The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone. Entrepreneurs have hit a snag and there seems to be no end in sight. Despite the current situation, we must not lose focus and still be productive in our own little ways. To guide you in this treacherous time, here are tips to stay productive and focused amidst the pandemic.
Start Your Day Right
You should start your day on the right footing. Beginning your day with a high note is key to being extremely productive for the whole day. This entails developing a systematic and effective morning routine. It would help if you ask yourself some essential questions before you start your day. These include:
- How’s my mindset?
- Will I finally do the critical task I’m supposed to do today?
- How will I be better than yesterday?
- What’s the biggest activity that I will do today?
Asking yourself if you’re going to finally accomplish the critical task you need to do is more helpful compared to just telling yourself to do it. It would also help if you lay out all your objectives for the whole day. This allows you to gain a perspective of the things that you need to accomplish for the day.
Employ Time Sprinting
This method is the same as Elon Musk’s popular Time Blocking method. Time Sprinting is a technique that allows you to focus on just one task at a time without the distraction of other factors. This method employs three rules:
- Work non-stop on an activity for 20-90 minutes with no distractions. After the time is up, take a break.
- Perform Step 1 four times. This is called a relay. A set of four sprints is called a relay. In between each sprint, take at least 6 minutes of break.
- If you get distracted, do not proceed with doing what distracted you. Instead, you can list them down on a sheet of paper and continue working. This serves as your distraction capture list.
Time sprinting essentially allows you to work in a heightened state. It allows you to get in the zone and perform better while working. We all need to be in the zone especially during the pandemic. Time sprinting is a great way to be productive.
Say No
This is an underrated and generally, a frowned upon concept. You do not need to be the “Yes Man”. Respect yourself and the personal time you allot for yourself. The whole COVID-19 situation is a marathon, not a sprint. Always keep some fuel in your tank to prevent burnout. What we need now is to maintain a balance among your home, yourself, and your work. We cannot do anything productive if we let ourselves crumble under pressure.
Take time for yourself. Set your boundaries. You are not expected to always make time for others. If you successfully respect your own time and boundaries, helping others would not be a tough thing to do for you.
Truly, these are strange times for everyone. No one has a clue when this whole pandemic situation will end. If you want more tips to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, read here about what you can do to your business to make it “pandemic-proof”.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Katelyn Dethridge is an independent writer and author based in London. She has previously wrote for the Entrepreneurial Inquirer and EWQ News.
