Dig deep, be accountable – and always try to eat your frogs first.
Want to achieve more during your day?
I’m not suggesting you get up at 5 am to meditate and optimise the five-to-nine before your nine-to-five. However, we can all fall into the trap of stale work habits which stop us from being our most productive. It’s a smart idea to occasionally question why this is and if there are any ways you can work better, that suit your working style.
Below are a few simple hacks that I’ve found help me be more productive when deadlines are looming. They might work for you too.
However, be warned: if you’re working way beyond capacity no amount of tips are going to help you produce even more. Burnout is a very real and serious issue caused by extended workplace stress. If you feel close to the edge, it’s time to slow down your output, not speed it up.
Eat your frogs
You’ve probably got a couple of stubborn frogs perched on your to-do list. These are the tasks you just don’t want to complete: that awkward email giving feedback or the blog that’s been sitting in drafts for weeks now.
American writer Mark Twain apparently said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.”
You might find taking the task on first thing and getting that ‘frog eaten’ helps you to be more productive throughout the day. It may not be as hard as you think and I find the feeling I get on completing it is always amazing.
And if the task is still on your list when the day is done? Delegate it, just do it, or cross it off forever – but don’t leave it hanging around another day.
Try the Pomodoro Technique
This was an absolute game-changer when someone shared it with me at a co-working space. The Pomodoro Technique is still the best way I know to burn through stubborn tasks on my to-do list.
All you need to do is set a timer for 25 minutes. During the 25-minute period, the only thing you’re allowed to do is the task. No phone calls, no emails – nothing. Then after 25 minutes, you spend five minutes doing absolutely anything else but the task (for me, this bit often involves visiting the fridge). You rinse and repeat until the task is finished.
One thing: the focusing effect sometimes wears off after four turns or so. So, after a few goes, you might need to take a longer break or try another technique.
Be accountable
There may be many reasons why the work isn’t getting done, some within our control and others not so much. We can be very good at telling ourselves convincing stories about why we’re not finishing our work. But it’s much harder to convince another person who is (gently) holding you accountable.
Accountability partnerships work best with another person (it doesn’t have to be a colleague) you get on well with. You can take it in turns to hold the other accountable.
Share with them that you need to focus for an hour (or afternoon, or day) and ask them to hold you accountable. This could mean questioning you when you head off for a second coffee or when you’re clearly working on something different to your task. Virtually, this can take the shape of taking some time to co-work on a video call or sending messages to check in periodically.
The key here is that it’s more difficult to fob off another human than your own conscience. Plus, very gently chiding your colleague with their explicit permission can feel all kinds of delicious.
Schedule time for Deep Work
Deep Work is a state of mind that lets you get the difficult stuff done. Identified by computer science professor Cal Newport, he defined it as the distraction-free concentration when your brain works at its maximum potential. It’s the place from which many people do their best, most productive thinking.
Consider when you already do your best Deep Work. Some people prefer early morning before looking at emails, for others it’s a mid-afternoon mood. Then, be ruthless about protecting it: block-book your calendar and signal you don’t want any distractions (I find sticking headphones in is a good way to do this).
Deep Work doesn’t have to go on for hours. Sometimes just 10 distraction-free minutes is all you need to really bring a problem into focus.
Give up (temporarily)
Human beings are not machines. Sometimes you’re just not going to get any productive work done – so don’t fight it. Give up and do something else for ten minutes: chat to a colleague, send an email, or fiddle with your phone. Wait until your state of mind changes and then return and have another go.
These are just a few of the ways I try and be more productive to maximise my working day. I hope they prompt you to explore something new (or at least that reading them has given you an opportunity to positively procrastinate!).
So what about you? Be sure to share your top productivity tips with the CharityComms community.
Complimentary reading
- The art of setting priorities
- How social media teams can set boundaries and protect their wellbeing
- A wellbeing guide for comms professionals
Banner Image: Adrien Robert on Unsplash