8 Proven Techniques For Better Productivity and Time Management

PRODUCTIVITY AND TIME MANAGEMENT

Overwhelmed by assignments and have deadlines coming up but not able to stay focused and worried you might not be able to complete them before the deadline?

The best solution to every problem is within discipline and focus, the two virtues to success can help you not only in the short term but also in the long run towards your professional growth.

The secret ingredient of all the successful people in the world is time management.

They have all developed a productivity system and a good routine that helps remind them of the important and high-priority tasks.

Most people do not recognize until it's too late that how much important this phase of life is for them to succeed.

I'm being in my fourth year of medical school too went through a lot of struggle and trial and error until I developed a good productivity schedule for myself that has helped me stay focused for exams plus providing me enough time to start a side hustle and earn a few bucks.

Following are some of the key points that can help you stay afloat in times of stress and provide you time to stay productive and focused throughout the semester

MANAGING TIME MORE EFFICIENTLY

Managing time with overwhelming tasks, assignments, and chores is hard, knowing which tasks consume most of your time is essential.

ASK YOURSELF

• Which tasks are more important than others?
• What activities can you reduce to make up more time, is this a high-priority task at the moment?

It is difficult to manage time if you don't know how you're spending it.

An average individual nowadays waste five precious hours every day surfing their mobile phones, spending valuable time indulging in activities that may not provide them value in the long run.

It varies from person to person, but if you're one of them don't you want to know what sort of activities are consuming so much of your invaluable time?

For this, you may use different applications of your own choice as there are a lot to choose from.

On my phone, I have installed Screen time. This helps me track all the applications I use in a day, measuring what different applications I use, how much time I spend on social media, dividing them into different categories.

Screen time or similar applications like this might be useful in measuring the time you surf in different ways and help you decide how you can utilize more of your time.

If you have a complex task at hand and you find yourself procrastinating it may be due to some of the following biggest time wasters.

SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE

These are great when used with a purpose in mind but are also the biggest source of wasting time. If you want to be more focused and productive, lessen the use of these platforms.

You can keep scrolling down mindlessly without being mindful of your time and the feed won't end.

MULTITASKING

Our brain is most effective at focusing on one task at hand. You should never multitask, allocate each task time of its own and focus on it completely for that time period.

Tracking time provides us with key insights in our life, helping us in better decisions resulting in increased work output, more productivity, and being overall more effective.

The Myth of Multitasking: How "Doing It All" Gets Nothing Done explains in detail how you can avoid multitasking and have better focus

Time management is also a soft skill that we should learn to develop; it is an essential part of career growth and will improve your chances of success in the long term.

SETTING DEADLINES

To perform better we may break bigger projects into smaller tasks and allocate a time period for each one to complete, dividing tasks into smaller chunks helps us be more productive as there is only so much we can do in a day.

Completing these smaller steps one at a time helps us complete more projects easily which would otherwise overwhelm us.

It also motivates us and increases our willpower as we feel proud of ourselves after completing the smaller steps.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS FOR DIVIDING YOUR TASKS INTO SMALL STEPS

1.Write down the project or assignment you want to focus on

I use TickTick personally as my task manager for all my big projects and chores, you can also use todoist.

There are a lot of different applications available to use or you can just use pen and paper for splitting your tasks.

2. Now as you divide the tasks into smaller projects and allocate them sufficient time for completion

3. Prioritize your subtasks according to important

Set the time for each subtask so that you may complete your project at least one week before the date as it will help you give enough time to make final touches and edits in case any problem occurs.

Measure your progress and stay focused on the task at hand.

Following these strategies helps maximize time efficiency, improves productivity, and reduces stress and anxiety related to deadlines.

REGULAR BREAKS FOR BETTER PRODUCTIVITY

Productivity requires taking breaks in between tasks for more effectiveness, and better mood. If time is an issue in an hour-long break, then a series of microbreaks can also help to reboot your brain for improved focus and efficient work management

In order to work longer hours while being at peak productive levels, it is imperative to take short breaks in between. It helps reduce stress, depression, and decision fatigue and improves mental clarity and focus.

Individuals who work for longer periods of time continuously tend to be more weary and fatigued. Regular breaks help in improving potential willpower and overall productivity.

If the project at hand is complex you should divide the tasks into smaller chunks like explained above and use the Pomodoro technique to complete each task.

The classic Pomodoro technique consists of working for 25 minutes and a 5-minute break in between this continues for 4 sessions; it was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s.

There are many variations that people use for time management.

I use the Pomodoro technique with 45 minutes of work and 10-minute breaks in between. You may use this technique according to how it fits your needs.

There are many applications available on the internet that can help you follow the Pomodoro technique, manage time and breaks in between and assist in eliminating procrastination

I've used several ones including The Forest, Flip, DonutDog, etc but right now I am using Pomodoro and focus time built-in ticktick

In the breaks in between just relax you may take a walk around the house, open the window, look outside as the birds chirp, take a long breath, close your eyes, feel the wind, take your mind off the project for time being to recharge.

Use trial and error to find which schedule works better for you, try and stick with it as planning improves decision fatigue.

PLANNING AHEAD

Early is on time and on time is late

As discussed above, how to divide your big projects into small steps. The next step is to plan these effectively.

Proper planning is an important step in tackling bigger projects; you can use simple calendars and diaries or choose to go completely digital to plan your important upcoming projects.

There are a ton of productivity applications, digital diaries, and calendars available to choose from.

