Louise Thompson: Tips for better concentration and focus

When the To Do list gets out of control it can be incredibly dispiriting.

Four last tips to get you working with more concentration and focus, and getting out of the office on time to enjoy your free time with abandon. (If you have missed the series you can read it at bite.co.nz).

8: Blitz the small stuff

When the To Do list gets out of control it can be incredibly dispiriting. Give yourself a quick hit of action and satisfaction by diarising a one-hour blitz where you fire through all the jobs that are a two-minute or less task. Things like filing, ordering the stationery, cancelling the subscription, making the appointment, installing the software. All the tiny annoying things that get put off until tomorrow. Again and again. Get the satisfaction of burning through 20 or 30 small tasks in rapid fire. You will be amazed at how much lighter you feel and you will have more energy and focus for the big projects.

9: Batch the repetitive stuff

When you are in one headspace or groove, it's far more productive to stay in it - you get things done faster as you are not switching your focus between one kind of task and another. If there is something you do every week, say writing a newsletter, can you sit down and power through four in one go, and then free yourself up from that task for the next month? So you are writing newsletters 12 times a year rather than 52. Look at your most common and repetitive tasks and see what you can batch. When you apply the self-discipline of batching you will have more time and energy for new projects.

10: Social media consumption

We can't talk about productivity without talking about social media. Sorry! The time we spend checking social media can be frightening and it's the ultimate time-suck. Because it's intrinsically rewarding (we get a little dopamine hit of pleasure when we see people have liked our posts or messages) it can become addictive. Which is all well and good until we are working weekends or evenings to get back on top of the things we didn't do in the day because we were checking out cat videos. I have had many clients take social media apps off their phones to stop the incessant checking and they have been amazed at how much time and energy they have released into their day. This is a really personal one, but if your productivity at work is not where it could or should be, it's a really obvious place to look.

11: Look after your body

You know this stuff, but it still bears mention. Your productivity will naturally be higher if you are taking good care of your physical wellbeing. Eat well, make sure you are hydrated and move about a bit. The better your body feels the easier it is to be productive, your concentration levels will be higher and you will get more done in less time with a better attitude. Your body is a faithful servant, give it what it needs to be able to do its best for you through your working day.

I asked you at the beginning of the series what you would do if you had two extra hours for yourself during the week? I hope you have found out. Have fun with it!

Through her online Happiness programme "Wellbeing Warriors", life coach Louise Thompson helps people unlock their happiest and healthiest life. Sign up at louisethompson.com and find more from Louise at bite.co.nz/wellbeing