Turn your winter into a winner with these top tips to boost productivity during these dark and dreary months!
Hey there reader!
I know it goes without saying, but this year has been a tough one for us all. There’s a lot of fear circulating around mental health and well being as we approach the cold and dark winter months, in what is already a very uncertain and unsettling time to be alive! But hear it from me - there is always light at the end of the tunnel, we just might need to go searching for that light by ourselves for a little while ‘til we get there!
To help, I thought I’d pass a little light over to you by sharing my top 5 essential working habits, the perfect remedy for combating the winter blues. These top tips will show you how to make better use of your time so that you actually spend less time working, and more time feeling satisfied, empowered and grounded in the present.
So whether you're trying to grow your business' presence on social media or you're just trying to get by working from home: together, let’s turn your winter into a winner!
1. Know the "what"
Before you start tackling your heavy workload, I want you to ask yourself these fundamental questions and write down your answers in your planner:
“What do I want to achieve today?”, “What do I need to achieve today”, and “What can I realistically achieve today?”
It’s a simple task, but you'll be surprised how many of us don’t take the time to implement structure into our days. Don’t feel disheartened if you fall into that category - trust me, I’m still working on it too (and I am my own boss)! However, by taking a small part of your morning (or even the night before) to establish achievable goals and prioritize tasks, you will find that not only are you being more productive with your time, you’re actually able to put aside a lot more time for some down time with a cuppa and your favourite book!
2. Stick to the 80/20 rule
Understanding how the 80/20 rule works will honestly change your life - it has definitely changed mine - and it can be applied to absolutely every area of your life, from fitness to work progress and everything in between!
The official name for this rule is the “Pareto Principle” but all flowery jargon aside, the gist of it is that 80% of outcomes are based on only 20% of actions. I know, I was in shock too... Learning this really helped me to put the action = outcome equation into perspective. Like many of you, I too am a self-confessed OTT perfectionist with a hawk eye for detail and I’ve always thought that positive action (in an ideal world) always equates to positive consequences. How naive! I have been known to take this action = outcome equation far too literally, spending hours on end on details that only I will ever truly notice, or value for that matter!
Don’t make this rookie error yourself, there is very little pay off in the long run!!
Here’s an equation that really matters: time = money
Why work your tush off night and day just to appease the perfectionist in you? What are you really getting from that? It’s time to have more confidence in your abilities to do a great job! Before you know it you’ll be earning back your valuable time by spending fewer hours achieving the very same results (and that means more time to earn extra $$$)!
Now that’s what I call a #bonafidehustler!
3. Approach your workload with the a “do” mentality - or just don’t
For me, this is one of the most blatant pieces of advice I could offer you, but trust me when I say it is also one of the most important. With all the lockdowns we are facing globally, I think we can all vouch for being completely sick and tired of this need to appear constantly productive. Do not let yourself buy into these messages of toxic productivity constantly shoved down our throats - it is not realistic!
However, despite the goings-on in the world, many of us still have the weighty burden of responsibilities, or a long list of things we just want to get around to! My main advice is don’t let internalized pressure make you feel the heat, and certainly don’t let anyone else determine what your progress or journey should look like (progress is never linear!).
The bottom line is, you will produce your best work when you’re in the right mindset to do so - if you’re not feeling it, you’re really just being counterproductive! Maximizing your productivity also means knowing when to call it a day! Don’t be too proud to take some time out to re-ground yourself with some self care. Take an hour out to have a cuppa and a chapter of your favourite book or run a hot bath. You will feel so much better for doing so!
There is always tomorrow - and if there isn’t, you’re definitely not going to regret taking a bit of time out for number one!
4. Know the “why” behind what you do
Knowing the reason behind all of your efforts really helps to keep motivation at an all time high. It also appeases the inner child within us all as we explore our wildest dreams, the bigger the better. Think of it this way: putting your dreams into writing turns them goals - and on a more spiritual note, it puts them out there into the universe ready for you to manifest. Remember that.
So, here’s your homework, I want you to put aside just an hour of your week with the sole purpose of visualizing exactly what your “why” is. Dig deep and see what you find! That could be ten minutes every night while you’re curled up in bed or on your commute to work while your power playlist is on full blast. Personally, I like to put it all in a vision board on Pinterest (#notasponsor) - my dream apartment in the city, my bucket list locations for travel, the big time job and the power suits that come along with it, all alongside motivational quotes to keep me focused through the tough times and to keep that fire going through the good times.
It’s a super fun task but it will be one that really makes a difference!
5. Take control of your success, forget the rest
Last but certainly not least, tip five is incredibly simple: practice taking control.
This is a valuable lesson I learned in the challenging world of sales! As a door-to-door salesperson, there were a lot of uncontrollables that could negatively influence your productivity and success with customers. From the weather (always too hot, too cold or too rainy!) to the territory you were working (lots and lots of Karens in South London apparently!). Albeit a very extremist approach to business, the company I worked for considered it a cardinal sin to blame your sales (or lack there of) on uncontrollables of any kind. So, from the very beginning, I learned how to take accountability for my own progress and to only focus on what I could control, which in this scenario was having a positive mindset, a killer pitch and working at the right pace.
While I don’t particularly subscribe to the toxic culture that I experienced in the sales environment, I do think this is an incredible insight for building an entrepreneurial mindset. Entrepreneurs find a way to make the best out of a bad situation, and that is what makes them successful!
Next time you find yourself facing uncontrollables, remember this: you are the biggest barrier to your own progress! You are so capable of success.
At this point, I’m sure you’ve noticed the pattern that has emerged through my top 5 tips to maximizing productivity - it is all to do with your mindset! If you came here looking for advice on how to establish routine… I hate to disappoint, it’s not advice you’ll be getting from me! The way in which you structure your day completely depends on what works for you (don’t be fooled by the unrealistic standards presented on social media). If you’re a night owl like me, you might find your burst of creativity peaks around midnight and that is absolutely fine! The time of day in which you tackle your workload does not make you any less productive, and more significantly does not make you any less worthy of greatness!
Productivity comes down to the condition of your mental space, so have a declutter, brush the cobwebs away and prepare for the hard work to feel a whole lot easier!
Until next time x
Oh! And be sure to keep up-to-date with me on Instagram for more hacks and motivational content!
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