Productivity Hacks
- leahrochellep
- Feb 17
- 4 min read
Sometimes it's painfully difficult to get going. I've fallen victim to staring at an empty Word doc for hours before actually writing anything. Or procrastinating productivity with a nap, a movie, a video game, or just laying on the floor with Frodo. Anything, really, to put off what needs to be done.
However, there are several 'hacks' I've learned to maximize my productivity when I'm struggling. I'm sharing these as part of the #writerfriendschallenge for February, which is over on Instagram! Read below for details about each hack.
Maximize 'Productive' Modes. Occasionally I will have a day where I have the spirit and energy to just, for lack of a better phrase, get shit done. Even if I don't have much on the docket or have planned a low key eye, I will make sure to take advantage of the feeling. I have a running list of 'to do' items at all times that I'll reference, trying to cross off as many as possible while I'm in the zone. This isn't just related to writing/author tasks, but cleaning, household chores, and other miscellaneous responsibilities that come with adulthood.
Eliminate Distractions. Nowadays it's so easy to get used to being constantly inundated with stimuli. I have trouble even sitting for a movie without playing a game on my phone. There's so much going on and so much at our fingertips with phones, tv, computers, etc, and it's incredibly difficult to focus and get things done with the temptation to pick up the phone and doom scroll right there. When I'm struggling with this, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb and turn off the tv or music so I can focus solely on the task at hand.
Sprints. While I find these to be very helpful for writing, I'm sure you could apply this tool/method to any other goal. A sprint is a short dedicated amount of time to focus on your task. For example, I will typically utilize a bot in a discord server for Writers to set up a 25 minute sprint. Myself and anyone else in the server who happens to be available to write can then join in on the sprint. While the sprint is going, we do nothing but put our noses to the ground and write as much as we can during those 25 minutes. Once the sprint is over, we share progress and word counts. The timer (and combining my 'eliminate distractions' hack during the sprint's duration) help spur me on.
Accountability. Tell someone else what you're working on and the goal. Or, join a group where you can share progress. Having accountability partners can be so helpful for keeping you on track. For me, this is the Writing group I'm in on discord. We share monthly status updates, project details, struggles, and achievements whilst supporting each other. If you aren't in a group, you can share with a real life friend or family member as well.
Celebrate the wins. It's easy to focus on what we haven't done, or what we still need to do, and sometimes that can bog us down or overwhelm us. Take some time to celebrate the things you have completed or achieved, instead of dwelling on what is yet to come.
Bear in mind that these are things that are helpful to me in particular. Everyone has their own unique process, or things that make them tick, so what works for me may not work for you. If you use any of these techniques yourself, and/or find them helpful, please comment below to let me know!
What am I reading right now? Change Your Energy: Healing Crystals for Health, Wealth, Love & Luck by Krista N. Mitchell
Crystals have fascinated me for many years. I don't know if I believe in their power, in fact I don't think I do, but I think they're pretty and fun and the mystical qualities they possess intrigue me. I picked up this book out of pure curiosity. Krista N. Mitchell is a crystal healer known as the 'rock whisperer.' Along with instructions and guides on using crystals for healing and achieving goals, Mitchell works a lot of real life examples from her experiences into the book. These are often clients which approached her with a struggle, the crystal recommendation she provided, and then the client resolving the issue after using the crystals. I wonder often if this is simply placebo affect, however if just having the crystals and believing in them allow the users to accomplish their goals that's still a magic all on it's own, isn't it? Either way, I'll never know if it's real or not. I can choose to believe for the fun of it all. However, all the clearing and charging crystals require sounds like a lot of work, so I doubt I will be utilizing much of the advice in this book.
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