For a lot of us, it’s hard to stay focused. Whether you’re caught in the middle of a long job search or you’ve found your mind wandering while at work, it’s important to find a productive process that works best for you. Part of being productive is just tricking your mind to get something done. Find a motivation that works for you, then get inspired to work. Here a couple tricks you can try:
If you’re a visual person, you should try… To-Do Lists.
For some, simply crossing items off a list is motivation enough to get a task done. Begin with a master to-do list at the beginning of the week. Seeing the big picture – or the big to do list – should be motivation enough not to procrastinate. At the end of each day, make tomorrow’s to-do list. It should be broken down into a reasonable number of items you can complete during one day. If you don’t finish a task, move it to tomorrow’s list.
If you’re an active person, you should try…Timed Sessions.
Work for X minutes then reward yourself with an X minute break. That’s the basic concept of the Pomodoro Technique. If you’re an athlete or a workout fiend, this trick may work best for you. Think of each work session as a drill. Using a timer, set a goal for yourself – say to work for 50 minutes straight. During this time, you must stay focused. No stopping allowed. At the end of a successful 50 minutes, reward yourself with five minutes of stress-free distractions.
Image by Sean MacEntee.
March 5, 2013
Career Advice