{"id":4744,"date":"2018-02-05T06:02:06","date_gmt":"2018-02-05T14:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/?p=4744"},"modified":"2018-02-05T06:02:06","modified_gmt":"2018-02-05T14:02:06","slug":"highly-productive-people-12-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/highly-productive-people-12-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Unconventional Habits Of Highly Productive People"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is not enough to be busy\u2026
\nThe question is:\u00a0 What are you busy doing?<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always been someone driven to excel and make the most out of this wild ride called life.<\/p>\n

So when I read Tim Ferriss\u2019 book\u00a0The 4-Hour Workweek<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0a new world of possibilities opened up to me.\u00a0 After discovering his personal productivity tips, I knew the way I worked was never going to be the same.<\/p>\n

Over the ensuing 18 months I diligently applied Ferriss\u2019 strategies, from utilizing Parkinson\u2019s Law to following the 80\/20 Principle, to eliminating distractions and batching tasks.\u00a0 And I saw solid results.<\/p>\n

But always looking to optimize, I decided to take it a step further.\u00a0 I decided to see if I could \u201cout-Tim Ferriss\u201d Tim Ferriss.<\/p>\n

So I spent some additional time studying the habits of other successful people \u2013 reading their books, blogs, etc. to see what was working for them.\u00a0 And then I started experimenting with a variety of these strategies also to see just how productive I could get.<\/p>\n

Some of my experiments failed, but many were resounding successes.\u00a0 Today, I want to share 12 unconventional productivity strategies that worked well for me.\u00a0 As I built habits around each of them, my daily efforts became noticeably more<\/span>\u00a0efficient.\u00a0 And I\u2019m confident they can do the same for you.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Meditate<\/h3>\n

By now I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard about all the wonderful health and cognitive benefits meditation offers.\u00a0 But did you know Stanford University researchers consider it the\u00a0#1 way to boost willpower<\/a>?\u00a0 Regular meditation increases grey matter in the prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making.\u00a0 Over time, you\u2019ll greatly improve your ability to avoid distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.\u00a0 To learn how to start meditating, check out\u00a0this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Optimize Your Morning Ritual<\/h3>\n

How you spend your first waking hour sets the tone for the rest of your day.\u00a0 In his program\u00a0Get the Edge<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0peak performance coach Tony Robbins strongly encourages taking at least 15 minutes every morning to get your body and mind in an optimal state.\u00a0 This can be done through meditation, visualization, physical activity, prayer, reading, practicing gratitude, yoga, journaling, or even taking a walk around the block.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Visualize Your Ideal Day<\/h3>\n

It is common practice among elite athletes to visualize their performance before game-time.\u00a0 Golf legend Jack Nicklaus once said, \u201cI never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my mind.\u201d\u00a0 You can use the same strategy to increase your productivity.\u00a0 First, get clear on what you want to accomplish during the day, then visualize yourself going through the different activities swiftly and efficiently.\u00a0 Once you open your eyes, you\u2019ll be ready to make your own day a masterful performance.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Rest Before You\u2019re Tired<\/h3>\n

One of the keys to optimal productivity is to stay mentally fresh through the day.\u00a0 Productivity expert Tony Schwartz, author of the book\u00a0The Power of Full Engagement<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0tells us, \u201cHuman beings are designed to pulse rhythmically between spending and renewing energy.\u00a0 That\u2019s how we operate at our best.\u201d\u00a0 In other words, a great way to avoid fatigue is to take one or two small breaks every hour.\u00a0 I personally use the app\u00a0Time Out<\/em><\/a>\u00a0which basically blocks me out of my computer for 10 minutes every 50 minutes.\u00a0 By resting regularly, you\u2019ll keep your energy up and get more done over the course of a day.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Get Active During Your Breaks<\/h3>\n

What should you do to optimize your 10-minute break?\u00a0 While it may be tempting to head straight to Facebook, that\u2019s not your best bet.\u00a0 What I\u2019ve found to be optimal is 5 minutes of physical activity (50 jumping jacks, 20 push-ups and 20 squats) which increases blood flow to the brain, followed by 5 minutes of meditation that calms down the mind and helps you get clarity over what needs to get done next.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Work with Intention<\/h3>\n

The Internet is a wonderful tool, but it\u2019s also the greatest time-waster in history.\u00a0 To avoid falling prey to its endless distractions, make sure that whenever you sit down at your computer, you are intentional about your work.\u00a0 Get crystal clear on what you\u2019re about to do and write it down.\u00a0 Once that\u2019s done, get straight to work.\u00a0 Don\u2019t waste 1 minute.\u00a0 Even checking Facebook or your email once is bound to throw you off track.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 Unplug<\/h3>\n

