5 ways to increase your productivity through boundaries
If you're struggling to stay productive when you want to be, and feel like you need to keep working 24/7, try to set some boundaries between your life and work.
Sometimes small shifts can already make a big difference and allow you to work smarter – not more.
A separate space
If you’re able to work in a space that’s separate from the rest of your home, that’s awesome! With time and repetition, sitting down to work in this area signals to your brain that you’re in the spot where you get work done. And once you’re done for the day, stepping away from that area (and potentially closing a door if you can) can help you separate from your work for the rest of the day.
If you don’t have the ability for a separate workspace right now, there are still ways that you can use repetition to your advantage. For example, you could have a small setup ritual for when you start your work, and a shutdown routine when you stop working for the day.
Distance yourself from distractions
What are things that distract you throughout your work time, that could easily be removed so that you could stay focused?
Some things that distract me are my phone, a bunch of open tabs in my browser, and papers I need to tackle. If I can move clutter and temptations out of sight – for example into another room – I’m less likely to go off course and can focus on my work.
Get clear on your stop time for the day
If you don’t define a hard stop time for your workday, it’s really easy to keep pushing until you’re out of energy or it’s time for bed. It’ll get easier if you tie your stop time to something in particular like dinner time, or if you plan for what you will do afterward. If you don’t have a reason to step away from your desk, it can be harder to stick to the schedule.
Work in blocks of time and take breaks
If it feels daunting to think of your entire workday as a chunk of time, whether you’re working 8am-3pm or 11am-7pm, I’d recommend thinking about your day in blocks of time with breaks in-between.
When I divide my day into blocks of time with built-in breaks, I have an easier time planning out what I’ll work on when and sitting down to work feels less overwhelming, because I know a break will come when I need it.
Bonus points if you’re able to time your work blocks for when you’re usually your most productive self, and your rest blocks for when you naturally need them.
Make taking care of yourself a non-negotiable
Taking proper time to nurture, move, and rest your mind and body is most importantly beneficial for you. As a great side-effect, taking good care of yourself increases your productivity and creative thinking – which supports your business. So when you feel tempted to skimp on time off or self-care, remember that it may not be as important as it feels like.