Getting Things Done - GTD
Your Health and Stress-free Productivity: Top 5 Things to Know
AUTHOR: Mary Walton
All of us are different people with different habits. While it is easier for some people to get motivated and focused on what they’re doing, other people are struggling with keeping their productivity up while their stress levels are down. We have been all there from time to time, laying at bed awake at night thinking about your work and how you didn’t finish as much as you promised yourself. However, being stressed about your work tasks all the time can have serious consequences on your health, both physical and psychological. Some of the physical symptoms include headaches, muscular tension, heart palpations, sleeping problems, gastrointestinal problems, blood pressure problems, and many more. Psychologically, you might experience depression, anxiety, pessimism, being easily irritated, aggression, isolation, and many more.
Although there are many causes of work-related stress, some of the highest-ranked ones are organizational problems. If you are sure that you like your job, and that you’re good at it, chances are the only thing you lack is some better organizational skills and habits that will increase your productivity and leave no space for stress.
1. Removing clutter helps
Sometimes it’s true that the messier the space where you’re working is, the messier your thoughts are going to be. This is because you need to have as little distractions as possible around you and focus on the task at hand. However, you also need to have access to the things that you need in the middle of your tasks without working hard for it. It is easy to get distracted when you’re looking for something specific but can’t find it in the mess of your working space. Because of this, it is in your best interest to create an environment that is clean and easy to maneuver. Some tips connected to this are: clean your inbox, or separate it into folders that are clearly distinguishable, and make an effort to throw out everything that you don’t need.
2. Plan, plan, and plan
If you want to have a stress-free working day, the best you can do is to prepare beforehand. Once you know what to expect for the following day, how to do it, when to do it, and what results to expect, the majority of the stress will vanish. The first thing you can do is add times to your tasks. Simply predict how much time will something take and then try to stick to it. Make sure you add some breaks in between your tasks because nobody can be concentrated all the time. What’s even a better idea, is to put little breaks as rewards every time you finish a difficult task. That way, you will have something to look forward to.
3. Saying “No” is sometimes crucial
We have all been there, having too much to do and then somebody asks you to do even more. We feel like we shouldn’t say no to people, especially if they are people that are important in the workplace. However, it is by far better, to be honest, and say no to a certain request, then to do a poor job both at the new request and your own tasks. In most of the healthy working environments, the partners, bosses, coworkers will understand if your plate is full. Knowing how to detox out the tasks that you can’t possibly finish, may be the difference between a productive stress-free workday, and the complete opposite.
4. Chilling out when you’re not at work is a must
There are some days where you just can’t finish what you planned even if it’s planned very neatly. There are a number of reasons why. A simple headache can make things run not so smoothly. And that is okay. Don’t try to finish everything no matter the price. Try not to bring the work home with you because that is just bad for your mental health. When you’re home use the time to relax and recover from the difficult times at the office. Try not to overthink about how far behind you are and limit the times that you check your email.
5. Use the GTD method
GTD or Getting Things Done method is a method that is not like any other management method out there. Most of the management methods focus on time by encouraging the usage of calendar-based systems or prioritizing. The GTD method preaches that our productivity is proportional to our ability to relax. When you’re relaxed is when you have the ultimate control over the situation. It surely is important to be on time and to be correct, but being in a relaxed state is what is crucial. The same principle is applied to martial arts and many other fields in life.
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