No matter how productive you think you are, you can always get better. This is similar to the Japanese concept of ‘Kaizen’ is about finding continuous ways to improve your processes no matter how small or gradual the change is.
Even by seeking 1% improvements constantly, over time, your productivity will skyrocket. In this article, we’ll look at a few productivity hacks that you can easily adopt and use in your life.
1. Plan with Trello
Forget the physical calendars and planners. With an online app like Trello (https://trello.com/), you’ll be able to stay organized much more easily and also collaborate with others.
While it does have a monthly fee, the price is affordable and the app more than pays for itself. There’s also a free option that is useful, but has less advanced features.
Once you start using Trello, you’ll never look back.
2. Give yourself some background noise
Some people dislike working in quiet environments. This is one reason why many writers and online marketers like working from cafes, etc.
The problem here is that the constant movement of people in your surroundings can be distracting. Let’s not even talk about the need to buy overpriced coffee just to sit at the café and work.
You can bypass all these issues by using the Coffitivity app to play background noise at home (https://coffitivity.com/).
Now, you have background noise in the comfort of your home without having to endure the bustle of an online café, which is distracting to say the least.
There are a few free background tracks, but you also have the option to pay for other background soundtrack. Who would’ve thought that one would pay for background noise… and here we have a site making money from it. Amazing.
3. LastPass is fantastic!
Another productivity killer is having to search for passwords that you can’t remember. Instead of writing them down on scraps of paper which you might misplace, you’d be better off using a tool like LastPass (https://www.lastpass.com/)
Not only is it free, but it’s highly secure and will remember all your passwords for you. All you need to do is remember one master password to access LastPass.
Check out the app and use it. It’s a timesaver.
4. Pomodoro timer with fitness breaks
Pomodoro timers have work sprints followed by a beep to signal a break. So, you could set it to 30 minutes of solid focused work, followed by a 5 or 10 minute break. Whenever you hear the beep for a break, you’ll want to get off the chair and move around.
Do a few quick stretches. A few push-ups or bodyweight squats will also help to get your blood circulation going.
Use this break to get a bit of movement. Do not use it to scroll on social media or answer emails. These breaks are to give your mind and eyes a brief pause from the mental toll of focused work.
5. Brain dump
A brain dump is an activity where you write down EVERYTHING that you need to do. Get it all out of your head, no matter how trivial the task seems. You don’t want mental clutter.
Once it’s all on paper, you can prioritize the tasks and check them off one by one. No longer will you constantly be thinking of the never-ending tasks floating around in your head. It’s all on paper now… and you can clear them ASAP.
6. Turn off your internet
If you keep frittering hours away on social media, just turn off your internet when you’re working. This may seem simple, and yet, so few people use this hack.
If you need the internet for your work, then use an extension like LeechBlock (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/leechblock-ng/blaaajhemilngeeffpbfkdjjoefldkok) to block these sites when you’re working.
7. Track your time
Do you ever wonder where your time is going? It seems to be flying but you’re not getting much work done. You may wish to use an app like Rescue Time (https://www.rescuetime.com/) to monitor where your time is going.
These 7 productivity hacks will help most people reclaim their day and focus their attention on the work that matters. Several of the apps mentioned above will simplify your life and streamline your work processes so that you’re productive from the get-go. Do try them out and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much more you get done.