Productivity – Anchor and Bee

As a writer, it can be challenging to find time to focus and maintain a disciplined schedule. In order to finish anything, you first have to begin, but also need to keep going. What drives you to write? Whatever it is, don’t let go of that passion and spark, but also recognize you need to be dedicated and invested in the process just as much as in the outcome to make it work. Somehow as if that’s not challenging enough, real life swirls around you. For the most part, all these tips are applicable for other professions as well. It takes all these and practicing and honing of one’s skills to achieve anything. Each person finds these things are slightly different, but these 6 tips to improve productivity and focus to write will help you.

1. Plan and prioritize

Comprehending and documenting your tasks, both large and small, is a solid first step in the process that will guide to your time management so you can protect regular writing time. This section is also useful for non-writers. Start each day by creating a to-do list of tasks that need to be completed, including deadlines and any dependencies. Review the tasks on your list and determine which are urgent and which are important. Urgent tasks are those that require immediate attention, while important tasks are those that contribute to your overall goals. Use the urgency and importance evaluation to assign priorities to each task. You can use a simple numbering system, such as 1 for the most important and urgent tasks, 2 for important tasks, and 3 for less urgent and important tasks. Estimate the amount of time each task will take and allocate time for each task in your schedule. Be realistic about how long each task will take and try not to overcommit. Allocate specific time slots for each task. Schedule the most important and urgent tasks for the time of day when you have the most focus and energy. By completing these tasks, you’ll feel more productive and motivated to tackle other tasks. Schedule less urgent tasks for times when you have lower energy levels. This isn’t just a one-off event either, it benefits you to do this on an ongoing basis. Regularly review your task list and adjust priorities as needed. Priorities may change due to changing circumstances, and it’s important to stay flexible and adaptable. Planning and prioritizing can help you stay focused and avoid wasting time on low-value activities.

2. Write regularly

Writing regularly is key to building momentum and maintaining productivity. When you write consistently, you train your brain to expect and prioritize writing time. This habit also allows your brain to generate ideas more freely, as it becomes accustomed to the process of writing. Maintaining a consistent habit brings out your best work, not necessarily every day but over time. Set a daily or weekly writing goal and stick to it, even if it’s only for a short period of time. Writing regularly builds momentum. Each time you write, you build on the work you’ve done before, creating a sense of progress and momentum. Even if you only write for a short time each day, you’re making steady progress towards your goals. For procrastinators, it also helps alleviate the ‘blank page’ anxiety. When you have a regular writing schedule, you’re less likely to put off writing tasks until the last minute or avoid them altogether. Consistency is key to making progress.

3. Don’t edit while writing your first draft

Writing the first draft without editing can be a useful technique for combatting blank page anxiety because it allows you to overcome the fear of not having anything to say, and just start writing. When we try to write a perfect first draft, we can get bogged down in self-criticism and doubt. By giving ourselves permission to write without editing, we can free ourselves from the pressure to be perfect and just focus on getting our thoughts down on paper. Once we start writing, it can be easier to keep going. By getting into a flow state, we can build momentum and make progress on our writing, which can help boost our confidence and motivation. Sometimes, the act of writing can help us generate new ideas and insights that we might not have thought of otherwise. Maybe those ideas don’t mesh in that part of your writing, but by documenting it in your first draft you can work with it later through editing.

4. Minimize distractions

Notifications from emails, messaging apps, and social media can be a significant distraction when you’re working. To minimize distractions, turn off notifications on your computer and phone or use software that temporarily blocks them during your work time. Having multiple tabs open on your computer can also be distracting, even if they’re not related to your work. Close unnecessary tabs to help you stay focused on your task. If you need those tasks to remind you of action items, consider entering the title, related task, and URL into a Google Sheet which you then make your web browser home page. Still reminding you, but not in the moment you need to be focused on something else. Designate a dedicated workspace for your writing, free from distractions such as television or noise. If possible, try to make this space comfortable and conducive to writing. If you’re working from home or in an open office, it’s important to set boundaries with others to minimize distractions. Let your family members or coworkers know when you’re working and need uninterrupted time. Taking regular breaks can help minimize distractions and increase productivity. Schedule short breaks throughout the day to recharge your batteries and come back to your work refreshed and focused. If you’re working in a noisy environment, consider using noise-cancelling headphones to block out distracting sounds. Distractions can disrupt your flow and make it difficult to concentrate.

5. Take breaks

Schedule short breaks throughout the day to recharge your batteries and come back to your work refreshed and focused. Your brains need rest just like any other part of your body. Taking breaks allows you to rest your minds and come back to your work refreshed and re-energized. This simple activity also helps prevent burnout and increase productivity. When you work for long periods of time without a break, your focus can start to wane. Taking breaks can help you maintain your focus by allowing you to come back to your work with a clear mind and reduced stress levels. When you take a break, you give yourselves the opportunity to recharge your batteries, which can help you feel more relaxed and less overwhelmed. Sometimes taking a break can lead to increased creativity by giving your minds time to be free to wander and explore new ideas, which can lead to breakthroughs and innovative thinking.

