Ideas
September 3, 2014 12:01 AM EDT
Y ou’re only productive at work three days out of the week. How can you improve that?
The secret to getting more done is to make things automatic . Control over your schedule stops you from getting tired at work. Progress motivates us more than anything else. Your mind moves you, but how you move also affects your mind . Superstition can improve performance and when people wish you luck you do better .
Mood matters. Happiness and overconfidence both boost productivity. Think positive by imagining the happiest day of your life . Use positive self-talk and positive mental imagery .
Know the rules your brain works by , the things that really motivate us , what increases teamwork and how to improve yourself .
How the office is decorated makes a difference . Might want to avoid the color red and make sure to buy some plants . Checklists help. So docalendars . Clean your desk . Chew some gum . Stop multitasking and don’t bother sorting your email into folders .
Does managing your free time with a schedule sound awful? A study shows it actually improves life satisfaction . Talking to yourself might make you look crazy but it can improve performance. Here ‘s what you should say . (Trash talk helps too.)
Get enough sleep . Your mood in the morning affects your entire day . If you’re a night owl, shift your schedule later and if you’re a morning larkget to work earlier . Naps help .
Rivals increase performance but they also make us more likely to cheat. Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to give it to someone else.Self-deception helps too.
Thinking about the stereotype of someone who excels at what you’re attempting can improve your performance.
Web breaks make you more productive. But whether you need a break at all is dependent on how you see willpower.
Chill out. You’re happier when you’re busy anyway. Join over 90,000 readers and get a free weekly update via email here .
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This piece originally appeared on Barking Up the Wrong Tree .
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