VândPupăză

I bet you have those days when you find yourself slacking off for hours on end. I do too!
It may be fatigue, illness or just plain old ‘don’t feel like it’.

That’s not really helpful when you have tons of work to do and deadlines on the horizon.

One thing that tricks me into moving my ass and getting things done is the following technique:

At the beginning of the day I have an empty mug on my desk and a pack of post-its.

One thing at a time

As I begin the day I write ONE task on a post-it and then focus on it. Just that task.

I don’t allow myself to slack-off or work on anything else until I get that specific task done.
Once I’m done with that I rip or crumble the post-it and put it in the mug.

Only then do I allow myself to read some RSS feeds or treat myself to something else, like a nice cup of coffee or a short break.

After the treat I write down another task and go over the same routine.
This goes on throughout the day.

I know it’s just trickery and I could just as well force myself to work, but I find this alternative to be motivating for a good reason.

Why does it work?

As I complete more tasks the mug gets filled with post-its. I don’t know about you, but for me, visual hints count.

A lot!

I have a visual representation of how much work I get done over the day and that motivates me to do even more.
I feel I’m doing work. I see it!

The secret to make this actually work is to give yourself manageable tasks. Split a large feature or process into smaller bite-size tasks. For example the HTML/CSS mockup for a feature would be one task and JavaScript validation of a form would be another.

Some tasks take hours or even days to complete. Working for so long on something complex and seeing only the big picture might feel uncomfortable and put you down.

Working with small, incremental tasks makes you focus on the details at hand. For me, this means I get to output more quality work as I pay attention to the task and don’t clutter my thinking with noise information.

Task of writing this post and my Adobe mug.

Treat yourself

The second magic ingredient in this method is rewarding yourself whenever you finish a task.

Working intensively for hours and not taking a break has long-term negative effects on your health and state of mind. Sure you get a lot of work done but after you’re through with that it’s difficult to get up or take on a different activity.

Treating yourself to some reading, a cup of coffee, a walk in the park (where available) or anything that helps get your mind off work is a great way to keep your productivity level up for the next task.

Exhausting yourself with tasks doesn’t work. Taking a break after a 5 minute task is just as bad.
Find a level of equilibrium and stick to it.

This way of getting things done works ok for me. It might not be the best solution for you but do try it out if you have a chance.

I picked various ideas for this from freelanceswitch.com, a blog I read from back when I was a freelancer. I particularly like Leo Babauta’s articles. You might also find his blog, ZenHabbits, interesting.

I’d be glad to hear your thoughts on this productivity trick and also any other things you do to keep your energy level high.