40 ways to be productive anywhere

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

To be honest, there are no grand secrets of a productive day and, in fact, no work planning. Everything is simple and painfully clear. I decided to structure all the nuances of working outside the office and provide you with a summary of the most useful ones.

I came to work at 10:00, not at 8:00, because until 10:00 no one does anything anyway, they only drink tea. And I can't drink so much tea.

No office, no dress code. You sit, for example, in a cafe, on the beach or in the kitchen of your own apartment and … you work. For those who do not like closed office spaces, this is just a godsend. And hardly any of the office clerks would refuse such a chance - to carry out tasks at the time and in the place that he chooses. However, you can always find both positive aspects in such situations and negative ones. After all, you need to have impeccable self-organization in order not to succumb to the temptation of "doing nothing". And especially if the situation is conducive to this.

Personally, I spend most of my time on the road and know firsthand what it is like to solve several issues at once, to build a plan for the day so that every minute is worth its weight in gold. In addition to my main business, I give a lot of energy to the Revolverlab.com resource. And even here I can solve important business issues, being hundreds of kilometers from the office where my startup is located.

How to motivate yourself to work in the office

On the one hand, an office worker can easily plan his day, clearly planning and distributing work for the whole day. On the other hand, it seems that there is a lot of time and it is not easy even for the most responsible clerk to organize it correctly. And what to do, one wonders? But what …

1. Make a work plan for the day

When you come to work, you don't need to immediately open your browser and check your e-mail. Restrain this impulse for at least the first hour. As a rule, it is in the morning that there are no meetings, urgent matters and even conversations in the smoking room. And most people try to relax by leafing through emails or deleting spam. Spend the first 40 minutes planning your entire day. If you don't, then I can say with 100% certainty - you will sit for three hours, just leafing through your mail and answering letters.

2. Solve similar problems together

For example, you can choose a time for calls, and make them one by one. Set aside one hour to check your email or social media. After that, do not return to them throughout the day.

3. Do not set your watch to winter time

Do you think I'm kidding? No way! I get up an hour earlier than other people, and this is the most productive hour of the day. Because all the distractions are still asleep.

4. Do not spray

This is incredibly difficult, but try to choose only three important tasks for one work day. And throw all your strength into solving them in due time. Be sure to take short breaks between them to give your brain a break.

5. Be punctual

If you value your time, then you simply have to value the time of the people around you. You have no idea how much time I sometimes spend with latecomers to tell them at the meeting what happened in those five minutes of their absence. And then it turns out that there are those who are already 10 minutes late … For many of us, such a waste of time is an unaffordable luxury.

6. Avoid difficult tasks during the last hour of work

Allow yourself to relax and, for example, tidy up the documentation, while listening to your favorite music. Relieving stress is sometimes very helpful.

7. Do not turn on the Internet unnecessarily

If you cannot control yourself, use special applications that will simply throw you out of the network. Finding such services on the network is not difficult.

8. Know how to say "No!"

Say no to depression, distraction, laziness, entertainment. And especially to colleagues who do not hesitate to shift their responsibilities onto your shoulders. Try not to make promises, knowing that you will not be able to meet the deadline. It is better not to get down to business at all than to restore a damaged reputation later.

9. Solve Challenging Problems First

Difficult and unpleasant tasks are best done immediately, without delay or postponement. Otherwise, the level of motivation can very quickly disappear. And the problem will still hang over you with the sword of Damocles.

10. Think of a competitor

The desire to be better is inherent in each of us. Turn this weakness into your advantage. Find yourself a competitor in the office and strive to bypass him. The desire to prove that you are more professional can motivate you to work much more efficiently.

Motivation to work from home

I even envy those who work from the comfort of their homes a little: time is not wasted on the road, there are no colleagues who are trying in every possible way to drag you out for a smoke break or discuss the last trip to the Maldives. And, probably, the most delicious moment - you can independently plan your day.

But on the other hand, there is a dog at home that needs to be walked or children needing attention. And often work from home is not perceived by others as something really serious at all. Households do not hesitate to distract you with household trifles, friends constantly call at inconvenient times, motivating them with the fact that "well, you are still sitting at home, that you should listen to my next problem?" How to deal with this? How to manage to complete all the work on time, without leaving for the night and not catching up over the weekend?

