Improving productivity is hard. We’d all like to be more productive, but the internet isn’t going to read itself. Plus, the usual time management tips usually fail to take into account the fact that we’re really fighting a battle against our own nature.
Enter these tips from Lifehacker, which focus on fooling your brain into being more productive.
Here are three of my favorites:
1. Use Procrastination to Your Advantage
If they gave out awards for putting things off, most of us would be twice as successful as we already are. The good news is that you can use this tendency to help you get things done. All you have to do is to change your to-do list slightly, making lesser tasks, like organizing your space, equally important to really essential tasks, like hitting that deadline. The original Very Important Task now seems more appealing, because you have other things to put off.
2. Take a Nap
Awesome scientists have determined that a fifteen to twenty minute nap taken between the hours of 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. boosts productivity.
3. Look at Pictures of Cute Baby Animals
We’ve covered this one before, but it’s worth repeating: looking at adorable pictures can make you up to 44 percent more productive. You might want to print that out and put it above your desk, alongside some wee sloths or kittens wearing hats, just in case the boss gets suspicious.
Tell Us What You Think
We want to hear from you! How do you fool yourself into getting things done? Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter, using the hashtag #MakeItHappen.
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(Photo Credit: Reza Ahmed/Flickr)
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