Psychology Tricks That Will Help You Be More Productive

Always being productive is a challenging thing for most people. In the first place, it’s nearly impossible to be productive with all of your time. Even if you think you know some psychology tricks that could potentially get you to work longer, your brain is going to need a break so you can get a chance to breathe and relax.

You also have to find time during the day to take care of yourself. That might mean watching an episode of your favorite show or going to a yoga class.

On the other hand, knowing you can’t always be productive can trick you into not being productive at all. Why tackle that project at work if you know you can’t get it done in one sitting? Thoughts like this can creep into your mind and thwart your daily goals, no matter what kinds of psychology tricks you’ve been able to do in the past to help you focus.

The key to productivity is knowing yourself and how you operate. This changes over the course of your life. When you were younger, you’re motivated to finish your homework with candy. Now it might be more free time after work.

Get to know how your brain operates by trying some new psychology tricks to help you be more productive and happy. You may as well give it a shot, since trying a few is better than trying none at all.

1. Repeat Daily Affirmations

Changing the way you look at a situation is sometimes all you need to do to be more productive without maxing out your energy. Try to practice positivity and optimism every day in order to see this change in your life. Repeat mantras like, “I am smart enough to do this job” or “I’m the right person for this project.” Speak enough positivity into your life and it will begin to manifest itself.

2. Find Out Why You Procrastinate

Some people push off bedtime by cleaning around the house. Others pretend they’re too busy to work because they might have plans later on. In his book “The Art of Procrastination: a Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging and Postponing,” Stanford University’s John Perry talks about a collection of articles on procrastination. Everyone has their own motivation, he writes. It depends on what’s going on in your life. Analyze your situation to see what you gain by procrastinating, then eliminate that unhealthy goal.

3. Celebrate Progress

Everyone has some form of to-do list that dictates what they’re supposed to get done during the day. These can actually prove to increase your procrastination. Half of to-do list items are usually completed within a day, with 41 percent never being finished at all.

After the first big projects, you can look at a to-do list and feel discouraged at everything you still have to accomplish. Instead, celebrate with a reward of some kind, like a 10-minute break or a snack. You’ll feel motivated to get back to work.

4. Own Your Time

Over the course of a day, you’re going to have to do a lot of things. Make sure those things are worth your time. You don’t need to binge-watch the last five episodes of your favorite TV show before bed. Doing major deadlines at work are a good example.

Weigh what you need to do by importance and start with what’s most pressing, then work your way down from there. It’ll make tjin easier on you and more encouraging as tasks lighten up.

You don’t need to feel like you’re stuck in a procrastination rut. There are some easy tricks you can play on your mind to get you back up and running. Think outside the box to see if what’s on your to-do list is actually worth the time you’re giving it.

Celebrate every little accomplishment you make and repeat encouragements to yourself. Building up your self-confidence and managing your time are just a few ways you can change your mindset to be more productive.