We all want to feel accomplished throughout the day. Isn’t it so gratifying to cross things off as they get done?
It’s like a mini morale booster to keep you going. The reality is, that sometimes you get stuck in a rut.
I’ve found that it hits me hardest after time off ironically.
I come back recharged and ready to go but the email is flooded and my beautifully time blocked calendar gets neglected.
Have you ever been there? Most people would call it a typical Monday.
Productivity baby steps
Those are the days when you take, what I like to call, productivity baby steps.
On days like that you need to find simple ways to add a productivity practice into your day to keep the working mama vibe alive.
The thing is, on an overwhelming day you may not know where to start when it comes to being productive.
As a result you know what happens. Yep, you don’t even start. You figure, hey it’s Monday it’ll be here all week and I’ll get to it eventually.
Be aware of your mindset
I totally get not wanting to get stressed out, but the problem with no action in that scenario means you’re adapting to a busy and overwhelmed mindset. Ouch! I know, tough to hear but it’s true.
Ya gotta sneak into the day and switch it up!
Remix it with some productivity hacks and surprise yourself because life does not have to be this way.
You’re not the only mama reading these daily productivity tips and I created this post because I’ve been there.
Heck, I’m still there some days but they are much farther apart. We all have our days where it seems like we did so much and nothing got accomplished.
If you ever struggle with that (don’t we all?!), then check out this post on how to find your accomplishments in every single day.
The hardest part is starting
Yep, the hardest part is starting. I am about to give you a list of 12 things you can do to give yourself small victories along the way when you feel stuck.
Productivity is not a one size fits all approach so there’s quite a few options here.
You have to make it work for you and I know you will.
As always, if you have any questions just leave a comment or send me an email. I respond to each one.
12 Hacks for daily productivity
1. Brain dump
Empty your head space of the thoughts and to do list.
2. Declutter your work space
Clean up your environment to make it conducive to productivity.
3. Exercise
Use this serotonin booster to get blood flowing and flush out stress.
4. Eliminate distractions
Set some boundaries around your time and get laser focused.
5. Single task
Do one thing at a time and see it through to completion.
6. Time block
Set aside a documented amount of time for at least two tasks.
7. Set a timer
Give yourself a set amount of time to get something on your list done and commit.
8. Batch work
Categorize your duties and focus on completing one category at a time.
9. Delegate
Share the responsibility of a task either in part or full with someone else.
10. Take breaks
Take a 15 minute break every 45 minutes to recharge.
11. Accountability appointment
Set a certain time to meet with someone for a few minutes to check in and let them know what you are going to complete and when and then follow up once complete.
12. Pat yourself on the back
Give yourself grace and tell yourself you are doing a great job. Appreciate where you are now and encourage yourself to stay focused.
Make productivity a habit
If you practice these hacks consistently it will become a habit.
Pro tip: whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed always do a quick brain dump and go from there.
Productivity challenge
Choose one thing from the list and add it to your day for one week.
You have to get into the mindset of time. Time is relative and you have plenty of it. It’s not about the amount of time but how you work with what you have.
Can you start thinking of time in this way? Give it a try this week while adding the item you chose from the list. Let me know how it goes!
Once you see that you can add a productivity hack to your week every single day you start to see the benefits.
That means you start to feel the benefits too which is going to lead to you taking more productive action.
When you’re more productive you will feel more energized and have more mental and emotional space for the moments and experiences that matter most to you.
In other words, it’s one of the many avenues to work life balance as it really starts to talk hold.
Bonus productivity mindset challenge
I want to leave you with a series of questions to ask yourself when you feel like overwhelm is creeping in.
You know when you find yourself saying something like “This was not a productive day. I didn’t get anything done”. Okay, so here we go.
- Was anything accomplished?
- Are you meeting any of your work expectations?
- Are you giving yourself grace and steadily working towards the bigger picture?
- Did you somehow make the next work day better?
- Did you make someone else’s day better?
- Do you have an action plan to improve tomorrow if you are unhappy with today’s result?
Consider those thoughts as you adopt a new mindset shift to seeing productivity in each day.
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