5 Things You Can Do to Increase Your Productivity in 2022

Walking into a new year, we all have a few things we’d like to improve. New year’s resolutions don’t always have to be drastic and after the last two years of the pandemic diaries, it’s ok to show yourself some love. But, if you’ve decided this is the year you’d like to stop procrastinating and up the ante on your productivity, this article has been written just for you.

What is productivity?

Before we deep dive into how to increase your productivity, let’s understand what it is exactly. Productivity is all about getting the most out of your time. Productivity is a measure of how much output is produced relative to the amount of input used. In other words, it is a measure of how efficient you are. You don’t want to be spending 5 hours on something that could have taken you 2. 

Now that we’ve cleared up what productivity actually means, let’s dive into our top 5 tips to increase your productivity this year.

1. Designated working and study space

Something that simply has to be on the top of the list is making sure you have a designated area work or study from. Life is distracting enough, having the TV playing tempting series in the background is not going to set you up for study success. Creating your own focus space is highly beneficial to increase your productivity. Especially when distance learning or working from home, having designated areas helps to maintain normalcy and create a necessary divide between our work and leisure.

2. Say no to multi-tasking

As tempting as it can be to do a few bits and bobs at the same time, with the hopes of smashing a few things off your to-do list at once, multitasking simply does not work. In fact, neuroscientists have claimed in numerous reports that the human brain simply does not work in a way that allows for efficient multitasking. You’re much better off designating time frames to different tasks in order to complete them adequately and efficiently.

3. Take more breaks

Incorporating breaks into your daily routine is actually highly beneficial to your productivity. How? Put it this way, when you’re working on your laptop and you have multiple things going, you might notice things start to slow down, or your device starts to get hot. No one and nothing can constantly be in a state of focus for a very long period of time. Consider scheduling mini-breaks into your day to allow for your brain to relax in between working or studying.

4. Set goals and reward yourself

As humans, we are wired by a certain reward system. Consider using this to your advantage in order to be more productive this year. For example, if you finish X task by X date, you earn half a day at the beach. Perhaps you’d like to complete a tedious module ahead of its due date, what’s your reward for hitting that goal? Plan these out in advance so you always have something to work toward.

5. Create daily to-do lists

Never underestimate the power of a to-do list. Having everything you need to complete in front of you will allow you to see what needs more focus and assist you in planning your day for maximum productivity. Having these to-do lists will also aid you in your mission to stop multitasking!

Bonus tips for getting more done this year

As actionable as our favourite productivity tips are we know everything is easier said than done. So, we’ve curated some bonus tips to help you stay on the productivity path.

Having an application on your smartphone or laptop that tells you when you’re entering a focus phase of your day is highly underrated. Consider using one of these apps to try out the Pomodoro method. You can also block out focus time in your calendar, or try out the time blocking technique to manage your day more effectively.

As great as a weekly pen and paper to-do list is, it’s not always the most effective way to get things done. Fortunately, there are many apps available that will help you organise your tasks, time and day. One we’re loving is Asana, which has free and premium versions. Another popular tool taking the world by storm recently is Notion. Try a few tools out and see what works for you!

Nothing is as important as taking care of yourself. If you see what you eat as fuel for your body, you become more conscious of what you’re eating and how your diet can help you get through even the busiest day. Food has a direct impact on your cognitive performance, so choosing meals wisely should be something all of us pay more attention to this year.

We’ve all heard that 8 hours is how much sleep we should be getting, but how many of us can actually say we’re getting close to that? Start prioritising sleep as a way to refresh and re-energise your brain for a new day. It is also widely known that when you suffer from sleep deprivation your decision-making abilities are often impaired and it can be much harder to stay focused or learn new things. Get those 8 hours of Z’s in and see how much your day can change, for the better!

Want more tips like this? Take a look at some distance learning study tips that our students have shared.