A recent study conducted by Darius Foroux revealed that over 80% of the workforce procrastinates for 1+ hours per day. The overwhelming pressure that comes post-procrastination can either be the driving force for completion or cause you to crumble. With such a large portion of the workforce admittedly procrastinating, the question becomes, how can you turn procrastination into productivity?
Make a list. Oftentimes, we have an ongoing list of tasks that require our attention and only a small amount of time to complete them. That alone can be overwhelming. A lot of time can be wasted by repeatedly running over the tasks in your mind to determine the best course of action. We recommend making a list of your tasks. Having them written out in front of you can ease the blow and get your mind immediately in work mode.
Be intentional. Once you’ve made a list of the tasks that you need to accomplish, organize them by priority. Some tasks may require completion sooner than others so they would be a good place to start. A good rule of thumb is also to complete the larger, more difficult tasks first. That will allow you a mental shift from “where do I start” to “what do I have left.” An object in motion stays in motion – in our case, a brain in motion stays in motion. It’s up to you to get it up and running, but once you do you can ride the wave to the end.
Get up and move. According to a Harvard study, the benefits of regular movement consist of “Improved concentration, a sharper memory, faster learning, prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity, and lower stress”. Try incorporating some sort of exercise/walking into your lunch break to improve your focus. As little as ten minutes is all you need to get your blood pumping and your mind in the right direction.
Organize your surroundings. Clutter creates distractions, which will likely gear your mind in an unproductive direction. Organizing not only saves you time from rummaging through materials, folders on your desktop, etc., but it reduces stress and anxiety as well. When your surroundings are organized, and orderly, you free your mind to focus on the tasks at hand. If you notice your focus shifting to the clutter around you, take 15 minutes to tidy up and then get back to it.
Accountability. Accountability improves company culture in the workplace, but it also improves performance. Your colleagues are relying on you to hold up your end of the bargain. You are a crucial piece to your company’s success and your lack of productivity will affect your teammates.
Take breaks. Taking breaks is critical to improve concentration. Studies show that “frequent-break-takers outshine the competition by getting more done with more focus during their working time.” The reason for this? Our brain works in bursts of high activity that last about an hour, and then it switches to low activity for a while. This means if we work in sync with these patterns, we are going to be more productive, feel less burnout, and procrastinate less, recharging when we need it.
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