When you wake up in the morning, do not pick up your phone to check messages or social networks. Instead, ask yourself this question: "What is the one thing that is important for me to do today?" This is a simple and effective way to focus on the most important task and plan your day so that you can accurately complete it.
If it is impossible to limit yourself to one case, make a list according to the 1-3-5 system. It should include one large task, three medium and five small ones.
It's good if it's something useful, but if you need a piece of cake today, don't deny yourself. In any case, try to enjoy your meal without being distracted by your phone and thoughts about work. Enjoy the moment and everything else that you have in your life.
This is a three-in-one exercise: you simultaneously enjoy delicious food, train mindfulness M. van Vugt. Mindfulness as a potential tool for productivity / In: C. Sadowski, T. Zimmermann (eds). Rethinking Productivity in Software Engineering and feel grateful. All this will have a positive effect on productivity.
According to G. Mark, S. Iqbal, et al. Neurotics can’t focus: An in situ study of online multitasking in the workplace / Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems researchers from Microsoft, while working at a computer, the average user is distracted every 40 seconds. It's not surprising when you consider how many different notifications and messages we receive throughout the day.
Turn them off for a time when you need to focus on something. In addition, you can also block sites that you usually want to distract yourself from.
Repeating self-critical thoughts over and over again, we begin to believe them. Gradually, our motivation decreases and our self-confidence weakens. Instead of self-criticism, pronounce positive affirmations. Especially when you feel that productivity is falling. It has been proven that they reduce G. L. Cohen, D. K. Sherman. The psychology of change: Self-affirmation and social psychological intervention / Annual Review of Psychology stress and improve J. D. Creswell, J. M. Dutcher, et al. Self-affirmation improves problem-solving under stress / PLoS One the ability to solve problems.
Here are a couple of examples: "I will make today a success," "I am capable of many things," "I never give up."
According to this method, you divide the work into intervals: you work for 25 minutes, then you rest for five minutes. And after four cycles, take a longer break for 15 minutes.
This way you keep yourself from burning out and help you cope with distractions by agreeing in advance with yourself that you will pay attention to them during the break.
With regular practice, it reduces M. Goyal, S. Singh, et al. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis / JAMA Internal Medicine stress, improves J. J. Miller, K. Fletcher, J. Kabat-Zinn. Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders / General Hospital Psychiatry emotional state and develops A. P. Jha, J. Krompinger, M. J. Baime. Mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention / Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience the ability to concentrate.
Moreover, you can meditate anywhere. Set aside just a couple of minutes for this, and you will feel more relaxed and ready to get back to work.
When there is order on the table and in the computer, it is easier to work. And from a cluttered space, on the contrary, there is a C. Tsigos, I. Kyrou, et al. Stress: Endocrine physiology and pathophysiology / In: K. R. Feingold, B. Anawalt, et al. (eds). Endotext anxiety, and it's harder to find the right thing.
Make it a rule to clean your desktop (both physical and digital) every day. Throw out the accumulated garbage, put everything in its place, close the extra tabs. It will take a minute, but you will immediately feel the effect.
It is better not to eat sweets or fast food, but something useful for the brain, such as blueberries, fatty fish, nuts or avocados. And to feel more active and cheerful, inhale the smell of citrus J. K. Kiecolt-Glaser, J. E. Graham, et al. Olfactory influences on mood and autonomic, endocrine, and immune function / Psychoneuroendocrinology .
If you don't have anything like that at hand, just chew the gum. At the same time, the parts of the brain associated with attention will receive K. Morgan, A. J. Johnson, C. Miles. Chewing gum moderates the vigilance decrement / British Journal of Psychology more oxygen, and it will be easier for you to concentrate.
For example, a picture where you are five or fifteen years old. Remember what you have achieved since then, and think about what else you can do so that you can be proud of yourself again. This will cause a new surge of motivation.
If you feel that productivity has dropped, try to change something in the environment. For example, you can work at a table standing rather than sitting, move from a noisy room to a quieter one, or, conversely, set up an office in a cafe. Even a small change will help you become much more productive.
