Productivity 101: How to become more productive in writing

Many writers have a specific routine that works for them. Some will work at night because they are more active during those hours, and some will work very early in the morning before or after breakfast. It all depends on whether you are a morning person or a late-night person.

The most common working routine is from early morning to late evening, that is, from 5 am to 5pm, depending on your work set-up and your time preference.

To be effectively productive during the day, here are a few of the tips that I could give based on my experience:

Wake up early in the morning

Unless you are a late-night person, waking up early will train your brain to be more active and once you keep on waking up at a specific time, you will get used to it.

Your morning hours are your best. It’s the time that you are;

— Most active

— Most Creative

— Recharged

— Focused

Create a morning routine

As soon as you wake up, you should have a specific routine that helps recharge your energy. This routine will prepare you emotionally, physically and mentally for your big goal of the day. To create a very effective yet simple morning routine, here is what I would recommend:

Meditation – Creates a positive mindset for the day and clears any negativity. Meditation also helps relieve stress.

Exercise – Activates your body and mind and energizes your brain by eliminating groggy feelings. Exercise also reduces fatigue and is a perfect energy booster.

Healthy breakfast– Having a healthy meal that will boost your immune system is essential. Take a healthy, balanced-diet meal to start the day.

Imagine eating food that will have you bloated? It is the worst thing you can do to your body, and your productivity will be very low throughout the day.

Write your goals – know what you want to achieve before you head over to your working space.

Finding a quite comfortable place- to increase your focus on what you are doing; a quiet and comfortable place allows you maximum concentration on your work.

Create a simple to-do list for the day

With your writing goals in mind, you have other tasks that are not work-related. As soon as you know what those tasks are, you are able to know how your day will do.

Creating this simple list will also help you know how long you want your writing tasks to last.

Set your mind right

Before you settle for work, preparing yourself mentally will help in avoiding any procrastination and tackle your work head-on.

Your mind controls every routine that you create. Setting your mind right is a tool for optimizing your workflow.

For maximum optimization, do this;

-Get enough sleep, at least 8 hours. You do not want to be feeling sleepy, lazy and tired during work because you only slept for a few hours. Go to bed early so that you can wake up early. If you are a heavy sleeper, set an alarm to wake you up at your designated time.

-Organize your working space and clean any junk. Working on a clean space will create clarity and prevent any confusion.

– Take 20 minutes to read before you start working. Reading will help activate your brain for what is to come next.

Make priorities and execute them

What do you want to accomplish within a given time?

During work, starts by making priorities you want to achieve for the day. Break down tasks into smaller and more manageable pieces. A pile of junk work will make you frustrated and tired before you even begin. Accomplishing your smaller tasks once at a time helps give clarity to your tasks.

Write down 3-5 goals and work on them continuously. Do not stop until when you are done.

If you do this, you are controlling your schedule and not letting it control you.

Ensure to always have a notebook or journal to always write down any new idea that comes to your mind. Even if the idea is not related to your work, it is important to write to help remind you of your other daily tasks outside your work routine.

Set time limit

The amount of time that you set for yourself will control your working pace. Eliminate distractions such as mobile phones, food in the workspace etc. without these distractions; you are able to focus on accomplishing your work under your set time.  

On your timer, set 1 hour for each task and work for 50 minutes non-stop. Do not overspend or underspend your time because your timer allows you to master your working timeline.

Take in-between breaks

Set 10 minutes in between your working schedule to take simple breaks. Time yourself, when the alarm goes off for a break, take that break, it is essential for re-energizing your body and mind.

During the 10 minutes break, take a walk alone, stretch, refill your water bottle, get some sunshine etc. at this time, and do not use your phone.

Mobile phones can really make you or break you. You can use your phone to get great ideas for your next project, and you can also use it to waste time. It all depends on the motive and how serious you are when tackling your tasks.

Twitter, Reddit, and Google are great places to do research, market your brand, and find clients for your next projects but, using them for entertainment when you shouldn’t, is a deal-breaker for your routine. Know how you use your mobile phone.

With that being said, it is very crucial to always find a system or method that works for you and make it your routine. A routine can only be created and followed strictly hence, whatever works in your favour, depending on your life set-up, make it a routine.

If you find this article useful, comment below and let me know your thoughts.

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