Boost Productivity with Positive Habits
Let’s face it: staying productive isn't always easy. Some days, even getting out of bed feels like an achievement. But here’s the good news; you’re not alone, and there are simple, effective ways to boost your productivity by building positive habits.
Whether you're striving to be more productive at work, maintaining order at home, or enhancing your personal life, these positive habits can be incredibly beneficial. Productivity is multi-faceted and these strategies can help you achieve balance and efficiency in all areas of your life.
Let’s look at how you can make those small changes lead to big results:
Building Productive Habits:
First things first, let’s talk about building habits. It’s all about the little things you do consistently.
Here’s how you can get started:
Start Small: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are habits. Start with something manageable, like drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning. Tiny changes can lead to big results over time
Consistency is Key: Remember, it’s better to do something small consistently than to go all out and burn out. I say this a lot, but aim for progress, not perfection
Build Patterns: Implement a pattern to make it easier to remember. For example, a habit of checking your email only at specific times during the day, such as 9am, 11.30am, 1pm, and 4pm. This helps you avoid constant distractions and stay focused on more important tasks
Make it Enjoyable: Find ways to make your new habits enjoyable. Love music? Listen to your favourite playlist while you work out. Enjoy a good read? Combine it with your morning coffee
Pair with Existing Habits: Try pairing your new habit with something you already do. For example, while waiting for your coffee to brew, do a quick 5-minute stretch
Be Kind to Yourself: Some days will be better than others, and that’s ok. Don’t beat yourself up over slip-ups; just get back on track
Habit Stacking Techniques
Now, let’s spice things up with habit stacking – a technique where you link new habits to existing ones. It’s like creating a domino effect of productivity!
Identify Anchor Habits: These are habits you already do regularly, like brushing your teeth or having lunch. Use them as anchors for new habits. Perhaps before starting your first task of the day, spend five minutes reviewing your to-do list and prioritising your tasks. This habit can be stacked with the existing routine of opening your computer and launching your work applications
Add One at a Time: Don’t overwhelm yourself. Add one new habit to your routine at a time, and let it stick before adding another.
Create a Routine: Make your habit stack part of a larger routine. For example:
Morning Routine: Wake up -> Drink water -> Stretch -> Plan your day
Evening Routine: Dinner -> 10-minute tidy-up -> Reflect on the day -> Read a book
Reward Yourself: Celebrate your wins! Rewards can be as simple as enjoying a cup of tea (or a glass of wine) after completing your routine or at the end of the day
James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits," says habit-stacking leverages the natural rhythm of your current routines, making new habits less daunting. If you want to be more productive regularly, it’s got to be worth a try, hasn’t it?
Habit Tracking Tools
Keeping track of your habits can help you stay motivated and see your progress. Here are some handy tools to help you out:
Habit Tracker Apps: Streaks, Habitica, Ticktick, Habitnow are Apps* which can help you build good habits and track your results. If you get motivated by completing all rings on your fitness plan or seeing the 10,000 steps tick by daily, then this might be your thing!
(* many other apps are available too!)
Bullet Journals: If you prefer a more tactile approach, bullet journaling can be a fun and creative way to track your habits. Plus, you get the satisfaction of physically checking off your accomplishments.
Wall Calendars: Go old-school with a wall calendar. Mark off each day you complete your habit and watch your streak grow
To give you some extra motivation, here are a few stats about habits and productivity:
A study by Duke University says about 45% of our daily behaviours are habits, and results have shown that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit (Lally et al., 2009), which means we better get on with it! This may seem like a long time, but remember, every small step counts.
It is widely believed that consistent routines can reduce stress and improve your overall wellbeing and when you add to that, those who are productive and set small, manageable goals are 10 times more likely to succeed, it feels like a no-brainer!
Final thoughts
I deliberately kept the journal slightly shorter this month to give you a chance to create a new habit of reading something new regularly. Who knows, perhaps keeping these shorter will become a new habit for me too!
Start small, be consistent, and use tools and techniques that work for you. And remember, it’s ok to have off days, what matters is getting back on track. So, what positive habit will you start today? Let’s make productivity a habit, one step at a time!
If you need help figuring out which strategies might work best for you or how to make your new habits stick, get in touch. It's what I do, and I'm here to help you make it work.