In a world that\u2019s constantly connected, we forget how taxing this is to our cognitive system.\u00a0 Try to take 1 day a week to unplug and do a technology detox.\u00a0 Put your computer aside and seek out nature, spend time with your loved ones,\u00a0read a book<\/a>, paint, journal, lay in a hammock, call a friend, volunteer, etc.\u00a0 If you\u2019re courageous, why not put your phone on airplane mode for a few hours too?\u00a0 I promise, the next day, you\u2019ll wake up feeling refreshed and refocused.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0 Optimize Your Work Set-Up<\/h3>\n

When working on a laptop, it\u2019s easy to get a very bad posture.\u00a0 The laptop is too low relative to your eye level, which gets you to slouch or look down at an awkward angle.\u00a0 This is not only bad for your neck and back, but it\u2019s also detrimental to your productivity.\u00a0 A good posture energizes us, while a bad posture makes us more lethargic.\u00a0 Consider buying a laptop stand (with an external keyboard and mouse) or setting up a standing desk.\u00a0\u00a0Check\u00a0this video<\/a>\u00a0to see my own work set-up.<\/em><\/p>\n

9.\u00a0 Learn to Speed Read<\/h3>\n

Reading is an essential part of daily life, in both personal and professional environments.\u00a0 Learning to speed-read is a great (and\u00a0easier than you think<\/a>) way to improve productivity, but it holds one caveat.\u00a0 It\u2019s really hard to do on a computer screen.\u00a0 So instead, you can use a neat web application called\u00a0Spreeder<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0 It allows you to paste the text into a box and it then flashes the words across your screen at the speed you choose.\u00a0 It makes speed-reading on the computer almost effortless and is sure to save you time and energy.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0 Be Grateful<\/h3>\n

In his excellent TED Talk\u00a0The Secret to Happy Work<\/em><\/a>, Shawn Anchor reveals that our brain performs up to 30% better when we\u2019re feeling happy.\u00a0 A simple way to boost your happiness level is to take a few seconds every hour to think about the things you\u2019re grateful for.\u00a0 This can be anything, from your health, to your access to food, the internet, your family, your friends, the beautiful weather, etc.\u00a0 Really feel the gratitude and you\u2019ll be both happier and more productive.<\/p>\n

11.\u00a0 Practice Optimal Breathing<\/h3>\n

Take a second to notice your breath right now.\u00a0 It is deep and full, or short and shallow?\u00a0 If you\u2019re like the majority of people, it\u2019s probably the latter.\u00a0 When we\u2019re working, it\u2019s easy to get so caught up in what we do that we forget to breathe properly.\u00a0 Taking a few deep mindful breaths regularly will help you relax, get present, and oxygenate your brain.<\/p>\n

12.\u00a0 Ask for Help<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re reading this article, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019re the type of person who takes pride in doing things all by yourself.\u00a0 For the longest time, I did the same.\u00a0 But recently, I\u2019ve realized that asking for help not only makes my life a LOT easier, it also gives other people a chance to share their gifts and feel more accomplished.\u00a0 Win-win!\u00a0 Next time you\u2019re stuck or unsure what to do next, don\u2019t bang your head against the wall, just ask for help.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve shared a lot of strategies with you, and you can\u2019t apply all of them at once, so I invite you to take a few seconds right now and decide which ONE you\u2019re going to consciously implement this week.<\/p>\n

When you feel like you\u2019ve got that one down, come back to this post and choose one more, and so forth.\u00a0 Within a few weeks, I guarantee your productivity will reach new heights.<\/p>\n

About The Author:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Phil Drolet is a\u00a0Peak Performance Coach<\/a>\u00a0and runs a blog called\u00a0The Feel Good Lifestyle<\/a>\u00a0where he helps people\u00a0optimize their lifestyle and take bold action towards their dreams<\/a>.\u00a0 He also created an online course where he teaches students\u00a0how to become (nearly) superhuman<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in:\u00a0https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/quality-life-5-daily-habits\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is not enough to be busy\u2026 The question is:\u00a0 What are you busy doing? I\u2019ve always been someone driven to excel and make the most out of this wild ride called life. So when I read Tim Ferriss\u2019 book\u00a0The 4-Hour Workweek,\u00a0a new world of possibilities opened up to me.\u00a0 After discovering his personal productivity…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":4746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personalgrowthandsuccess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4744"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4745,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4744\/revisions\/4745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youwealthrevolution.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}