6. Stay organized

Keep your writing space and files organized to avoid wasting time looking for information. Develop a system for organizing research notes, drafts, and other documents that works for you. When you are organized, you can feel more in control of your work and your environment. This can help reduce stress and allow you to work more efficiently and productively. Though it often feels like organizing is a procrastinating technique, it is an investment in your upcoming work and mental state. By taking the time to organize your workspace, tasks, and schedule, you can set yourselves up for success and achieve your goals more efficiently.

No single technique or approach will help you become more productive. Not even this entire combination of 6 tips to improve productivity and focus to write will solve everything, but it’s a start. Work with these tips to find what works best for you and allow that to evolve with your needs and work. Also, allow yourself the flexibility and forgiveness to adapt. Things may not always go according to plan, but try to see those moments as a blip not a speed bump or detour. Now, stop reading and go write!

Multitasking is the idea that you can do multiple things simultaneously and be more productive as a result. Ha! Research has shown that multitasking is a myth and can lead to burnout, mistakes, and stress. When you try to do multiple tasks at the same time, you are dividing your attention between them, which can lead to decreased performance in all of them. This is because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time, and switching between tasks can cause a lag in your cognitive processing, resulting in errors and mistakes.

Giving 50%

This isn’t a theory or newfangled idea, but one discussed and studied for almost 300 years. In Christine Rosen’s article ‘The Myth of Multitasking‘, Rosen cites Lord Chesterfield’s (aka Philip Stanhope) Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman in which he proclaims “There is time enough for everything, in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once; but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.” That was in 1747. Scientific American backs this up in their article from 2010 stating “When we do two things at the same time, our brain divides the work in half, literally: each hemisphere concentrates on one task.”

Digital distractions

Digital distractions, such as social media notifications, email notifications, and instant messaging platforms, can be very disruptive to an employee’s workflow. Constant interruptions by digital distractions can make it difficult to maintain focus on the task at hand, and this can lead to decreased productivity and increased stress. Dare I say that the constant stimulation of digital distractions can create a sense of addiction or compulsion, making it difficult for employees to disconnect from work and recharge. This can contribute to chronic stress and burnout over time. Is there a bit of FOMO being disconnected from colleagues, a project, or friends during a time window when you’d usually be inundated with updates? Yes, you may need the silence, but it doesn’t mean it won’t feel surreal.

Effects

When you try to perform multiple tasks at once, the brain is not able to fully focus on any one task. This can result in poorer retention of information in short-term memory, as brains are not able to fully encode the information due to the competing demands of the different tasks. Research has shown that even small distractions can have a negative impact on cognitive performance, and the more complex the task, the more detrimental multitasking can be. The modern world’s demand for attention constantly with notifications and group chat messages can lead to increased stress levels, as your brain is constantly trying to switch between different tasks and manage competing priorities. Stress, fatigue, and decreased performance and productivity can result because human brains are not designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

What to do instead

Instead of multitasking, what employers should be encouraging is effective task management and organisation. With those strengths, the tasks are not neglected and can be worked on concurrently, but not simultaneously. It’s better to focus on one task at a time and prioritize your workload, which can lead to better productivity, fewer errors, and a happier, more fulfilled work life.

Setting boundaries

To combat burnout caused by digital distractions and multitasking, it’s important for workers to set boundaries and limit the amount of time they spend on digital devices. This isn’t even limited to work though, the family WhatsApp group may be pinging you more often than your brain can handle. If you are on your lunch break or with a friend, don’t be tuned into the chat group or doom scrolling. Commit 100% to the break. Draft an outline on note paper to get a break from the screen. A study showed that longhand note taking can be better for learning than typing notes. This would work in concert with one solution to managing digital distractions which is to limit device use to necessary tasks. Employers can also take steps to reduce digital distractions in the workplace, such as implementing policies around email and messaging etiquette, encouraging breaks and time off, and promoting a culture of work-life balance.

Monotasking

In order to perform tasks optimally, it’s best to focus your attention on one task at a time. Matthew Solan wrote a piece focused on ‘The art of monotasking‘, explaining that “the brain cannot devote equal attention to multiple tasks that require high-level brain function.” Otherwise, there is an increased risk of burnout, which is characterized by physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. In the workplace, multitasking can also lead to decreased job satisfaction, as employees feel overwhelmed and overburdened with tasks. This can result in high turnover rates and lower productivity levels. There is even research about the future neurological impact of this.

Multitasking is a myth and can have negative impacts on cognitive performance and stress levels. Instead, it is better to focus on one task at a time in order to maximize productivity and reduce stress. This means minimizing digital distractions, setting priorities, and taking breaks when needed to recharge and refocus.

Category: Productivity

6 Tips to Improve Productivity and Focus to Write