How To Increase Productivity – 7 Tips

How To Increase Productivity – 7 Tips

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Today I’m sharing another post from my friends over at MadeByHemp. Since it’s Monday and the start of a brand new week, what better way to start than to share some tips of how you can increase productivity? No it’s not about recipes, but you will learn how you can use food, drink and some other tips to help increase your productivity today and every day.

This article originally appeared on MadeByHemp.com

We’ve all had those days when we feel like we are not accomplishing anything no matter how hard we work. Looming deadlines, increasing workloads, multitasking, and stress could all disrupt our productivity. The motto “work smarter, not harder” is renowned in today’s workforce, and there is actually great merit in this statement. Sometimes, when we wear too many hats, take on too much work, instead of becoming more productive, our productivity actually decreases. So, how can we increase our productivity?

1. Have a healthy breakfast… or skip it!

There is some confusion about whether to eat breakfast or to skip it. There are studies showing that skipping the most important meal of the day may provide some benefit for brain functions. Intermittent fasting (often entails skipping breakfast) has been gaining popularity lately, and there are scientific studies to back up its effectiveness. However, if you want to give intermittent fasting a try, it is best to first ask your doctor or a nutritionist for guidance. For anything to work, one has to have the know-how and the right motivation. On the other hand, if you are a huge fan of breakfast and could not possibly start a day without it, by all means, eat! Fuel your body with the right food. Make healthy choices.

2. Take that coffee break

Though it might be tempting to just keep plugging away at work and skip your breaks in order to meet your deadlines, it would not be a very good idea. You need to relax and take a breather. This will give your brain a much-needed break and you a chance to walk around and enjoy a nice cup of joe, maybe even socialize with your other harried co-workers.


3. CBD Oil

Adderall has been making the rounds around colleges and even workplaces. However, if you prefer a more natural approach to boost your concentration and productivity, why not give CBD oil a try. It has been known to increase alertness, help calm nerves, and boost your mood. So when you find yourself stressed with your head all over the place, why not try popping a CBD gummy, a flavored tincture, or even straight up CBD oil to help ease your stress and calm your nerves. Unlike its addictive cousin, THC, CBD will not get you high.

4. Don’t multitask

The human brain is not built for multitasking and trying to do it has been proven to cause loss of productivity. Doing too many things at once will take away the concentration necessary to do the crucial things that need doing. Trying to do several things at once will make your work prone to errors and cost you time that you were trying to save by multitasking in the first place. Do one thing at a time before moving on to the next task. This way you can ensure each task is properly accomplished. Try doing the tasks that take the least amount of time to accomplish first before moving on to more difficult items. This will get these tasks out of the way and allow you to focus on the more complicated ones.


5. Take exercise breaks

Isn’t it ironic that a post about being productive is talking about breaks a lot? That’s because taking breaks in between tasks is a good way to reset your brain and prepare it for new tasks ahead. Exercising will send a rush of much-needed oxygen to your brain and will help loosen your muscles that might have tensed up from getting the previous task done. Taking a brief walk, or a short stretch will allow your brain to stop thinking about work and “breathe.” This will help bring your focus back to where it is supposed to be – your looming tasks.

6. Use tools

Using online tools or apps to track your work and tasks for the day is one easy way of getting your day organized. When you have your day organized, you won’t need to spend extra time trying to remember what to do next; you would already have it laid out for you. Most of these tools are free and can be linked to your personal or work email. Just make sure that the apps abide by your company’s rules and risk profile.

7. Say no to meetings

Meetings take time, and a lot of the time, these meetings are not even really necessary. If you have a lot of work to do, and someone schedules a meeting, try to find out if your presence is necessary. Another option is to find out if agenda items on the agenda could be better addressed via email. You only get so many hours in a day after all, it’s best to spend them being productive.

So what do you do to increase productivity? Share with us in the comments!




8 thoughts on “How To Increase Productivity – 7 Tips”

  • This is really good info. I’m one of those people who will skip breakfast and breaks to get work done and then be miserable later on. I never realized3 how much we need these things in our life in order to function sanely. I’m okay with not having breakfast because I do intermittent fasting, but I really do need to start taking a break and giving myself time to breath and regroup. Thanks so much for sharing this detailed post, it was something I needed to read.

    • Hey Jay,

      Glad you found it useful. Yep, definitely take the time to give yourself a break and eat clean, wholesome meals.

      Cheers,
      Dawn

  • Great tips! I struggle with productivity constantly. The temptation to procrastinate is just too big sometimes. At work I’ve noticed that getting interrupted by phone calls and colleagues is the most distracting part but at home I think it’s YouTube :D. I actually already use most of the tips on your list. I intermittent fast by skipping breakfast, I take my coffee breaks, use cbd sometimes (weirdly small amount of thc makes me super focused, it’s just illegal here), I do some exercise during the workday and try to say no to meetings. My biggest struggle is to find the mental energy to focus on my online business after a long day at work. I’ve found out sleeping is key but take a guess how well I sleep after sitting on the computer for 16 hours…

    • Hey Jukka,

      CBD oil is illegal where you are? That’s strange considering there is no psycho-reactive effect from CBD. As a matter of fact it can help you to focus on your online business after a long day at work. Just give yourself some “me-time” and you can maintain good productivity.

      Cheers,
      Dawn

  • Hi there, very interesting post. I have to agree with you that there is so many confusion about breakfast. I like the way to describe a full healthy day! I always heard in the business world you have to be able to do multitask, I can see based on your research that it is not the case. Thank you so much for these valuable information!

    • Hi Carole,

      Glad you liked it! About breakfast, eat it if you want and don’t if you don’t! I too was a multi-tasker but it ultimately wasn’t a good thing. Now I follow these tips and I’ve definitely increased my productivity as a result.

      Cheers,
      Dawn

  • Awesome post Dawn, thank you for sharing! I definitely agree with everything on this list. Here in the UK CBD oil is slowly rising in popularity, and to see it in the workplace and in daily life would be great! I especially liked your point about exercise, and every day that I am at college I will go for walks during my breaks! Today I walked 10km alone (including the journey home, though), and I always feel sharper after exercise – even light exercise!
    Thanks for sharing this,

    James

    • Hi James,

      Thanks for your kind words. Yes indeed, any bit of exercise makes us feel better. The challenge for many is in starting! Once started, exercise will always pay you back with an endorphin boost as well as toned muscles! I hope that CBD becomes more common in the UK, it really is a miraculous substance.

      Cheers,

      Dawn

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