It’s great to work for yourself and not have a boss! It gives you the freedom to do what you want how you want when you want. But there are some downsides too. One of those is how easy it can be to stop being productive at work and get lazy without someone telling you what needs doing, how it should be done, and when we need to do it.
In this article, I’m going to share how those who work for themselves can find ways that help them stay on top of their game while still having the freedom they love so much.
Catch up on Your Reading
Do you absolutely enjoy reading a good book or magazine but do you feel like there are a gazillion other things that are more important? Perhaps you think it will affect your productivity at work? If you feel that way, stop. A constructive, relaxing and beautifully inexpensive hobby like reading should never be pushed aside. NEVER!
Yes yes, I know, when you’re really enjoying what you’re reading three hours feel more like three minutes. But even three minutes of reading is better than no reading at all is it not?
So how about you read during your commute to work? Since you have no boss, maybe you don’t have to commute. Fantastic. You’ve still got to eat. Perhaps you can try getting some reading in during your lunch break. You can even listen to an audiobook while you prepare a meal.
You will not regret finding the time to get some reading done. Even if you only have fifteen minutes to spare, reading will help you relax, and feel more positive. This will definitely help you be more productive at work.
Take a walk outside for fresh air and to stretch your legs
This one is another great way to increase your productivity.
I take it you don’t work outside. But if you’re lucky enough to be in a position where your office is outdoors then this tip still applies.
Sitting at your desk all day rummaging through paperwork or staring at your laptop does not make you increase productivity. In fact, if this is what you do all day without taking any breaks in between you probably get tired, frustrated, and unproductive real quick. Work productivity is all about your mental state.
My suggestion is to set a number of tasks first and then give yourself permission to take a brief walk. It is habits like this that improve your overall time management. Managing your time isn’t always about being a taskmaster.
Try taking a short break and going outside. It doesn’t have to be a long break. Just a couple of minutes of exercise will help you clear your head. It’s a proven fact that fresh air and some sunshine is great for the body, mind, and soul. Taking just a few minutes out of your day will make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. You’ll be more productive when you go back to your desk since you had some time away from the work you were trying so hard to focus on.
Set clear boundaries with coworkers
I like people, but I’ve never had a hard time telling them, nicely, to get away because I’ve got work to do. But that doesn’t come easy for everyone. Maybe you find real joy in talking to your coworkers or helping them out with whatever they need. Or maybe you just don’t like saying no. This is all understandable. But guess what? Unless you have all the time in the world that has to stop.
Do not make your coworkers a priority. There’s nothing worse than having someone interrupt or distract you from an important task when you’re really trying to focus on getting it done. If you don’t want to come off as rude or mean then how about explaining that you have an important project due soon and really need to focus on it. Or how about saying, “I’m swamped right now.” That’s a good enough reason for people not to bug you until your work is done.
If you sincerely want to seek out ways to help your coworkers out or have time to hang out with them, first become efficient at completing everything you have to do for the day. When you’re familiar with how much time you need to get your tasks out of the way, you can even let your coworkers know what time you’ll be free, and for how long.
The important point to take from this is don’t let other people be a distraction. Don’t tolerate interruptions throughout the day. Manage the distractions by setting boundaries. One tip to use is to set aside time each day for impromptu meetings. If you have these in your schedule you won’t be interrupted by others because they will know exactly when it is OK to engage with you.
Get up from your desk every hour or so to stretch and take a break
Again, how about you take a break from your desk? You’re not doing anything important so why are you glued to it? I’m joking. You definitely have lots of important things to do. And because that’s the case, it’s easy to sit at your desk for hours on hours and quickly forget how to sit properly with the right posture to avoid fatigue.
Even if you somehow always have great posture, standing up to stretch and take a break every hour or so is not a huge time commitment, and it does make a difference. It will help you to get your blood flowing, and you’ll feel more clear-headed. When you sit back down it will be easier to refocus, and maybe even figure out something that was previously giving you some trouble.
Don’t believe me? Try it and see for yourself.
Turn off all notifications on your phone
When really focused on something sometimes the slightest sound or sudden movement can make you lose your train of thought. It’s the single most annoying thing in the world, isn’t it? You can’t control what people around you do, but there are other things that you are in absolute control of. Distractions caused by things you are doing can definitely be controlled.
Your cellphone is certainly one of them. The sound of incoming messages or emails can easily become a distraction and stomp your productivity to the ground. A good way to avoid this is to turn off all notifications on your phone. That way you’ll be able to work without feeling the need to check the messages or emails that just came in.
Make use of private mode where you don’t take calls or texts. You will be better able to stay focused and accomplish important tasks. Your phone won’t constantly nag at you with unimportant notifications that can wait. Your brain will thank you because it doesn’t enjoy being derailed by distractions all day long either.
Put your cell phone in airplane mode and place it out of reach.
If you constantly feel the urge to check your phone for messages or scroll through your social media feed, putting your phone on airplane mode and placing it out of reach will help. Your phone will not make a sound, and picking it up will feel like too much work. It will then be much easier for you to focus on what you have to do because your phone will be almost nonexistent.
If you’re afraid that you’ll start worrying about how many messages, calls, or emails have come in, and how important they might be then set a timer for how long your phone will remain on airplane mode. When you check your phone, do set a timer for how long you will spend checking your phone as well.
Drink water every hour to stay hydrated
You’ve probably heard how important staying hydrated is. It’s no joke that when we’re dehydrated it can lead to headaches, lethargy, and fatigue among other things. The last thing you want to deal with during your workday is any of those symptoms.
It sucks, but when working hard to get stuff done, it’s easy to forget to drink water. By the time you notice you want a glass of water, you’ll already be dehydrated. It’s hard to bounce back after that. So every hour get up from your desk and go drink a glass of water. If you keep a bottle of water on your desk then it will be even easier to stay hydrated.
Take a power nap during the day for 15 minutes or less
The famous power nap. It can be a real lifesaver. For people working in offices, taking a power nap is near impossible. What if the boss walks by and sees or hears them sleeping? Well, it’s a good thing you’re your own boss.
Sometimes a power nap is all you need to get the second wind you need to carry on with your work. The trick is to not sleep for longer than 15 minutes because you’ll feel groggy, and it will be harder to refocus. A 15-minute power nap will give you a quick recharge, and you will wake up feeling more refreshed, alert, and ready to make it through the rest of your day.
Get enough sleep at night to
Lack of sleep is the best way to NOT be productive. Its negative effects are so severe and will have you feeling like dirt. Foggy, out of touch, drained, and always sleepy. Lack of sleep also makes you more prone to being impatient, irritable, and even depressed. Power naps are great and everything, but getting enough sleep is how you really recharge. I want you to nail all the above tips, but this tip is especially important.
Sleep is how your mind and body prepare themselves for another day of work, so you can function properly and be productive. You should get a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night. If you want to really maximize your productivity then aim for eight hours. Your body will thank you for it. If you have not been able to get enough sleep, make this a priority.
Think About It
Working professionals are often looking for new time management strategies to help them stay productive and healthy. The tips listed below should be able to give you a leg up on your competition, but they won’t do much good if you don’t adopt them! If all of this sounds intimidating or like too big of an adjustment, let us know. We have coaching services that can help take the guesswork out of making these changes so you can focus more time on what really matters- growing your business. Have any worries about getting enough sleep? Don’t worry; we will show you how with our custom night routine designed just for people who work late into the evening. Are there boundaries in place at home between your personal life and your professional one?
Top Tier Coaching Services will help you develop a productivity mindset and fast. Why not book a call and see what we can do to help? There is no obligation. We believe in providing value to our clients and would love to see if we are a good fit to work together.
