Work that is done with your complete attention will produce the best results. However, many of us struggle with starting or maintaining a sustaining a work environment. The 6 productivity strategies that will be introduced in this article will put you in a position of success in any field.
Delete Social Media
Self control is one of the greatest assets to long term success. However, it is also one of the hardest to cultivate. There is a Freudian theory of ego depletion, which postulated that we have a “reservoir” of self control that we use up every time we practice abstinence. When we finally deplete this reservoir, we find it impossible to resist temptation. Social media is inherently designed to feed on our time. The more we use it, the more effort it takes to resist the urge to use it.
But how does this relate to our motivation? While we are on a mission to complete a task, we often experience a lot of variables that try and block our path. To overcome procrastination we must use our limited willpower sparingly and cannot afford to be distracted by social media platforms.
It is also important to remember that the lives of those we see on our screen in but a small part of who they are. It might not even be their reality. However, with the enormous amount of content viewed daily, it is easy to forget this fact and view yourself negatively. When building motivation, it is crucial to believe in your ability to overcome obstacles. Without this self efficacy, your dreams of achieving a goal does not actualize.
Start journaling
One method by which there is countless benefits, including ones to motivation, is journaling. The advantage of journaling presents itself in its consistency. While thinking thoughts in your head is often a good idea, it does not present itself to be viable option in the long term. It is hard for our mind to place ideas into our long term memory. Moreover, our short term memory cannot hold much information at a time. On the other hand, when we write down our thoughts on paper, it feels more solidified. We begin to really pay attention to the details without glossing over them.
While engaging in this activity, we find the things that truly move and push us forth to excel in our tasks. Finding this reason to succeed is the best way to motivate ourselves and its effects are long lasting.
There are many ways to journal and it is best to find a style you are comfortable with. For example you could start with a simple bulleted list at the end of each day that describes your accomplishments, mood, goals or whatever pleases you. You could also evolve this and write such a list at the start and end of each day, allowing you to see how you progressed throughout the day. Other styles of journaling include the use of prompts. These are a set of questions you answer during journaling session and it is useful because it gives you a structure to follow. An example of a question could be “What is the 1 thing you must accomplish by the end of this month?”
Whatever your chosen method is, seeing your thoughts on paper can allow you to look back on the past in an objective manner. Seeing the obstacles you overcame to reach your current level is a powerful motivator to continue performing your best.
Make a calendar
By making it clear the tasks you need to complete, you go into each day with a renewed sense of purpose. This is related to the idea of journaling, without solid goals in front of you, it is hard to keep focus.
It is incredibly easy to make a calendar, especially in out digital age. Apps like google calendar can allow you to seamlessly share information between all your devices.
To start by listing out the fixed parts of your life. This might include lectures, appointments, or even sleep times. Then every morning, list out all the events that you need to accomplish that day. If you are a bit more far-sighted, you could even plan out a whole week in advance. Whatever the case may be, the most important rule is to adhere to the schedule. Try to keep the schedule as much as fixed as possible. Completing each task, increases your motivation to do the same for the next one.
Set intermediate goals and reward Yourself
While we often want to keep working for weeks and months on end, this style of work is not sustainable for most people. To keep your motivation strong and clear it is best to set intermediate goals along your path. These intermediate goals should be important milestones in your path to a major goal. Make sure that the reward is not something that you often get to enjoy, but do not make it too extravagant. Some examples may include a particularly good meal, going out for a movie, or catching a new movie. It is not reasonable to assume that every single person is cut out for long hours of grueling work, repeated over a long period of time. Taking a break, in fact, will probably make you more motivated as you look forward to the next such chance.
Keep your workspace orderly
One of the easiest ways to gain motivation to do your work is to keep a clean and organized workspace. This sort of environment makes you want to work. There is nothing worse than finally deciding on doing your work only to be disgusted by the sight of your workspace. It is best to take some time to really organize your space and then do regular cleanups after each work session to ensure long term cleanliness. This sort of approach saves you a lot of time and energy in the long run.
Goal setting
The goals you set has a direct impact on your motivation. But how do you choose a goal? There are three main criteria a potential goal needs to pass: personal, scalable, and realistic. The personal aspect is the most important. The goal you strive towards must mean something to you if you are to motivate yourself to accomplish it. If your interest do not align with the path of your goal, it is obvious that you will not find the motivation to complete your task. Second, your goal should be scalable. If you find yourself accomplishing what you set our to do, and you cannot see a future past this goal, it will be hard for you to find a purpose in achieving your goals. Finally, it is important to be realistic about your goals. You must currently be in a position that can realistically be able to put in the time and energy needed to accomplish the goal. Otherwise, your motivation to complete the tasks becomes too distant of a reality and you will begin to doubt your abilities. However, this does not mean that you should not aim to achieve distant goals. The solution to this dilemma ties in to the second criteria. Start off with a smaller, more scalable goal that can put you in a position of success in the long run. Get a clear sense of your current predicament and take thoughtful actions.
I used you advise to study for my exams and I see an improvement! Thanks a lot keep up