7 Lifestyle Hacks To Boost Your Productivity

Feeling overwhelmed? Productivity isn't about doing more, it's about doing the right things. - Chibuzor Onwurah

Lots of people rush through life, moving fast but not really getting anywhere.

They are always occupied, but may not be making the progress they hoped for. They are not very productive and are trying to figure out what to do. 

Reasons for Poor Productivity

Here are the top 4 reasons why a lot of people are not being productive:

1. Vision: A lack of a clear vision for your goals makes it hard to stay focused. You'll simply continue living, taking each day as it comes without any stress or feeling of purpose.

2. Procrastination: It's very easy to become lazy and put off what can be done now until later.

3. Prioritization: It's easy to feel overwhelmed when you don't know how to decide which tasks should get priority.

4. Distractions: We have plenty of distractions in the digital media world of today, such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Netflix. These make it easy to lose focus and neglect what matters.

To stay productive, you’ll need to dig into the root causes of your reasons and fix them. This will take consistent effort and time, but is well worth it.

Early Life Experience

I was fortunate enough to realize the need for planning for my future early on.

I resolved on my first day of university that I would attain a 1st class degree.

Through research and speaking with friends in higher years, I devised systems for advanced study and monitoring progress from my first semester to the end of my degree program.

I managed to reach my goal, and I'm aware that without this approach, I wouldn't have had a chance of achieving it.

In the early years of running my company, I found success with similar methods, but then I let up on the intensity.

During this time, my own progress, and that of my business, slowed down.

Visiting Alibaba in China, and then seeing the realities of the COVID pandemic, was a big wake up call.

In 2020, I began the process of redesigning my life on purpose all over again.

During this time, I have experienced both personal and business growth.

These 7 life hacks are easy to use and have helped me to be more productive and reach my objectives:

1. Create Personal and Shared goals

Think of the outcomes you wish to achieve. These goals could be like launching a new product, hitting certain revenue numbers, starting a family, or losing 10kg of weight.

Begin from your ending point and work your way back, deciding on the daily tasks and routines that will get you to where you need to be.

Where there is no vision, there is no hope - George Washington Carver

Finding a group of people who share the same objectives as you can greatly boost your chances of success, so you can move forward together on your journey.

I found more consistency in my writing goals when I found a group of like-minded writers online, for instance.

Also, I initiated the adoption of the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) system at Seamfix, which allows us to work together on shared objectives and get remarkable results.

2. Create your Daily Schedule Intentionally.

Being able to plan ahead is an important skill for organizing your day, staying focused and in control.

Design a routine that works for you, no matter if you are a morning or night person.

An option could be to do some exercise right when you wake up, or to not read your emails until you've done 2 - 3 hours of creative work.

Rather than spending my time at a desk, I try to make most of my product review meetings and 1-on-1 calls during the mornings and evenings, so that I can get out and take long walks while talking.

I've watched my partner, Chimezie organize his schedule so that he would tackle the jobs that would bring in more money first since it was the utmost priority to him.

Back in 2018 during a project for a major telco customer, their GM Monzer had a routine of checking up on open tasks every Sunday evening at 8pm.

On Monday morning when you opened your email, you found a list of emails from him asking you for updates on everything he was keeping track of.

Nothing ever slipped past him, setting the bar for the entire team for the whole week.

Taking time to plan out your tasks before you start them will make sure that you have a productive day instead of running around trying to reach multiple goals without a plan.

3. Incentivize Your Actions.

I know I'm not alone in this, but I have times where I have no enthusiasm for work. It's a struggle to get things done on days like this.

That's when incentives become effective.

You can train your brain to practice delayed gratification by setting up small rewards for yourself when you complete goals.

According to Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul University, an activity you enjoy can act as a motivator for something you don't enjoy.

Those who enjoy snacking can give themselves a small treat after they finish their tasks.

I tie my love of watching sports highlights and review shows on Youtube to exercising.

Watching them is something I look forward to, and it motivates me to exercise even on days I don't feel like it.

4. Engage in Self-Care.

Your body is like a finely tuned machine.

To get the most out of it in the long term, you have to take good care of it.

Your physical well-being and emotional state are key to staying productive.

So, getting a good night's rest is essential for staying mentally sharp.

Not getting enough sleep will limit your ability to be effective in the long run.

I have had a hard time getting quality sleep of up to 8 hours and I'm still trying to get better at it.

I'm usually up late, but I work with a lot of morning people and have to adjust to different time zones.

If I don't manage it well, it will cause me stress and possibly a breakdown.

Eating well, exercising, meditating and praying (if faith-based) are essential for restoring energy and avoiding burnout.

5. Stop Multitasking

Those who are constantly busy attempt to save time by multitasking or switching between tasks.

It looks like a time-saver, but it actually costs more time in the end.

It's been something I have had to work on, as I used to enjoy multitasking so much.

I've discovered that it takes me longer to complete the tasks I'm attempting to do simultaneously, rather than focusing on a single task.

Trying to stay focused and not multitask has been a tough habit for me to develop, especially when I'm in a rush.

It's better to be excellent at one or a few things than it is to be mediocre at several.

6. Work in Short, Focused Periods.

Studies have revealed that the human brain cannot focus on a task indefinitely.

The amount of time it takes may vary from one person to another,

I have booked out specific time for work in my daily calendar, with the longest periods of time in the beginning of the day when I am at my best.

During my in-between time, I take breaks, meetings, emails, and other administrative tasks.

A popular productivity principle that you can try is the Pomodoro Technique.

It involves working in 25-minute sessions followed by a five-minute break.

7. Prevent Interruptions and Distracting Apps

The majority of people in this digital age can't resist checking their email or social media apps within 10 minutes.

I am making an effort to better this habit. When your concentration is broken by notifications and conversations, it's hard to do deep work.

Certain studies have found that it can take up to 25 minutes to get back on track after these distractions.

To help me focus, I turn off notifications from the most intrusive apps on my phone and keep it in silent/vibration mode.

Instead of calling me, where possible, I request workmates to contact me via chat.

This allows me to decide when I will reply, as opposed to having to pick up a call and disturb my mental focus.

Productivity can be improved through changes in habits.

To reach peak productivity, you must adjust your working habits and lifestyle.

This is the most difficult part, particularly if your family and work environment have had a strong impact on your habits. 

You must have the maturity and self-discipline to get rid of what won't work and add in what helps you progress and reach more.

Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

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