11. Work behind a closed door

It is difficult to maintain a working attitude if the TV is on or children are constantly breaking into the office. You need to have a room that will be your office, and you need to make it clear to family members that they do not need to enter without an invitation.

12. Listen to music with headphones

It would seem, why exactly in headphones? What if I sit at home all alone? I can say for sure that this will help you to distract yourself from the environment and fully focus on your duties. Unless you are a writer, of course. Because the latter need perfect silence.

13. Dress code at home

Even at home, start your morning at nine sharp. Dress as if you are going to a business meeting - it helps to get in the mood for work. Incidentally, this method of self-discipline has long been used by news announcers. Even if the camera never focuses on the presenter's shoes, the announcer will still wear dress shoes, not house slippers. Because even this small touch tunes in to the working wave.

14. Do small tasks during calls

Only put away children's books or toys when you are on the phone. So you can control the order in the house and solve simple business tasks.

15. It is forbidden to eat in the office

Lunch break is not the time to spend at your office desk. Moreover, it is not advisable to eat at this table. You need to set aside time for rest. Working at home is usually monotonous. The most you can do is go to the grocery store once a day. No coolers, no trips to the dining room or smoking room and other benefits of office life. Therefore, set aside a separate place for lunch. You should be at least a little distracted by getting up from the chair and leaving the office.

16. Eight hour working day

Don't get distracted by trifles. Imagine how much time you would spend on the same job while in the office. And do it at home at about the same time. And then there will be a serious motivation to do everything much faster, so that a couple of hours remain in reserve. Isn't it a bonus?

17. Every Sunday is a day off

At least one day a week, you need to completely disconnect from work. On this day, it is advisable not to go to the computer at all, because for you it is a working tool that will vividly remind you of your responsibilities. And then, you must admit, it is much easier to work, knowing that the day off is coming soon.

18. Several laptops for different tasks

If possible, buy a second laptop or computer solely for work. You can't even imagine how the separation of two laptops into work and entertainment can help. When one is on, your thoughts are directed to the working channel, when the other is on, you can allow yourself to completely relax.

19. Appreciate your productivity

For example, I am full of energy in the first half of the day. Therefore, I try to do most of the work between 8:00 and 15:00. And in the afternoon, I can afford to relax a little and go to yoga or the gym. By the way, being there, I try not to think about work for at least a couple of hours.

20. Record progress

Constantly record your progress towards your goal. Especially if the customer has given a task that surpasses everything that you have done before in complexity. Mark in your mind or in writing everything that you did well.

How to get work done on the road

I work at a frantic pace and sometimes I can visit several cities at once in one day. Naturally, on the road, there is a need to do something useful. And then it is on the road that you can be visited by many thoughts about the development of any projects.

21. Convert working papers to electronic format

I have long been accustomed to keeping all the information on a laptop, tablet and smartphone. Trust me, the last thing you want to do on a train or car is trying to sort through a pile of papers. Only at first it is difficult to keep all the data in the phone, you will get used to it very quickly and simply cannot work any other way.

22. Plan developing "courses for a month"

I have to travel around the country by car too often. And I decided that wasting time on the radio was an impermissible luxury. Therefore, now I am organizing for myself something like developmental courses. For example, I can listen to audiobooks by Viktor Pelevin for two weeks, and I devote the next two weeks to business trainings in audio format. I can take a "course" in classical music. How can this affect work? In general, not at all, but it will definitely give you much more than a regular radio.

23. Solve small tasks in transport

Minor matters can be easily dealt with on a plane or train. For example, I can tidy up the desktop on my laptop or clear my email inbox from spam.

24. Search for Wi-Fi

Look for free Wi-Fi, since trains should definitely have it. So you can connect to it using your phone, and do most of the work on your laptop.

25. Caching e-mail

I've found a big plus for myself in email caching. Because in this case I can work even in a bunker where there is no Internet connection.

