A few small changes helped me with my daily productivity. It's all still work-in-progress but in a good direction.
Last year was a wake-up call for me in regards to productivity. Being a not-so-enthu homemaker made me fall into the traps of sluggishness. I was already a lazy bum, so bad routines just piled on, and lack of self-motivation didn't help. So, now you must be wondering, do I need to read through her so-called guide to productivity? Hear me out. I did make some minor changes that eventually helped my productivity.
After my unexpected prolonged stay in India, I decided it was time for some semblance of good routines when I was back home. The work is still very much in progress, but there were a few things that I did (am still trying to do) to help me stay motivated and productive throughout the day.
Make a 'Did It' list on days when 'To-Do' lists don't work. I realized the regular 'to-do' lists at times intimidated me. I put things off for a later day because of the stress about getting through the list. The result was that I didn't do the task, didn't checkmark it, and felt worse about myself at the end of the day. I had officially entered the self-inflicted vicious cycle of the 'Not-Did-It' list. That's when I decided to flip things over. On days I was not motivated to complete a 'To-Do' list, I started making the 'Did-It' list. In the end, it helped me feel better about the things I could accomplish in a day and motivated me to keep on going.
Set realistic goals. I realized my daily potential because of the 'Did It' list. I overestimated the number of things I could do in a day. So, the 'Not-Did-It' list made it's way sooner. Understanding my potential for daily tasks helped me set realistic goals. That doesn't mean you give up dreaming big! That's why we have vision boards; to challenge and explore the hidden prospects.
Break big tasks into small actions.
Another thing that unnerved me was completing a big task. It was difficult for me to get started on it, especially if I wasn't eager to do it. I started breaking down these big tasks into small actionable steps. On days when writing a blog like this one felt intimidating, I would write just the outline one day, flesh it out the next day, and edit and publish on the third day. See? It helped, and now you're reading through this guide.
Pep talk. You gotta be your cheerleader! So, pep talks to complete the small actionable steps helped. Self-motivation ain't easy, but I learned it's my responsibility to get things done. No one else will do it for me or encourage me to complete a task. So, my phone display says, 'you got this girl' to keep me going.
Celebrate small wins. I discovered I never did celebrate my small victories. I found this step to be an essential one in self-motivation. If you're not proud of all the small things you have done, it won't matter for you if you did that task or not. So, make those small wins count. I got up on time today (yay! for me). I completed an hour's worth of exercise (yay! to me). These are small incentives to make good routines count because they are tough to get through.
Don't judge yourself too harshly. We definitely are our own worst critics because it's easy to put oneself down. I fall for this trap every time. Instead of celebrating my small wins, I would start pinpointing all the ways I could have improved upon the event that has passed. The only good takeaway is that I know how to improve next time. But there are times when I got discouraged from doing the task. A real-life example would be the time I posted my first IGTV. Even when others encouraged my endeavor, I was judgemental about it. When I look back, I feel like I should have been kinder to myself as I was actually doing something new and exciting.
Finally, do what and when your heart desires. Your brain will say no, but your heart will say let's go! Listen to it. For me, my gut instincts have never let me down. If you are the same, then follow it through when it wants you to. It not only builds up the enthusiasm you need to get the task done, but you also enjoy doing it.
I am definitely taking these lessons into this new year, and I hope this guide helps me get back to my goals for the year too. If this helped you in any way, please like the blog and comment below to tell me how. Also, let me know if you have any tricks to productivity that can help me in the comments. See you there!
Love,
Rashmi B.
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