In this day and age, we are constant targets for breaking news, marketing campaigns, and hot entertainment trends. This overstimulation has made it more challenging than ever to stay focused and productive on a daily basis. Here’s how to boost your clarity and performance at work through everyday lifestyle changes.
Plan the night before
What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed each night? One of the ways to increase your productivity is to write a to-do list. That way, when you get up the next day, you will know exactly what you have to do. This simple lifestyle change means that you can hit the ground running first thing in the morning, rather than scrambling around trying to figure out what to do.
Keep your lunch light
Try your best not to over indulge during lunchtime. Energy is required to digest food and if there is a lot of food to digest, you can become sleepy and lacking in concentration whilst your body is working hard on this task. Aim to eat a moderately sized meal containing complex carbohydrates, protein, and plenty of different coloured vegetables/salad. Also include a portion of good fats such as oily fish, nuts, seeds and eggs. The combination of these nutrients will provide enough slow releasing energy to keep your body functioning for optimum productivity. If you eat right at lunch, you’ll find you will then return to work alert, focused and ready for any challenges the afternoon may bring.
Use the power of optimism
Train your brain to be more optimistic about overwhelming tasks you’re avoiding by breaking them down and boosting confidence in your ability to actually complete them. As you complete each sub-task you’ve created, celebrate your progress. Experts say acknowledging progress is one of the most powerful ways to inspire motivation, and focusing on progress instead of dwelling on setbacks is the perfect way to keep optimism alive through a project’s completion.
Stay hydrated
Water is vital for all forms of life. Just as a plant will wilt without water, our bodies’ systems require plenty of water to perform at their optimum level. If you want to stay mentally and physically alert throughout the day keep a large reusable water bottle on your desk and sip from it as you work. In all, you should aim to consume approximately 2 litres each day.
Treat yourself to motivate yourself
While most of us may do this naturally, it’s a very effective way of managing your habits and productivity. When you incorporate rewards into your productivity system it helps train your brain to focus on goal-oriented tasks by tapping into your emotions. The reward you give yourself after completing something on your to-do list makes you feel good. Simply put, people who are happy or feel good are more productive than those that don’t.
Exercise and energise
Exercise is vital to keeping your body healthy. It increases fitness and stamina levels keeping your body strong and in good working order. Moderate daily exercise releases endorphins (a feel good chemical in your brain) which improves mental health and makes you more likely to engage in and enjoy your work. Regular exercise is also linked to higher self-esteem, better sleep and less stress. If you are desk bound and struggle to find time for exercise, try a few simple things such as parking your car further from your office or getting off the bus a stop earlier to walk the extra distance. Use stairs, instead of lifts, and stand to make phone calls.
Ready to supercharge your productivity and get more done each day? These small and simple lifestyle changes could be the answer you’ve been looking for. Give each of them a whirl and see whether they make an impact on how much you get done. You’ve got this!
