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To benefit from our work hours, we’re usually advised to “eat the frog within the morning,” mute notifications or strive Pomodoro-like methods. These are evergreen productiveness ideas which have helped thousands and thousands of workplace staff and entrepreneurs, and I am not aiming to downplay them. However once you’ve exhausted all typical productiveness recommendation — or discovered that it does not give you the results you want — it is time to suppose outdoors the field.
Within the twenty first century, we appear to have a collective aversion to boredom. Our minds, continuously racing to maintain up with distractions, have forgotten the artwork of quiet statement, the house the place creativity thrives and concepts are born from the mundane, just like the sounds or odor round us, an eccentric passerby or a fleeting thought.
On this article, I would wish to share just a few unconventional methods which have helped me keep targeted and boosted my creativity in sudden methods. A few of these strategies may blur the strains between work and life, however as a CEO of a tech firm, I do know all too nicely that work and life aren’t all the time simply separable.
So, this is what I received in my peculiar productiveness ideas arsenal.
1. Do duties at uncommon instances and locations
Once I hit a artistic roadblock, I search for methods to shake issues up and stimulate my pondering. I sort out difficult duties at unconventional instances, like early mornings or late nights. Typically, I’ve had revelations on methods to resolve an issue throughout a biking session or night jog.
Equally, you’ll be able to change the place the place you’re employed (if it is technically attainable in your subject). Even when you have probably the most comfy workplace, generally working from a bench within the park or a bustling espresso store may give you simply the spark you want.
This statement is supported by the Cognitive Flexibility Principle, which claims that altering environments can disrupt routine pondering patterns, forcing the mind to adapt and discover new options. This explains why a change of surroundings can encourage contemporary views.
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2. Discover your “finest pondering” spot (or exercise)
Have you ever additionally seen that among the finest concepts come to you exactly when you’ll be able to’t write them down? These days, conditions the place we do not have our smartphones close by have gotten more and more uncommon.
And that is precisely the issue.
Each time a lull arises, we instinctively attain for our smartphones or distant controls to fill the void with social media or streaming content material. We really feel compelled to multitask whereas strolling, usually listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Our telephones are out even whereas ready in line on the grocery retailer or at a crimson gentle.
I used to credit score the calming results of showers, biking or swimming exercises for my bursts of creativity. However the fact is, these actions merely supplied much-needed digital detox. With out the fixed distractions of my telephone, my thoughts was free to wander and innovate.
Briefly, my recommendation is to follow deliberate pondering. Create phone-free zones in your day, whether or not it is a stress-free bathtub, a canine stroll or just an hour of digital detox. These moments are golden alternatives in your creativity to flourish.
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3. Construct an associative productiveness behavior
One in every of my best productiveness boosters is consuming (or snacking) whereas working. Earlier than you choose me for selling unhealthy and unsanitary practices at work, let me clarify.
For years, I’ve seen that I really feel a unique sort of focus once I eat whereas studying a ebook or engaged on a pc. I’ve seemed for scientific proof to clarify this peculiarity, however I’ve discovered none.
This led me to the conclusion that the hyperlink between consuming and higher focus is associative. As Pulitzer-winning productiveness creator Charles Duhigg defined in ‘The Energy of Behavior,’ associating a productive exercise with a pleasurable one can create a robust behavior loop.
Years later, I favor to keep away from snacking, so consuming on the laptop is a method for determined instances. I’d often have my lunch whereas studying an extended article or a doc. I eat wholesome snacks resembling nuts, berries, or fruit to assist myself get out of a hard-to-solve process at hand.
Whereas this consuming and dealing behavior may not be excellent, it isn’t the one strategy to enhance productiveness. Experiment with more healthy associations, like listening to particular music, lighting a scented candle, or carrying noise-cancelling earphones. Over time, these rituals can improve focus and motivation by affiliation.
Permit your self to be bored!
As I discussed above, we have misplaced our consolation with boredom. Fixed distractions drown out quiet moments the place creativity sparks — from a passing thought to the odor of rain or an uncommon stranger on the road.
I’ve discovered these abilities from my kids: their capability to be totally current, their insatiable curiosity and their surprise on the world round them. By embracing a childlike sense of surprise and listening to the small print of our environment, we will additionally foster creativity and enhance productiveness.