One of the biggest perks of being an independent consultant is flexibility. True, sometimes you might need to be on-site but let’s face it, most of the time we work elsewhere, maybe as you read this, you are still in your sleeping shirt with that bed hair, handling a multi-million-ringgit project. But, ironically, it is also one of the biggest challenges in being an independent consultant too. Too much freedom might impede one’s ability to work productively and the end result will affect you, mostly.
(but our consultants are the good ones, don’t you worry)Long hours and hard work alone is not a reflection of productivity. Productivity is defined as how much quality work can you get done in an allotted time.So, how to be productive?- Plan and Review
Flexibility doesn’t give you the license to do your work as you please, when you want it. It is always useful to plan your week ahead. List down what you would like to achieve by the end of the week and follow through to the best of your ability.
At the end of the week, review what you have done so far. Are there any objectives unmet? Any work delayed? Why? Weigh whether the work you have done is sufficient in order to complete the project within the specified time or not. Then, adjust your plan for the following week accordingly and when you plan, be remindful of the overall objective of the project.
- Develop a habit
Without a habit, you tend to do your work when you feel like it. What if the feeling never comes? One whole day doing nothing and frustrating yourselves at the end of the week just to catch-up the work you slacked off behind?
So, develop a habit, a good one. Wake up early in the morning, have a good breakfast and just do some workouts for 10 minutes or so. A hearty meal and a high endorphin level at the start of the day serve as fuel and stimulant for your brain to get grinding for the whole day.
Make it a habit to start your day strong. End it with a good sleep for about 7-8 hours daily. Researches have shown that sufficient sleep is imperative to the maintenance of a good mental health. Don’t push yourself too hard and stay up all night because it will adversely affect your mental and physical health.
- Give yourself some break
Working continuously for hours is not good for your productivity. As time goes by, your brain efficacy drops down and it will tell the body to stop working. That’s why you find yourself always yawning when you do so.
Take a 10-minute break for every 2 hours of work. This will re-energise your brain and body for the next 2 hours. An afternoon nap of about 5-10 minutes is also very beneficial. You’d be surprised at how much energy you get afterwards! It also helps you to focus on your task at hand. But be careful not to sleep all the way to dusk.
(we have some goooood pillows here in our office)
Take a good long rest once in a while. Sometimes all you need is a break from all the stress that has been causing grief to your life. Take this chance to refresh your mind and get back with new spirit and motivation.
It is also good to remember that multitasking is not a friend of productivity. You might think you are good at it but extensive studies have proven it otherwise. When you multitask, your IQ can drop up to 10 points! IQ is important in solving problems and making decisions. Surely in your line of work, you have to do these things on a regular basis. You wouldn’t want to impede your ability to do so by multitasking!
So that’s it, three simple tips you can follow to keep your productivity. Have I tried them? Of course! And they work! I wouldn’t share you the tips without trying them myself. So, the next time you find yourself unproductive, try adopting these recommendations and you’ll notice it yourself. To know more about what we are doing, visit aplikasi.us/aplikasi-2
