Productivity Hacks from a Finalist

Ah, time! If only there was more of it… In fact, this isn’t usually the problem. There IS enough time. It’s just about harnessing it correctly, so you get the most out of what you have. As a Finalist, I’m always looking to improve my productivity…and even if sometimes I give in to a lazy (slightly hungover) morning in bed, most of the time, these tips save me. So let me share them with you…

• A successful morning starts with the night before

I live by this! What this means is plan your day before you go to sleep. Pick what tasks you are going to do and envisage what they look like when completed. Writing down ‘I will revise Lecture 6 of module X’ won’t be a great deal of help. Think about what it looks like to have Lecture 6 of module X revised: how you will go about it and when in your day it will be achieved.

• Eat the Frog

Start with the biggest, ugliest and most brain-demanding task first. Achieving this will have you feeling significantly more positive, and the rest of the day will be a breeze, in comparison.

• Urgent/Importance Matrix

If I’m feeling extra, I’ll take an extra five minutes to do this when I write my to-do list. It’s particularly helpful when you are really pushed for time and need to dedicate your energy to the most important and urgent tasks.

• Time-blocking

Put similar tasks together. For example, I would chunk the gym on its own, then I might put a chunk in for my dissertation, then a chunk in for revision, and then a chunk for going out with my pals. Breaking up the day makes it easier to see what you need to achieve at different time points.

• Schedule everything into your diary

Writing it down keeps you organised and it means you know exactly what you need to be doing and when. Even those cheeky midweek cocktails with your pals – write it all down. This is important and actually makes you more productive: if I know I am out in the evening, then I am more inclined to get my work done on time in the day.

• Focus music + phone in a separate room = deep work

Accessing that flow in your work is the fastest way to success. Just as picking up your phone every 10 minutes is the fastest way NOT to. I am much less distracted if I have focus music on and my phone out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind!