5 Fun Ways to Increase Your Productivity

A lot of us look for ways to improve and better ourselves around the start of a new year. What better time to turn a blank page and start fresh? At the same time, I think we’re sort of always looking for good productivity tips, no matter what time of year it is. Everyone could always be more productive, right? We all have long to-do lists and, if possible, we want to get more things done in a shorter amount of time.

Admittedly, I’ve tried a lot of productivity tips and they always work for a while but then they get sort of boring and I stop doing them. Let’s face it, you’re less likely to stick with new habits if they aren’t something to enjoy. So, combining productivity and fun is the perfect solution for making productivity tips stick with you. Read on for five fun ways to increase your productivity:

1. Make things a friendly competition.

Whether you’re trying to be productive at work or at home, making things into a competition can do a lot to rev up productivity in a fun and interesting way. If you’re with coworkers, challenge them to a contest. Who can type something up the fastest? Who can sell more of something? Who can clear out their inbox the fastest? Then have a “prize” for the winner – lunch on you or them, maybe?

You can also do this if you work by yourself. Challenge yourself to complete something and then offer yourself a reward. Studies show that people are more motivated if they have an incentive for completing a goal.^[1] Rewarding yourself gives you something tangible to work toward and it offers an instant gratification that makes you want to push yourself and hold yourself accountable at the same time.

2. Take more breaks.

Breaks are shown to make people more productive, especially if they’re feeling unmotivated or burnt out by their work tasks. If you’re a workaholic, it might be tempting to skip that 30 minute lunch break, but breaks are crucial. A break allows you to unwind, recharge, and go back to your work with a whole new sense of drive and focus.

So, take regular breaks and spend your time doing things that you enjoy. Spending your break doing your favorite hobbies has been shown to allow you to relieve your stress and increase your creativity.

3. Spend some time outside.

Whether you’re feeling tense, unfocused, unmotivated, or completely stressed out, nature can help with that! Nature has been proven to have many benefits. Plus, it’s beautiful and calming. Fresh air can help you clear your mind and breathe easier when you’re stressed. Trees can also improve concentration and alleviate mental fatigue.

Go outside to eat your lunch, or spend your break going for a walk. If you live in a city and don’t have easy access to trees, get a lot of plants for your office! If you work from home, having green plants around you can offer the same benefits.

4. Do something that makes you laugh.

Laughter is a wonderful thing. It can boost your heart rate up and increase the blood flow to your brain. Not only that, but you’ll just plain feel happier! You could spend this time looking at cute baby animal videos because, yes, studies have also shown that doing so will improve your focus.

Allow yourself a regular “laugh break” during your day! This will keep you motivated because it will give you something to look forward to as well!

5. Listen to music (that you love).

Do you have a favorite song that, when you listen to it, you can’t help but dance to? I think we all have one of those! And when you listen to it, you may notice that you’re able to focus better, have more energy, and feel way more motivated to get things done.

So if you feel unproductive, just play your favorite music. Not only will this give you an energy boost, but it will also help block out distractions so that you can stay focused. That’s why a lot of offices play music in the workplace!