What Can Make You Productive and How?

By: Julia Volovelsky 

Have you ever seen someone on social media posting something like “Spend a Productive Day With Me”? If so, how does it make you feel? Does it make you want to become productive? If so, you came to the right place. This information will tell you what you need to know, such as methods, strategies, and habits to apply.

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Methods of the Mind

The essential component of productivity is mindset. When you have a poor mindset, your actions reflect it. This could cause stress, anxiety, or even depression.

To illustrate this, I will be giving two different perspectives on high schoolers’ test-taking ability. Imagine someone who has an Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) exam this upcoming Friday. She has been studying for weeks and believes that she will pass this exam. As she continuously prepares for the exam with confidence and belief, she has the ability to stay productive. The day of the exam rolls around, and she proceeds to take it. Months later, the results come out. Little does she know the confidence she had led her to success and got her a five on this test. Now imagine someone else (perhaps a guy). He also has his APUSH exam this upcoming Friday, yet he has not touched his notes all year. He tells himself, “I am not smart enough to pass this test. I know I will fail.” It is now Thursday, the day before the final exam, and he is studying like there is no tomorrow. But by the next morning, he cannot retain any of the information, which causes him to fail his exam.

Another way to put this into perspective is that being a procrastinator and having no confidence in yourself will not get you the results you want. So, in order to fix that, make sure to believe in yourself and do your work on time.

Overall, having a positive attitude can lead to your first step in being productive. You should try it.

Time is Key, Implement a Routine

USE YOUR TIME WISELY. I REPEAT, USE YOUR TIME WISELY. You know when you are in class and your teacher says that. Well, they are right. Another major key in becoming productive is time management. Make sure to manage your time wisely to make the most out of your day, week, month, or even year. How can you do this, you may ask?

A habit to implement is a routine. You do not need one of those crazy 4 am morning routines. Having a simple and consistent routine will have an incredible impact on your productivity. A routine can look like waking up at whatever time you need to, making your bed, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, eating breakfast, cleaning up after you eat, getting some sunlight in your eyes, reading ten pages of a book, and going to the gym. But if you are not used to having a daily routine, start small then end big. That is what starts to make you productive and consistent.

DO NOT go straight into a complex routine if you are not used to it. It will make your progress inconsistent, and you will lack motivation to do it. Instead, implement little things at a time, including waking up thirty minutes earlier than you usually do, eating breakfast in the morning, making your bed every morning, or simply taking a walk outside after you have woken up. That way you have no excuses not to do these simple tasks. Nevertheless, make a routine that suits your lifestyle.

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However, it is not only about your morning routine, it is also about your night routine. If you do not have a good night routine, you will not have a good morning. Applying a basic set of rules before bed can help your night go smoother. Scientists have discovered that blue light from our devices can affect your natural melatonin. In other words, DO NOT USE ANY DEVICES THIRTY MINUTES TO AN HOUR BEFORE BED IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET THE BEST REST. Another point to add is eating habits. Try to eat two to three hours before bed to completely digest your food. If you do not, your body has to work at night to digest it, giving you minimal time for your body to recover. But again, start with simple steps in your routine.

So, using your time wisely will be beneficial in the long run. You should try it.

Goals/Reasons

Having a goal and a system will be your motivation to get you on track to becoming productive. According to the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, a goal is “the results you want to achieve” (Clear, 23), while a system means “the process that leads to those results” (Clear, 23).

Starting with goals, what do you want to achieve? Some examples may include getting better grades, going to sleep earlier, limiting screen time, or creating a better diet. Now, how will you achieve these goals? Do what needs to be done, whether it is the hardest thing or the easiest, just do it. An example of this would be deleting social media in order to cut down your screen time (I did this, and it really helped stop my phone addiction) or simply meal prepping your food so you have no excuse not to eat healthier. Creating a system will definitely help your productivity levels.

Having goals for yourself will help with productivity. You should try it.

Conclusion

Productivity is motivation, time, and mindset. You can definitely do this. I believe in you. Start small and end big.