar for those 10 minutes. A non-musician could get similar benefits, though, by immersing in enjoying listening to music,” says McNeil.
He adds, “I find I am much more productive when switching left brain-right brain modes like that and giving my logical output side a rest while exercising my pure creative expression side. Counter-intuitive to some, perhaps, but I actually get more done and the quality of work is higher.”
6. Avoid setting too many goals per day
This one is probably not new to you, but it’s definitely worth mentioning.
According to Rachel Eddins, Career Counselor and Executive Director at Eddins Counseling, the best way to ensure you are productive and can manage your day much better is to set and accomplish one or only a few goals per day.
Most people tend to set multiple goals to complete in a day as they are ambitious and think it will
help to make them more productive.
However, this often gets too overwhelming and the goals that are set never get accomplished.
Going slower can sometimes be best instead of trying to accomplish a lot of things at once.
Recommended read: Midday Routine: 5 Great Habits to Unplug and Recharge
7. Use more red and blue in your working space
According to Aima Irfan, Editor in Chief at Inside Tech World, one of the most interesting productivity hacks is to use more red and blue colors in your working space.
These two colors are known to help improve cognitive performance.
According to a study, blue seems to encourage creativity in individuals, while red enhances attention to detail.
Usually, our brains are conditioned to perceive red as a sign of danger. This makes our minds more cautious, vigilant and attentive. As a result, it helps in carefully searching for the right and wrong answers.
Blue is a color often associated with calm, and it can help build a safe space to explore creativity.
