Productivity Tips to Keep You Focused

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Today was one of those days when I was having a hard time focusing. Everything started out fine: I got up, worked out, and ate breakfast. Then I sat in front of the computer to write some articles for Yahoo and….nothing. No matter what I did I could not sit still and it took much longer than was necessary to write a few green living Christmas guides and then blog about it. When you are trying to settle all the details for running your own business, make a good portion of your income from your living room, run two blogs to help others, and have a separate part-time job as a language instructor, lacking in the focus department can be a serious problem.

I know a lot of other people whether they are students, entrepreneurs, or full time employees encounter this problem all the time. As a result, I decided to do some research and compile a list of productivity tips to help keep people focused.

Focus on One Goal at a Time

I am a serial goal setter. I have a tendency of making  huge plans, taking on too much at once, not allowing myself to have some fun, becoming overwhelmed, freaking out, and then not getting that much accomplished. This is why I like Leo Babauta’s idea of taking on one goal at a time. The mastermind behind Zen Habits suggests taking on one goal, at least for now, and focusing completely on that one goal. For instance, last week was solely dedicated to setting my goals for 2011 and getting them started.

Do Similar Tasks Together

This is great advice from one of my favorite blogs, Freelance Folder. If you’ve got the momentum going for one thing, stick with that momentum. Trying to switch it up to get everything accomplished at once may drive you insane.

Take Breaks

For some reason, it has been ingrained into our brains that taking five minutes to yourself is absolutely counter-productive. I will readily admit that sometimes I even feel GUILTY about taking a well deserved break because I feel that there is so much I should be doing. Of course, this is complete and utter poppycock and everyone knows that giving your mind some time to rest is a good thing. Otherwise, we become completely run down and probably end up sick. I personally plug into my iPod and dance around the house for a few minutes. For tips on how to make the most of your breaks (without feeling guilty) check out a previous GMW post, Tips for Taking Guilt Free Breaks.

Time Chunking

I had a room mate in college named Allie who was (and still is) a pro at time management and productivity. Allie would designate certain chunks of the day for certain tasks and stick to it. She would even incorporate breaks and sleep into her schedule so as not to overwork herself. let’s just say she was much more clam, cool, and collected than I was our last semester. I have since tried to incorporate this into my own life: early mornings are for working out,  kind of still early mornings are for the money stuff, midmorning is for writing articles, lunch at noon, afternoons for writing articles, late afternoon for teaching or blogging, nights are for doing nothing but relaxing. Of course, sometimes life gets in the way, but having at least a general schedule that is split up into large chunks goes a very long way.

Keep Your Workspace Organized

I have always had a huge problem with this. In fact, when I was growing up I would tell my mother that the reason my room was so messy was that it was actually organized chaos. Of course, this was complete and utter bullshit and didn’t get me out of having to clean it. These habits followed me into college until eventually my entire life became a sort of organized chaos and I freaked out. Now that I am an adult I can actually see how having a clean and organized workspace relates to productivity (and happiness).

That’s all for now. Keep checking back for more productivity and personal development tips! If you have any methods that work for you feel free to share

Related Posts:

• What To Do When Time Management Just Isn’t Happening
• How to Have More Productive Days (And Still Get Some Sleep)
• 7 Tips for Starting Your Own Freelance Business
• How to Focus: 5 Free Resources for Bloggers, Professionals, and Everyday Life
• 5 Career Tips for Gen Y