How to Start Being Productive?

Mark Twain once said "The secret to getting ahead is getting started" and it holds as true for Productivity as for anything else. Most of us compromise on remaining unproductive for our inability to start in the right manner. 

If achieving productivity was that easy, then I wouldn't have felt the need to write this post/ article and you also would not have felt the need to read it. Productivity is not an impromptu or ad-hoc act of action but a process of deliberate intention and action.

If starting to get productive is a challenge, then staying productive is a bigger challenge. But one thing that can make it happen for us is to "PREPARE to be PRODUCTIVE" and it can't get any simpler than this to start (and sustain) our productivity journey. 

Better Productivity comes with Better Preparation and Planning. The cues are always present to help us find whether we are on the right track or not. Here are three simple tips that will surely help us in starting productivity in the right manner.

1. Getting more mindful and observant about our routine. The more aware and attentive we are, the more productive we would get. Knowing what we are doing and why we are doing it is the cornerstone of productivity. Tracking how we tend to spend our day gives plenty of insights into what may be going wrong with our productivity. 

2. Paying attention to the environmental triggers. Knowing what pushes us away or pulls us towards productivity helps us manage our approach better. There are plenty of small and big things that may impact our productivity and knowing what triggers them always helps us become more cautious and conscious of our actions.  

3. Noticing our habits. The patterns we follow or exhibit say a lot about whether we are being rational or biased in our approach. Many times, our productivity takes a hit because we tend to operate out of our comfort zone and stop to look beyond the obvious. If it's time to change our habits for becoming better at productivity, then any further delay only leads to worsening the situation. 

In the end, it's all boils down to finding out what's ailing your productivity and what's aiding it.

So, if you find yourself stuck, it's time to ask yourself -  "What's stopping me from PREPARING (to be PRODUCTIVE)?

The Art of Getting Unstuck

There are times when situations, circumstances, or people may put us in a precarious position and all we do then is to remain static. There's nothing at all that we achieve by remaining where we are. The nature of life is growth and progression and if we stop evolving, we are doomed and only land up in an abyss.

Think no harder, there's a simple way to avoid landing in such a scenario.

Moving from a STUCK state to an UNSTUCK one is just about a few MOVEs. 

Whenever we find ourselves stuck, the following are the possible MOVEs that we can make to get UNSTUCK

• Move ON - When past hurts or regrets haunt us and we feel trapped, it's time to move on from them for our own sake. The past is only as good as a lesson we need to learn to improve our present and future. The more we are stuck with the past, the more damage we will do to our dreams and goals. 

• Move AWAY - When we seem, even a bit in control of things, then pulling ourselves away from things keeping us stuck in life, is a good move. Detaching from things and situations that are harmful to our growth in life is a good way to make the best of our lives.

• Move AHEAD - Comfort Zone is a killer if you stay in it for too long. Falling trap to this make-believe is like compromising on our dreams and risking us to remain mediocre. We are here to make the most of our innate potential, most of which may be lying dormant. Every small step forward aids in that.

• Move WITHIN - When things get too overwhelming for us to handle, it may result in action paralysis and leave us stuck. Our inability to progress for want of positive action necessitates that we move to a peaceful place within to calm our nerves and restore our creative energy.

These simple MOVEs could be our savior every time we feel stuck in life. So, getting unstuck is as simple as deciding about the right MOVE to take!