Personal Productivity
Top Productivity Systems That Can Help With Personal Productivity
AUTHOR: Rachel Eleza
If you have observed very well, distractions can come in various ways while you are tending to a particular assignment. It is so bad that even when you are bound by a fast-approaching deadline, you find yourself succumbing to some form of distraction. For example, you are in the middle of doing an article, your phone is nearby and then a notification on Facebook pops up letting you know it is a close friend’s wedding anniversary. You get tempted to send a quick message and before you know it, picture reminders of years past start popping up also and you remember you were working after an hour of being on Facebook!
Distractions are normal and trying to be productive is not easy. However, it is more difficult when you are trying to be more productive with physical efforts. To stay productive more effectively, productivity systems are essential because they have methodologies that help you avoid streaks of unproductivity. It will help you manage your time and do the things you set yourself out to do.
The University of California conducted a study on disturbances and how long an average disturbance lasts. They found out that it took an average of 23 minutes for someone who got distracted from work to get back to it. So, do the math for three different distractions for one job that was to last about 20 minutes. You would be completing the job in 90 minutes! Let us have a look at some of the top productivity systems.
To-Do List System
The name ‘To-Do List’ is pretty explanatory. It is one of the most-used productivity systems and it is very easy to use in creating a priority list of tasks. There is a manual form of this system as well as a digital one, and you can use any of them. There are also several variations to the To-Do List system and one example is the Ivy Lee method. It is a simple and effective variation that helps set goals and know which ones to do before the other and not postpone any. If you had been pushing forward some tasks to future dates only to push forward again when those dates arrived, you can use this system to set things right. Let’s say you have had to build a website amongst other tasks but the website is the most important on the list which you had been postponing, you can put it on top of the list. This system is sure to help you achieve your aim this time.
Time Blocking System
This is a productivity system that can be used to manage one’s time. It involves dividing some periods, say a month into different smaller blocks. Each block stands for a specific to-do task. The size of each block determines how long of the one month you should dedicate to a particular task. It is like incorporating a calendar with a to-do list, more like scheduling.
Bullet Journaling
This system is designed to become whatever you need it to be. Sometimes known as BuJo, it organizes schedules, to-dos, reminders, and any other organizational task into a single notebook. As the name suggests, you use abbreviated bullet points to log pieces of information. It is a popular method on Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest.
Kanban
This productivity system is popular for implementing agile and DevOps software development. It was developed by Toyota to achieve greater efficiency during manufacturing but the Agile framework has made it possible to apply it to other fields like software development and healthcare. It works by using a digital platform like Jira or a whiteboard and sticky note collections as a personal Kanban board.
Pomodoro Technique
This system involves breaking your day into a period of work and rest. It is a simple format that doesn’t allow for too many complications like to-do lists or other incorporated techniques. It works just like a timer. You just set say a 30 minutes timer for continuous working and then when the alarm beeps, you take a short break which can be timed too, and then the process continues. Very simple a technique but you will have to be disciplined enough to adhere to it.
Single Tasking System
This system aims at not getting yourself confused with too many tasks going on at the same time. It involves doing one task at a time with no distractions or interruptions. Once you are through with a task, you take on the next task and see it through till the end.
GTD (Getting Things Done)
This productivity system is like the reason behind all the other productivity systems. It involves breaking your workflow down into five significant stages.
- Capture: Noting everything that requires attention
- Clarify: Are they executable or not
- Organize: Put the reminders in right place
- Reflect: Continuous reassessment of what you have been doing so far to know if you are on track
- Engage: Trusting the process and getting started.
If you intend to keep everything in order at every stage of your work activities, this is the productivity system to use. What’s even better GTD can also be used with teams in order to reach better results.
Final Word
Most companies hand down deliverables to their employees every week, expecting a feedback report at the end of the week and then dishing across another set of assignments. Discipline during work hours is usually difficult and if you don’t want yourself having issues at work, you will need to think up ways to stay productive. These top productivity systems can help you achieve that goal of always turning in assignments in time.
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