For planning I use Google calendar for my projects and assignments, it is easy to use plus it syncs with all the devices you use whether it be mobile, laptop, or tablets, it is automatically synced in all.

You never know when something comes up that may disrupt your schedule and in the end, you find out that you don't have enough time for your deadlines

It is a part of life for which we should plan ahead in time in order to tackle them and complete tasks on the set deadlines.

There are a lot of good books available which can help you stop procrastinating and improve your planning and organizational skills. Some of them are

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

The Power of Focus: What the World's Greatest Achievers Know about The Secret to Financial Freedom & Success by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

Eat That Frog! : 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

Planning and time management are also soft skills that play a critical role in career development, so it's better to incorporate such techniques early in life.

GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

I think we can all agree "sleepy heads don't work well".

Getting a good night's sleep is extremely important for an individual to stay productive and focused all day long.

Sleep duration required for every individual may vary but most scientific studies conducted on the time a person requires for sleeping aged 16 and above conclude on average at least 8 hours of sleep is necessary for an individual to be more focused throughout the day.

This study shows the average time a teenager requires is 8 to 10 hours, with 7 to 9 hours for adults.

At least 1 hour before going to bed lessen mobile and electronics use that emit blue light, or use blue light filters as it interferes with the natural circadian rhythm of a human being.

How can you have a good night's sleep?

Melatonin is a natural hormone released by our brain (the pineal gland) in response to dark; it is affected by light exposure.

It is also used as a dietary supplement for insomnia, now you may have an idea how important melatonin is for our sleep.

Exposure to light reduces the synthesis of melatonin in our brain which impacts our sleep in a negative role, disrupting our sleep and reducing our productivity throughout the day.

Limiting the use of mobile and computer, electronics that emit light before going to sleep is essential in providing us a good night's sleep

Sleeping can also be disrupted by anxiety and depression which is pretty common in today's life; you can try journaling as writing your thoughts down on a piece of paper helps get rid of stress and reduces depression to an extent.

If you have anxiety and you are under stress it is always better to consult a physician or an expert.

EAT HEALTHILY

As the saying goes "health is wealth", eating and following a diet should always be a priority for us.

Eating healthy helps our brain function properly, stay active and focused all day long.

Bananas are a good snack to quickly consume consisting of antioxidants, essential nutrients, carbs to provide energy plus it contains serotonin which helps elevate our mood.

Eggs on the other hand are full of fuel to kickstart our day containing protein.

Staying focused is important for maximum productivity for this reason we need to keep in check our stomachs. So we don't keep thinking about food when we should focus more on the tasks at hand.

ORGANIZE YOUR WORKSPACE

It is important to organize workspace for studying better and completing tasks

Messy and disorganized workspace creates distractions, cluttered environments discourage productivity

If you want to truly focus on completing the tasks at hand; it is vital to create a clutter-free comfortable environment where you can work for longer periods of time without losing focus.

Organizing the workplace results in better output whereas a messy environment gives off procrastination vibes and makes us lose focus on the task at hand making us uncomfortable resulting in less productivity which is the complete opposite of what we're trying to achieve.

EXERCISE IMPROVES EFFICIENCY

Exercising produces serotonin and endorphins which improve mood and mindset all day long

It also helps us eliminate negative thoughts that may lead to anxiety

Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter, a local hormone in the gut; it is a key hormone that improves our mood and happiness.

Scientific studies show how incorporating a good exercising regimen can help and increase energy levels and reduce anxiety and depression.

This study explains how aerobic exercise helps in reducing chronic stress, anxiety, and depression.

Unfortunately due to the COVID situation most of the world is in lockdown and gyms are shut down, furthermore, the majority of us do not have the luxury of owning heavy gym machinery in our home.

But not to worry as intense exercise is not required for releasing serotonin and endorphins even light exercises can improve mood and focus such as pushups, crunching, squats, and sit-ups.

These exercises can be done in small spaces and impact big on elevating focus and mind.

Plus there are a ton of videos online dedicated to exercising while staying at home and applications that can guide what exercises are good for you to follow.

Personally, I use the 30-day fitness challenge it provides all the functionality required for me to perform better. It is available on both platforms Android and IOS

You can also increase serotonin by taking dietary supplements which can help elevate your mood and reduce stress and depression. Take a look at some of these serotonin supplements

1. 5-HTP 200mg Plus Calcium for Mood, Sleep, Anxiety - Boosts Serotonin Production - 99% High Purity - 120 Capsules - Arazo Nutrition

2. Natrol 5-HTP Time Release Tablets, Promotes a Calm Relaxed Mood, Helps Maintain a Positive Outlook, Enables Production of Serotonin, Drug-Free, Controlled Release, Maximum Strength, 100mg, 45 Count

3. Superior Labs - Pure L-Tryptophan - 500mg, 120 Vegetable Capsules - Non-GMO Dietary Supplement for Restful Sleep & Relaxation - Maintains Serotonin Levels - Helps Improve Circulation

Always consult a doctor or medical expert before taking any medications.

Improved mood can help stay more focused and also increases willpower.

Conclusion

Completing big projects and assignments can easily be tackled if we put in the work.

We now understand how to divide tasks into subtasks using pen and paper or leveraging useful applications and complete them before the deadline; we learned how we can plan tasks efficiently using calendars.

But all the techniques in the world are useless until and unless you yourself are not willing to be disciplined.

We should also focus on improving our time management skills as it is one of the most important soft skills required in career development and personal growth, we should start developing it earlier in our life.

"The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own"

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