All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. There are days when we are too much of the 'playful Jack' and there are days when we are over-productive Jack'. Which one is better you ask? Neither. Over productivity is as ghastly as procrastination is and the saddest part is that we don't even take much of the time to think on it.
So, the question is about balance, it is: how to be productive every day? The trick to productivity is knowing how t work. It is about working smart, not just working hard - that's the secret that the overachievers don't tell us. In this article, I am going to share tips on how to significantly boost your productivity by over 100%.
The strategy about which this article is going to be about is known as the Pomodoro Technique. It is a productivity enhancing exercise that you can incorporate in any area of your work or student life. What are the prerequisites to this strategy? Just the willingness to work smart. You're ready? Let's go
How to be Productive using POMODORO Technique
1. Make a minimal to-do list for the day
As soon as you wake up, grab your planner and start making a to-do list for the day. Your to-do list should be as minimal as possible with only high priority tasks written in it. As you write your to-do tasks for the day, also analyze the expected time required to finish each task.
The keyword is to only list the tasks with high priority. Be very sure to have a diary/planner with you (as it is also going to be needed in the further steps).
2. Pick a task and set the timer to 25 minutes
Now, the Pomodoro technique focuses on making the most of your time. Often we find ourselves delaying the tasks which would take hardly an hour or half to finish. This step would require you to allocate exactly 25 minutes to only 1 task from your To-Do list.
Multi-tasking is not allowed.
There's a popular myth about multi tasking that it enhances productivity. This is untrue because multi-tasking divides your concentration into multiple parts ensuring you are unable to do any of your tasks efficiently.
3. Get to work
You have almost half an hour to dedicate to one of the priority tasks of the day. Head straight to your desk and focus for the entire 25 minutes. Remember, no distractions are allowed during this time.Be sure to keep everything related to your work on your desk. You have to devote the entire 25 minutes to only one task. Always remember to start with a high priority task first.
4. Stop when the timer rings
It doesn't matter if you have not finished and felt super productive. Trust me, it is better to stop right after the alarm (timer) rings. Save your work and get up to pick up the next task.
Fun Fact: The human mind, is on the average, only capable of concentrating for a maximum of 25 minutes. Once you have devoted the time to your task, it is time to take a little rest.
5. Write down "Pomodoro #1" in your planner:
Pomodoro #n represents the number of Pomodoro (tasks) that you have been able to accomplish. Make sure that you follow this step as it brings you some motivation to keep going forward.
6. Take a 5 - 10 minutes break.
Congratulations, you are done with one Pomodoro task and you need to celebrate (just a little). You can absolutely decide what to do in these 5-10 minutes.
Now, let's move forward. But...wait up!
Make sure that you stick to the time set aside for break time. Don't exceed the time limit. Once the break is over, get your planner and pick the next high priority task on it.
7. Repeat the procedure until you reach the 4th Pomodoro
4th Pomodoro is actually a good milestone. It signifies that you have been productive for about 2-2.5 hours and it is time to take a long break. After you write the 4th Pomodoro it is time to take a 25 TO 30-minute break.
Again, you can do absolutely anything you wish to do with the time, just do not exceed it.
8. Repeat the loop till tasks are done
Self-explanatory, right!
Hope that you have a super productive day after following each one of these steps. Remember, do not skip any of the above-mentioned steps
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