Hi guys!
I’m Jamie and I’m a third year medical school student.
So a couple weeks ago, I asked you guys on snapchat to send me video questions for a
Q&A session and a lot of you guys me for tips or general hacks on how to be more productive.
I didn’t get to answer during the Q&A video but I thought I would share my productivity
tips and tricks in THIS video.
So let’s get started!
My first tip, this might be a little weird, is to track your time and see what you need
to cut out.
I got this idea from dieting.
When going on a diet or attempting to eat healthy, it’s often advised that you track
the meals and food that you eat normally in a day or even a week to see what you can cut
out.
When I did this the first time, I was surprised by the amount of junk food that I was eating.
It kinda opened my eyes and made we aware of how unhealthy my eating habits were so
I looked for healthier options.
Some of the concepts transfer over when it comes to productivity.
You can keep a log of how you spent your day to see what you can cut out or work on.
And just like with tracking your meals, it can give you an overall picture of what you’re
spending your time on.
So for example, if you have a free hour or an hour and half in between lectures, you
can spend that time working out or going over some of the coursework and by doing so you’ve
“freed up” time later in the day to do other things.
My Second Tip is Planning!
You might already have a system in place of how you like to plan and organize your day.
If you’re new to the whole planner thing a really simple way to get started is by writing
down everything you need to do & then deciding how much time you want to dedicate to each
task.
That way you know approximately how much time you will dedicate to school, homework, working
out, and et cetera.
Make sure you plan in appropriate breaks and some fun time too.
The key is to be as realistic as possible so you can actually stick to your plans.
Tip number 3: create an environment where you can do work!
The best place to get work done is somewhere where distractions is limited.
One example of creating a good workspace is keeping a neat work area.
It Might be different for everyone but for me having a neat and tidy desk helps me focus
more and helps me concentrate on the task at hand.
So I would consider making it a habit to always having a clean and neat desk.
Another example of creating a good working environment is the location.
If you don’t like studying at home or if home has too many distractions, you can head
out to a library or a coffee shops.
You can invite a friend who also needs to study so that you can both keep each other
accountable.
The most important thing is all these productivity tips is knowing yourself and your tendencies.
Sometimes If I have a really long day, I know that I’m not gonna wanna do ANYTHING once
I get home.
On days like that I know it’s better for me to stay at school or hospital to get my
work done rather than coming home and losing that momentum.
Which brings up the next point: sometimes even if we find places that are quiet, the
tools we use to study can lead us to distraction.
For example: Computers..
netflix, youtube, facebook are a click away AND Smartphones: we carry with us all the
time.
Computer Solution: There are apps like Selfcontrol for the mac where you can black-list the websites
you wanna avoid for a certain time period.
Or you can do it the other way too list the websites you can whitelist websites, meaning
you’ll only have access to those website for the allotted time.
Smartphone Solution: one solution would be to deactivate social media for the weeks or
days leading up to deadlines or exams.
Actually this is pretty common-- even pro athletes do it.
Lebron James does it every year during the play-offs.
Smartphone Solution: you can turn it off or leave it in another room when you’re trying
to do work.
If you’re going to the library or a coffee shop to study, you can leave it at home for
that day.
The Next tip is to Take Breaks!
It’s hard to keep up a high level of productivity for an extended periods of time.
A good analogy is you can’t run at full speed 100% of the time and I think the same
can be said about productivity.
So taking breaks is essential so you can go to higher levels of productivity.
One time management technique that applies this idea is the Pomodoro Technique
The concept is simple.
First you make a list of task that need to be done.
Then you set a timer, timers are typically 25 minutes long
within that time period, you’re supposed to work on that task.
When the timer rings, you can take a 3-5 minute break and after going thru more than four
cycles or four pomodoros you’re supposed to take a longer break, (between 15 to 30
minutes) You guys should try it if you haven’t already.
It’s a really effective but simple technique in helping maintain focus, esp if there are
a lot of things to be done.
I will put a link down in the description box if you guys wanna know more.
My Next tip on increasing productivity is to exercise!
There are several studies that show that exercising regularly can improve concentration and memory,
increase mental stamina, help with creativity and also help lower stress.
If you find yourself really struggling to stay focused even after you did all the right
things- like planning, taking breaks, going to the perfect study environment- maybe it’s
time to do something physically active for 30 minutes or so.
Go for a run or biking or go lift something heavy.
Give your head a complete break from all the work you need to do and come back to it with
a fresh mindset.
So we all know exercising is good for you and it can refresh your mind, blah blah blah.
But what if you don’t actually like exercising?
A common question people ask me is how to get into the habit of exercising.
If you’re new to the whole fitness thing, I think a good place to start is by temptation
bundling.
Temptation Bundling is a term coined by Katherine Milkman who is a professor at UPenn.
The idea is to do pair something you like doing with something you don’t like doing.
I.e- Watching TV and exercising.
So if you have that tv show you’ve been saving to watch after all your work is done,
you can do it while walking or running on a treadmill.
You can also try listening to your favorite podcast or audiobook or checking out some
new music while lifting.
Whatever it may be, try to give yourself something to look forward to while working out.
My LAST tip for being productive is Perseverance/Self Control
Even with all the tips I just talked about, there is just no substitution for working
hard!
Sometimes you need to stop worrying about not wanting to do something or not being productive
and just DO.
Don’t think about anything, don’t give time to your worries and distractions and
just START.
Read that first paragraph, Start that essay outline, Do that first question.
With everything in life, it gets easier the more you do it.
So that’s all the tips I have for increasing productivity.
I hope you guys found it helpful!
Please Share your favorite productivity tip in the comment section for everyone to read.
Give this video a thumbs up and click that subscribe button if you haven’t already.
I will see you guys in the next video!