I know we have touched on this topic last month however I would like to share with you my thoughts and ideas that I have gathered from people smarter than me to help aid your daily productivity and improve your sleeping patterns.
If your a little wild minded like myself and find it hard to start your daily tasks or find yourself over thinking things at night resulting in a horrendous nights sleep, don’t worry we are all in the same boat.
So below are some secrets and techniques to help better your productivity all taken from some of the best minds on the planet, so please take 10 mins out of your day to read them, its only going to benefit you in the long run people.
1. For those that struggle to fall asleep right away avoid bright lights upto an hour before bed (Laptops). Try to do something mundane to block out and overwrite any looping thoughts from the day that may affect your sleep. For example Jane Mcgonigal (PHD) suggests 10 minutes of Tetris before you go to sleep or watching a short uplifting episode from a TV series you’ve seen before (My recommendation is the Office).
2. 5-10 reps of any exercise upon waking. This one takes less than a minute people, this isn’t supposed to be a workout but a simple mind and body primer as it fires up your nervous system for the day ahead. Perform your 5-10 reps, put the kettle (Tea or Coffee) on have a shower and get dressed. Follow this up with the tricks in point 3 and 4 and I promise your productivity will increase.
3. Following your morning tea and coffee try to write down no more than 3-5 issues that make you the most anxious or tense, things that you have been putting off day after day. Then for each item you have written down ask yourself, if this was the only thing I got done today would I be happy? and if so will it make all the other things easier? If you answered yes to any of them, pick ONE of those things and focus on that ONE thing for one 2 hour block out of your day. If you find yourself getting distracted don’t worry we all do, its okay, take a breather and come back to that ONE to do.
4. Daily meditation, try to fit in 10-20mins out of your day (Usually in the AM). There are a outrageous number of options you can try for this but the best and easiest option I feel is the Headspace App, they do a free ‘Take 10’ option which aids you through a 10 day cycle of 10mins meditation a day which you can cycle for ever and ever. Numerous athletes and businessmen and women swear by the app and how it has changed their lives. I myself have just started my own 10 day cycle so I’m keen to see what it can do for me.
5. Finally some food for thought, read the statement below carefully and ask yourself is this me?
Being busy is a form of laziness, lazy thinking and non-selective action. In a nutshell being busy is often used as a masquerade for avoiding the few critical and more important actions we need to address on a daily basis. (Tim Ferris, Tools of Titans).
Take what you want from this blog guys, all the info is there to help you, I would advise trying at least one or two of the above for 10 days at least, if they don’t work then thats fine maybe something else will. Never underestimate yourself people even if you feel like your fighting a losing battle sometimes, your not alone.
Rob and the Compello team.
Credit: Tim Ferriss Tools of Titans.