And, it’s not like you don’t want to get the work done, is it?<\/p>\n
Once you end up in this productive slump, it feels almost impossible to get out of it. Your to do list keeps growing, while your attention takes a vacation.<\/p>\n
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But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, once you know how, you can break this slump in no time at all.<\/p>\n
Here’s 40 ways to break your productive slump in under five minutes: <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n #1: Drink a pint of water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #2: Create a \u2018break\u2019 schedule. Try Pomodoro or 50\/10, to keep your focus steady throughout the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #3: Apply David Allen\u2019s <\/a>2 Minute Rule<\/a> <\/em>and find a small chunk of your task that only takes 2 minutes.<\/p>\n Like:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #4: Turn off your phone\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #5: Or, at least turn off the alerts and put it on silent. If you\u2019ve got a Samsung, switch off the notification light at the top of your phone, too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n #6: Exercise in the morning for better focus. Richard Branson said<\/a> this gave him eight hours more focus<\/strong> than if he didn\u2019t exercise. Try doing:<\/p>\n For two or three circuits before your morning shower. It might not be much, but it\u2019ll give you a nice boost to carry you through the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #7: Set specific times to check your email. And, make sure it\u2019s no more than three times<\/a><\/strong> per day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #8: Listen to an Audiobook or Podcast on your morning commute. Taking in new information now can make you more creative. And, help get you into a working mind set before you even get into the office.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #9: Automate your easy decisions, like:<\/p>\n So you spend fewer attention points and save them for the important tasks for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #10: Say \u201cNo!\u201d to the next extra-task that comes to you. You already have enough<\/em> to be working on, don\u2019t you?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #11: Make a note of how focused you feel every 30 to 60 minutes and make a spreadsheet of it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #12: Look back on the last hour and ask yourself, \u201cWhat have I achieved?\u201d. Then, see if you can improve on it in the next hour. This is a great hack to keep yourself in check.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #13: Take a shower. The raise in body temperature will improve your productivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n #14: Make yourself accountable to someone who\u2019s not your manager and will be honest with you. Even if it\u2019s just a quick text to a friend.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #15: Give yourself a bedtime, and stick to it. Disrupted sleep has the same impact on you as a hangover<\/a>, without the great stories to tell.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #16: Set tighter deadlines. Parkinson\u2019s Law<\/a> states that the time you give yourself to complete a task is the time it will take. So, tighten your deadlines and limit your distractions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #17: Create a quick week plan on a Sunday evening to reduce Monday morning stress.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #18: Turn off the news. Not only does it distract you, it causes you to worry and over think issues that could wait for a later date. Larry Kim wrote a great article about it, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #19: Schedule an \u2018Airplane Day\u2019 like Bryan Hassin<\/a> does once or twice a week. No phone, no connections, no interruptions. Act like you\u2019re stuck in your seat at 30,000 feet with no outside contact. Miniature drinks are optional.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #20: Eat The Frog, by putting the worst <\/em>task first on your schedule or to-do list. Once you get it out of the way, the rest of the day feels like a breeze.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #21: Downgrade your Facebook friends to acquaintances. That way you only see the highlights<\/strong> of their updates instead of \u201cHey, look what I ate for lunch\u2026again”.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #22: If you\u2019re not \u201cF@!k yeah!\u201d about it, it\u2019s a no<\/a>. Don\u2019t waste your time on it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #23: Outsource any jobs or tasks that are sticking points \u2013 or you\u2019re just bad at \u2013 on a website like Upwork<\/a> or Fiverr<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #24: Write your three most important tasks on a post it note.<\/strong> Don\u2019t do any others until they\u2019re all complete.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #25: Go for a walk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n #26: Change your workstation. As my Grandmother used to say, \u201cA change is as good as rest\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #27: Install Rescue Time<\/a> and keep track of how productive you\u2019re actually being.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #28: Learn a lazy<\/em> cheat code to complete your tasks quicker. Because it\u2019s better to finish your task early and do fun stuff.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For example, I learned the 3-second shirt fold<\/a>. Ironing and folding clothes is my least favourite<\/em> activity in the history of the world. Ever. And it made more time for fun.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #29: Put an inspirational sign somewhere in your office to keep you on track. The more relevant to your goals it is, the better.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #30: Eat something high in protein, like Beef Jerky.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #31: Or, something leafy and green. For me, I find a Greens Smoothie with a little fruit and a peanut butter is magical for productivity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #32: Steal the \u2018No meeting Wednesdays\u2019 idea from Facebook. Commit to having one whole day a week where no meetings take place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #33: Map out your daily\/weekly tasks on Trello<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #34: Trust the workers around you and delegate the tasks that don\u2019t need your input to someone else.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #35: Find somewhere quiet and a do a quick five-minute meditation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #36: Make all your emails and messages five sentences or less. Say what you need to, cut the fluff and burn through more emails in less time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #37: Set your Thermostat to 70-70 degrees Fahrenheit (or 21-22 degrees Celsius) for the optimal productivity temperature<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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