How to be productive in cafes or restaurants

There is one technique that personally helps me to work more efficiently. I take my laptop and go to the nearest cafe with free internet. It's good in the office, but monotony ruins creativity. We can say that for me cafes and restaurants have become a kind of replacement for an office study. I advise you to try …

26. Make useful contacts

In the beginning, when I was just developing my business, I decided to get acquainted with the owners of my favorite coffee houses. We often became good friends, and the experience they shared with me was in many ways useful to me at that time. If you work from home, then such business acquaintances will definitely work for you.

27. Minimize your work time

Leave your laptop charger at home. This can be a good motivation to finish work ahead of schedule and before your work tool shuts down.

28. Create your own rules

For myself, I have already worked out a couple of unspoken rules, which I always try to adhere to. For example, I always sit facing the wall, not the street. And I choose a place in the corner, away from crowds.

29. Internet is not always needed

If I need to finish work that does not require the presence of the Internet, then I am looking for a cafe without access to Wi-Fi. Because, again, I am very distracted by social networks, checking Revolverlab's mail and all kinds of news feeds.

30. Choose the right incentive for yourself

Let's say I need to finish a job in an hour. So, I try to finish it 15-20 minutes earlier, while not allowing myself to order more than one cup of coffee, no matter how hungry I am. Believe me, such "self-torture" can be a good incentive.

Working in a coworking space

I think this item will be useful for freelancers who have to work from home. When you work a meter away from the place where you just slept, the mood and atmosphere in your head, to put it mildly, do not set you up for work. Someone can force themselves to perform all work tasks productively, but to someone this moment seems completely destructive.

I can advise the latter to look for a place where the atmosphere is conducive to productive activity, where you do not have to put additional efforts to somehow motivate yourself. Coworking spaces do a good job with such tasks. Although here, there are moments that distract from business. I advise you to read the tips below to stay focused for a long time.

31. Surround yourself with the "right" people

The fact is that coworkers can be both an asset and a liability for you. For example, designers absolutely do not need a company of programmers who spend all day writing code. And the latter have nothing to do in the company of free artists. Always try to be around people you like. Believe me, productivity will grow exponentially.

32. Feel free to ask for advice

If the work you are doing requires some special knowledge, ask, perhaps, among the coworkers around you, there will be those who can give you good advice on this matter. Perhaps this way you will find yourself a good project partner.

33. Create your silence

When at least two people are sitting in the same room, you don't have to rely on silence. But instead of getting annoyed and cursing everything in the world, try to create silence for yourself. How to do it? Well, for example, buy a pair of good headphones and turn on a track on repeat that tunes you to the working wave. This is much better than breaking your voice and proving your innocence in the struggle for silence.

34. Don't waste your time

Do not keep open windows that you do not need to work: chats, social networks, Twitter, etc. Try to concentrate on working out the allotted time, and then, when all the tasks are completed, without a twinge of conscience, give yourself an hour for "doing nothing."

35. All the people around you are potential clients

Imagine that everyone around you is evaluating you and how you work. Perhaps at first it will be a little wild and unusual, but then you will feel the result.

36. Protect your workspace

It is difficult to concentrate when there is a person behind your back and, moreover, discussing some nonsense without hesitation. Ask people to have conversations near their workplace. They are unlikely to argue with you.

37. All working tools should always be at hand

Keep all the things you need for work in a conspicuous place. Finding a notebook, pens, and an additional phone is a distraction from the workflow.

38. Demonstrate your busyness

Use headphones in coworking offices. This will be your indicator of employment for the rest of the people.

39. Connect people to your project

Ask people around you to give you good advice about your project in exchange for their help. Believe me, it can be very useful to find out the opinion of a stranger about your website, article or product.

40. Tired - get away from the computer

If you are tired and understand that you cannot do without rest, immediately get up from your chair and go outside. It is advisable to spend at least half an hour outside the workplace and away from the monitor. Moreover, do not open "instagram", "facebook" and "classmates". Better to read a book or treat yourself to something delicious.

Finally

That's all. If you follow at least half of what is written above, productivity will not fail to increase several times. Personally, I try to do everything exactly as described, and I can say that I do not suffer from lack of time or excessive idleness.