The winter blues can be a very real experience for many Kiwis. With colder, gloomier days, it’s no wonder that many of us experience low energy, low motivation, and perhaps a decrease in our productivity.
As we continue through the winter, keeping positive and maintaining productivity will help get us through to summer. We have gathered our top 7 tips to help you maintain productivity and beat the winter blues.
Many of us work from home these days. It’s vital that we are connected to a speedy internet that rarely buffers or lags, so we can avoid frustration, and being slowed down. Run a speed test and then jump on Broadband Compare to see if you can switch to a broadband plan that offers faster speeds for a better deal. Faster internet can unlock your productivity by eliminating buffering, frustrations, and delivering performance that helps you stay focused and achieve.
Each morning, set yourself a small goal for the day. Perhaps it is as simple as completing the most important task on your To-Do list. Keeping a To-Do list is a great way to visualise your daily tasks, and tick things off as you complete them. Ticking things off can show you your progress, and help form clarity around what you have left to do. You can reward yourself with each thing you tick off, such as a 5 minute break or a walk to the coffee shop.
The Pomodoro method is a productivity hack in which you set a timer to work for 20 minutes, then give yourself a 5 minute break. You repeat this process four times and then take a longer break, usually 15-20 minutes.
Everyone has points in the day where they feel more tired, and other times where they feel more alert and productive. Maybe your most productive time is right after your breakfast and coffee? You could try to schedule meetings around your productive hours so you can put your head down and crank out some work or creativity.
Rest? Isn’t that not productive? Well, actually, getting proper rest is one of the best things you can do for your productivity. There are different types of rest, too. There’s physical rest, mental and emotional rest, spiritual rest. Be intentional about getting a full night’s sleep, and making sure you are resting your body and mind each day. Identify your most effective resting activities, whether that be watching your favourite show, gaming, reading, painting. It is just as important to prioritise your rest as it is to prioritise your work.
Take a few minutes towards the end of your day to plan tasks for tomorrow. Write them down in a list of importance, or order you’d like to do them in. That way, you can start the next day with a clear objective for the day, and it can help push you out of the motivation rut you may be experiencing during the winter months.
Moving your body is one of the best ways to help with focus. Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, and can help you think, learn, problem solve and boosts cognitive function. So it’s a great way to improve your focus and mind clarity so you can tackle even the most strenuous tasks at work or school.
The mindset of wanting to always be perfect at work, school, or your creative project can actually hinder your performance and productivity. Instead of focusing on completing a task perfectly, try to focus on making small steps, and on your progress. If you can tick off a task on your to-do list, you are making progress and you’re doing great. You can even try setting an allotment of time for a certain task. For example, set yourself half an hour to write a paragraph for your university essay. Don’t edit. Don’t read it. Simply write, and stop when the timer goes off. You can always come back to edit later, after you have given yourself a break. But at least you have made progress!
Jump on Broadband Compare to compare the different broadband plans available to you. You may be able to find a plan that delivers faster speeds for a better price! Get connected, avoid buffering, and boost your productivity this winter by switching to a better broadband deal! You may even be able to enjoy the joining perks of switching to a new provider – such as a free subscription to a streaming platform for a year! How good is that? Talk about getting some meaningful rest in!
