by Caryl Teh
Welcome to Part 2 of “Productivity Strategies” where we’ll be sharing another 3 methods to add to your productivity arsenal. Ready? Let’s begin!
5. Zen To Done: For Productivity Habits You’ll Stick To
Zen To Done (ZTD) is part of the Getting Things Done (GTD) system created by Leo Babauta. Here’s how it works: choose 1 of 10 habits, stick to it for 30 days, then move to the next habit.
Here are the 10 habits you’ll be tackling:
(1) Collect: The moment you think of an idea or unfinished task, get it on paper. Don’t trust your brain to remember it because in all likelihood, you’ll forget.
(2) Process: Make decisions and answer emails quickly so that it doesn’t pile up. You can procrastinate later.
(3) Plan: Write down your biggest must-dos for the week, schedule them out, and do them first every day.
(4) Do: Focus on one task at a time. Put your phone on silent and don’t check emails or change the task you’re doing until a set time or you finish the task.
(5) Simple Trusted System (ie. to-do lists): Keep simple lists, check tasks off as you go, and stick to your daily lists.
(6) Organise: Declutter and organise your space, your inbox, and your mind. That means dealing with action items as they arise and deleting anything you don’t need anymore.
(7) Review: Do a weekly review of your goals and progress. Adjusting your productivity strategies and objectives accordingly.
(8) Simplify: Reduce your tasks and goals down to the bare essentials and focus on them.
(9) Routine: Set and stick to a daily routine that consists of not just focus time, but also time to recharge.
(10) Passion: If you can, choose work that you’re passionate about or love, and notice how little you procrastinate (and how happy you are).
6. Visualise Your Daily Wins and Don’t Break the Chain!
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld made it his goal to write one joke a day. The joke didn’t even have to be funny, and he sometimes spent as little as five minutes a day on his craft. But that was his goal, plain and simple: to work on what he loved at least a little bit every day.
Pick one thing you want to work on every day. Next, you’ll need a calendar and a bright red marker. Once you’ve done the thing, reward yourself with a nice big red ‘X’ on that day on the calendar. Challenge yourself not to break your streak!
In short, pick one thing that is related to your craft, however small. Work on it a little every day and mark that day off.
7. The Commitment Inventory: For People Who Just Can’t Say No
If you’re a yes person and end up over-committing, the Mark Forster’s Commitment Inventory might prove very helpful for you. Here are the 6 steps to making a Commitment Inventory.
(1) List: Make a detailed list of what you spend your time doing, including chores, family time, meetings, exercise, etc.
(2) Combine and categorise: Pour those things into categories and assign a percentage of time spent on each. A pie chart would be helpful here.
(3) Review: Ask yourself, “Am I giving myself enough time to do important commitments well?” If you aren’t, analyse which less important categories you can cut down time on.
(4) Schedule: Based on what percentage time you want (or need) to spend per category, plan out your day.
(5) Checklists: Work in checklists, breaking down each task into smaller parts so you have a clear idea of what you need to do.
(6) Work in bursts: Focus on one thing for a set amount of time before switching to another. Make sure you also switch between work commitments and play.
Drawing out your commitment inventory will help you see how you are spending your time versus how you want to be spending it. Make time for work and play—to see just how productive you can be.
* * * * * * * * * * *
We’ve gone through a grand total of 7 productivity strategies that you can try out to tackle your tasks better. Remember, not all these techniques will work for everyone, or every type of task. It’s worth taking time to understand how you work best because in the long-run, it will save you a lot of stress, headache and time. So be patient and committed when you’re trying each strategy, and see which helps you unlock your best performance. You got this!
Source: Trello
