It has been about four months since most of us have been stuck at home and many of us are losing track of our time. Procrastination is at an all time high and productivity at an all time low. I, your author, am no exception to this trend. I had a full two weeks to write this article but I “forgot” to do it until two days before the deadline. Sounds familiar?
In regards to this rising trend, experts have various opinions on how to stay on top of schedule. For example, UNICEF suggests that in moments of turbulence people should establish a “daily routine - a schedule - that will keep your feet firmly to the ground.” Jim Kwik, a brain performance and learning expert, has seconded that opinion. He argues that in addition to having a daily structure, working smartly or finding the easiest way to do things and taking care of one’s mental health are equally important to increasing productivity during times of change. Furthermore, business expert Jennifer Kem has a similar but different way of handling this issue. She asserts that creating a good connection with other people, serving one’s community, and expanding one’s creativity are all good ways to “keep the momentum going”.
In recent years, there has been a new approach to time management called “attention management”. Organizational psychologist Adam Grant suggests that it is the way to “prioritize the people and projects that matter” regardless of the time it takes. Furthermore, it is about “getting things done for the right reasons, in the right places and at the right moments”. In regards to what is right, that can differ from person to person. Yet, attention management is the same for everyone in that people naturally “gravitate toward projects that are personally interesting and socially meaningful” and that usually a downfall in productivity is caused not by a “lack of efficiency, but a lack of motivation”.
There are many other new approaches to increasing productivity, and they can all bring something valuable to the people employing them. Ultimately, it is being conscious about what one’s doing and how one’s doing it brings the first step to becoming more productive.
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