We all have our moments where we don’t feel like doing anything. In short, the lazy days. Especially now that it feels like the time has slowed down because almost all of us are stuck inside our homes. Time feels more forgiving. Suddenly, it feels like we have control over the whole 24 hours in our days.
With that in mind on most days, we sometimes don’t notice that there are things that we are already taking for granted. Things that we should be focusing on. Things that we should be prioritizing. In the end, when we finally realized it, it would be too late, time would be so constricted and we will just end up cramming.
Our productivity is essential. In everything that we do — working in the office or working at home. It can be hard to juggle everything when we working from home, especially when there’s a lot of other things to do, and of course, distractions. However, there are ways to combat procrastination and loss of motivation to be productive.
Here are some of the tips that you might want to try to have a productive day.
Be aware that you are procrastinating
You have to be aware and accept that your days are not being productive. This is one of the ways out of procrastination. Once you recognized that you are already taking for granted the important tasks that you need to do, this will help you to start doing something about it.
Sometimes, what makes us lose our motivation even more, is when we don’t acknowledge the fact that we are no longer productive. We’re in the denial stage which leads us to become more lazy and unproductive — little did we know, all the tasks are just already piling up.
This is the reason why it is important to accept it and forgive yourself for procrastinating. Once you accepted it, you will automatically go to the solution to your problems. It will help you find the cause of your procrastination, and once you do, it will be a lot easier to fix it.
Start moving
You have to be aware and accept that your days are not being productive. This is one of the ways out of procrastination. Once you recognized that you are already taking for granted the important tasks that you need to do, you will be more motivated to start doing something about it.
Start with simple tasks. By doing this, your body will be woken up and you will have the motivation to start all of the things that you need to do. Once you started moving, it will all follow. Little by little, you will start doing all the things that you need to do.
Create a plan
If you still don’t know what to do to stop your procrastination, you can start by creating a plan. It is a small and simple task, but this will help you to start doing something. Personally, I love making lists because it makes me feel in control and organized about all the things that I need to do.
There are several ways to do it, you can have an actual notebook with you or a planner. But if you are not a fan of writing, you can just use the note app on your mobile phones. By doing a list, you are making the tasks tangible which helps you become motivated in getting them done. It will also helpful for you to figure out which task needs to be prioritized.
Do not overthink it. Just write every task that you could think of. You don’t have to list them down in accordance with their importance, just write them down — whether it is a simple and small task, a house chore, an errand, or an actual work, put them on your list. By the time you have everything written down, that’s the time that you can arrange them according to the ones that need to be on top of your task list.
Prioritize the most important tasks
In prioritizing tasks, find out which one needs the most attention. May it be a task that has a deadline, an errand that needs to be done soon, or a house chore that you were supposed to do days before but you chose to procrastinate. Work does not have to be the first on your list always, especially if they are not really that urgent.
Learn to prioritize smartly. Do not take other things for granted just because you feel like they are not that important. This is also one of the reasons why we are losing motivation, sometimes we tend to overwork ourselves and forget about other things. Learn to weigh down all the things that you need to do.
Blast some songs
I personally love listening to music. I feel like it boosts my energy which makes me more productive. Find songs that would suit your mood — whether it’s an upbeat song for doing house chores or classical songs that would help you concentrate on other tasks.
There are several great playlists on Spotify like Mood Booster, Good Times, and Happy Hits playlists — I like blasting them while doing house chores. And sometimes when I feel like listening to my favorite songs, I put on my own playlists. On the other hand, if you need some relaxing music or something that would make you focus on your work or an important task, you can put on some classical music. There are several studies and researches done that classical music help with concentration and focus.
Take breaks
Do not overwork yourself. Overworking can lead to a loss of motivation and burnout. Once you feel that you are already exhausted and losing focus, take a moment to relax. It’s okay to take breaks in between. Breaks would help you start fresh.
You can try the Pomodoro Technique. This is a technique made by Francisco Cirillo back when he was still in college. To do this, you have to set up a specific time frame, like for example 20 minutes of focusing your attention on doing your task only. After that time frame, you will set a short time for a break, like for example a 5 or 10 minutes break. You can do whatever you want to do within that break time — talk to your friends or family, browse on your social media feeds, anything. Then, once the short break is over, you will then repeat the process.
This is believed to be really helpful because it avoids burnout and exhaustion. The breaks that you are taking are beneficial because it’s like you are always starting off fresh.
Find joy in everything that you are doing
The most important tip is this, find joy in all of the things that you are currently doing. Joy is important because it will reflect in the outcome of your projects and tasks. When there’s joy, the product is more fulfilling and beautiful.
Joy makes a difference in everything. In addition to this, when you are happy with what you are doing, you are less likely to get easily exhausted. No matter how tiring the task is, if you are enjoying it, exhaustion will be nothing.
