I like to think of myself as productively lazy. My brain is constantly on the go – thinking of jobs I need to start, orders I need to complete and new ideas for the shop and website. Yet there’s nothing that I love more than sitting on my laptop, slobs on and brew in hand.
We all wish that we were more productive. I envy those who can make the effort to look immaculate in the morning or turn up to work with a homemade mason jar salad everyday. It is possible though!
By using the following tips, you can turn the most dreaded tasks into the simplest job. Consider this your lazy girl’s guide to being a highly productive woman!
GET UP EARLY – JUST FIFTEEN MINUTES!
Resisting temptation to snooze the alarm is hard but getting up just 15 minutes earlier than usual can prepare you for the day ahead. What do you wish you had extra time for in the morning? Breakfast? Exercise? Reading?
Getting out of bed just that little bit earlier can help you to knock one thing off your list before your day has barely began. If the temptation is just too much put your phone or alarm in the next room so that you physically have to get out of bed to turn it off. Now just resist the urge to get back into bed!
PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE
You’ve heard it a thousand times already but preparing for your day the night before really does make a difference! How many times have you ran around the house in the morning looking for your work trousers to find they’re still in the wash? Nightmare, right!?
Take just half an hour in the evening to prepare for tomorrow. Set your clothes out, pack your lunch and review your to-do list. Being prepared will put you in the right mindset for the day ahead so that you can focus on the important things. Feeling particularly productive? Try to get into the habit of planning your whole week every week!
Related: Master the Perfect Morning and Evening Routine to be Super Productive
WORKOUT IN THE MORNING
After a long day, the last thing that I want to do is drag myself to the gym and sweat over a treadmill. Rather than spending the entire day dreading the gym, you might as well get it over and done with.
Exercising early gets your endorphins going so that you’re ready to tackle the day ahead. Even if you don’t end up doing anything for the rest of the day, at least you got out of bed to make it to the gym!
COMPLETE FIVE THING ON YOUR TO-DO LIST
Just five things! It’s not that difficult! What do you want to accomplish today? It can be something as simple as buying a birthday card or calling a family member. The aim is to just cross five tasks off that list.
When preparing for the day the night before, think about what deadlines you have or tasks you need to complete. Try to include two small errands, two medium and one big one. If you’re not feeling quite productive yet then you can start with the small jobs and save the big one until later.
Related: Use Your To-Do List To Be More Productive
SET A TIMER
If you struggle to stay motivated then trying working in short bursts instead. You’re more likely to be productive if you plan several 20 minutes bursts of work compared to working two hours straight. Set a timer and aim to work on a task for 20 minutes before having a 5 minute break and starting again.
Not feeling it at all? That’s fine! We all have those days. Set a timer to work for 20 minutes and that’s all. 20 minutes of hard work is better than nothing at all. You can try again tomorrow!
DO WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU!
I love using planners and calendars to keep me organized but if it doesn’t work for you then there is no point in wasting your time. If you’d rather add reminders on your phone then that’s fine. Maybe you’d prefer to use e-mail appointments instead. As long as you’re working towards something to accomplish by the end of the day then you’re doing good.
It’s important not to compare yourself to anyone else. Just because someone is super organized and productive it doesn’t mean that you can’t be too. It’s just finding the best way to do it that works for you!
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I would definitely try them out to be more productive. Thanks for sharing.