There are many things you can do throughout your day that are directly beneficial toward your productivity and workflow. Some of these things might not stand out or may seem like a waste of time, but you need to refresh yourself in order to improve your workflow. I love finding little hacks that allow you to grow your productivity by avoiding work. It’s not procrastination—it is growth. Let’s get super productive!
Take Breaks from Work
A study from the University of Illinois has shown that taking brief mental breaks from work or a task that demands attention can improve your focus in the short term as well as long term. Within the study, Professor Alejandro Lleras quoted, “Constant stimulation is registered by our brains as unimportant, to the point that the brain erases it from our awareness.” These brief mental breaks will help strengthen the brain’s awareness.
What you should do:
1. Go for a 30 minute walk every day.
Take a walk around the block at your workplace. Get some fresh air and enjoy the weather and scenery around you (even if it is all buildings).
2. Go on a run for over 20 minutes.
Sweat out some of the stressful day, come back re-charged, and work like you’ve never worked before thanks to a boost of focus and adrenaline.
3. Daydream for 10 minutes.
Try looking out the window or sitting on a bench, thinking about life, or even pop in some music and stare at the ceiling—be aimless!
Music, Audio-Reading, and Fresh Air
Fresh air and audio is all you need! “In biological terms, melodious sounds help encourage the release of dopamine in the reward area of the brain, as would eating a delicacy, looking at something appealing or smelling a pleasant aroma,” says Dr Amit Sood at the Mayo Clinic. Gardening and getting out in the fresh air has proven to improve your mental capacity and complexity. Listening to audiobooks has also shown more effective in creating interactions with a reader than physical reading itself; it works in a similar way to how YouTube videos engage with viewers.
What you should do:
4. Work in the garden for 20 minutes every week.
No virtual gardening! Even if you don’t have a garden, you should at least go outside and get some fresh air.
5. Listen to Audiobooks.
This will help retain info and let you relax while still reading.
6. Listen to music for 2 hours a day.
Show this article to your boss and make an arrangement for this to happen.
Your Clutter and Smartphones
Researchers at Yale identified that the two areas in your brain associated with pain, the anterior cingulate cortex and insula, light up in response to letting go of items you own and feeling a connection toward them. This might sound weird, but it basically means you have a strong emotional connection with the items around you. This is the same reason that people have a stronger attachment to Apple products in Apple stores. Studies by Author Carmine Gallo show this connection.
What you should do:
7. De-clutter your workspace.
Make it as minimalist as possible and keep it clean—in the same way the Apple Store is so attractive, make your workspace clean and clutter-free.
8. Leave your smartphone at the office.
And go on that walk; this is another great tip for a work-life detox and will improve your mental strength.
9. Separate from social media.
Check your social media accounts every 2–3 hours instead of every five minutes.
10. Remove your shoes in the office
This will help you relax while at the office, and you will feel stronger and more comfortable with your surroundings.
Featured photo credit: Aleksi Tappura via unsplash.com
