How often do you find yourself saying you wish you had more time in a day? More often than not we are saying this because we’re using the time we have wisely. We all have the same amount of time in a day. 24 hours. Yes, some of us wake up earlier and go to sleep later, allowing ourselves to have more hours in a functioning or working day. But in the end, we all have 24 hours. Are you using the time you are allowing yourself to work in productively? Jump over to this week’s podcast to learn about time management with productivity by clicking here.
The amount of time you allow yourself to work, grow, learn, and produce great results is dependent on the effort that you put in during the hours of productivity. Are you using your time wisely?
Being busy is more than just having multiple tasks that need to get done; crossing things off of your to-do list. It comes down to the accountability and the clarity of WHAT you are using your time for and if you are using it wisely to move needles and to grow in a positive direction.
Think about your day, evaluate how you are spending your time, and ask yourself. Are you using your time wisely? Or are you wasting time with unnecessary and time-consuming tasks (ie. scrolling through social media, spending a lot of time in the breakroom, online shopping)?
Your day begins from the moment you open your eyes in the morning. Therefore, the productivity clock begins then as well. What is the first thing you do?
Do you hop out of bed eager to begin your day and immediately begin with things that will set your day in motion in a positive manner such as drinking 16 oz of water, reading personal development, journaling or meditating? Or do you reach for your phone, scroll through Facebook, check all your emails, and sluggishly get out of bed in a negative mood from what you read?
Our minds are sponges and what we open them up to begins a routine and a habit. Filling our minds with the news and negative images interferes with our space and our mindset. And a negative mindset truly affects our productivity and the disciplines we desire to set ourselves up for success.
As important as our minds are for improving and increasing our productivity, our bodies are just as important. The types of foods that we put into our body affect our brains and how they function. Are you immediately reaching for the caffeine and tons of sugar? Or are you opting for some lemon water before your coffee? Are you choosing to move your body--whether with a full workout, a walk, or even just some stretching? These habits will begin to set you and your day in a forward and positive motion that will aid in you being productive with all of your time.
In order to grow into our most productive selves, we need to begin to reevaluate our days and how we are spending our time. Choose to fill your morning hours with habits that will move you forward and will prepare your mindset to remain positive throughout the day. Save things like scrolling Facebook and Instagram, online shopping, and watching YouTube videos for after work hours--when you let them take over your working hours, you are giving yourself less time than you already have to be productive on the tasks that are actually needle movers.
Breaking old or bad habits is not an easy feat, and it takes time. Begin by changing one thing tomorrow such as not checking your emails first thing in the morning and slowly work your way up to the bigger changes. After consistency and devotion, new, positive, and lifelong habits will have formed and will last.
The goals that you have for yourself will require overcoming some obstacles. However, it is up to you to not let a lack of productivity and robbed time be one of them!
Listen to this week’s podcast episode by clicking here to gain a lot more insight on the sense of productivity and using time wisely. (on ITunes and Podcast Addict)