2021 has been quite a year. Lockdowns, vaccines and new lockdowns. It undoubtedly hasn’t improved our productivity compared to last year.
My new year’s resolutions always vaguely disappear as the champagne is gone on January 1st. I usually try to work out more, get more work done, and more of that. But this year, I want to get more productive in general, not just for work — for every aspect of my life.
In this article, I’ll talk to you about seven habits that will improve your productivity for 2022.
1. No Multitasking — It Doesn’t Work
They always say that men can’t multitask, and that’s true. But so can’t women. As we try to do multiple tasks simultaneously, we surrender productivity.
Our brains are designed to be perfect at things — but only when we are entirely focussed on that one thing. There has been a lot of research on multitasking, and all the conclusions are pretty much the same: it hinders your processing.
When you focus on one thing at a time, you are most productive because you can ‘get in the flow’ and don’t get distracted by something else.
So when you want to get more productive, avoid multitasking.
2. One Step At A Time — Overkill Will Cost You
Have you ever started a huge project; it can be a school project or work. When you look at it, you feel like you don’t want to start—that kind of project.
One of the things you can try working on in 2022 is slicing up big tasks into multiple smaller ones because how bigger your project or task is, the more likely it is that you will procrastinate or even not do it at all.
Completing smaller tasks is more accessible, and you feel much more fulfilled after finishing some of them instead of not finishing the big one at all. Psychologically that makes a massive difference because we experience it as something we’ve completed.
3. Wake Up Early — Improve Your Concentration
Waking up early improves our concentration, and that is inherent to productivity.
One of the things people don’t realize is that once you wake up, your brain hasn’t ‘really woken up.’ It’s still in standby mode, and you need to take it easy first. Some people wake up fast, and then there’s me — I need at least one hour to ‘really wake up.’
If you wake up an hour before you initially wake up — you are acclimated adequately by the time you need to use your brain.
Waking up earlier also allows you to get some more work done or do a workout that you don’t get the time for on a day when you wake up later.
And besides the productivity, you will feel much better since you have the feeling you are using every second of your day properly.
4. Create A Structured Planning — Organization Is Everything
Creating helpful planning is everything when you want to be more productive — without good planning, you’ll fail in the end. Planning out everything you want to do gives you a good insight into the amount of work you still need to do.
One of the things that bother me when I don’t have a plan is that I think about the things I need to do all the time — it stresses me out and costs productivity.
Make a list or a scheme with everything you need to do, in a day, a week, or maybe even a month — just what suits your plan. Once you do that, everything only gets easier. It’s like slicing everything up but then with concrete targets on when to achieve them.
You can cross them off once you have completed your tasks — you can even tweak your planning when you are on schedule. That’s how you get more work done.
5. Taking Breaks To Energize
Once you’re busy for a long time, you might feel empty from the inside. That’s your signal to take a break; you need to regain your energy.
When I work straight for 4–6 hours without breaks, I’m so tired afterward — that’s not how you get more productive.
To take an effective break, go for a walk, have a drink, a snack — anything to get your mind off your word. And do this multiple times a day, especially when you’re working from home. Workout a break schedule for yourself and keep yourself to it — it’s essential for your productivity and health.
6. Don’t Take Every Job
People who take every single job offer they get can be overworked. When you want to be as productive as possible, know when to decline an offer. You should always know which projects are beneficial to you and not bring down your productivity.
In most situations, this is caused by the need for money — you want to earn as much money as possible. But if you take too many projects and in the end aren’t able to finish one at all, you don’t have any money earned.
7. A Productive Work Environment
Everyone has a distinct idea of what constitutes a good work environment. Highly productive individuals know exactly where they want to work — whether at the workplace, the park, a coffee shop, or even their bedroom.
If you’re working from home, be sure to make your workspace as effective as possible.