If boredom is haunting you, we have the solution: go to your task list and check your priorities. Keep on reading and learn how to prioritize tasks and become productive when you don’t know what to do.
Boredom kills productivity
When we are bored, we may surprise ourselves wasting time on the Internet, visiting webs that don’t really interest us, watching videos on YouTube that make us wonder how we got there, or continuously checking our mail without actually taking any decisions on any e-mails. You are losing valuable minutes of your life, which is why you must stop and ask yourself what you should be doing instead of wasting your day. First, follow these steps:
- Close your Internet browser
- Log out of your mail
- Get out of your social networks
- Turn off or silence your phone
- Take 5 minutes to rest
- Tidy up your work space
- Get to your task list
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The task list as an antidote for lack of productivity
When you feel tired or apathetic, that is, bored, you open the door to distractions. And the more time you spend distracted, the less time you spend on doing what you have to do. In fact, many of the productivity apps are precisely aimed at eliminating the lapses of concentration that keep us from efficiency.
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It is a mistake to think that boredom comes when there is not much to do. It is not always the case, as sometimes the most discouraged people are those who are overworked. Frustration comes from that excess of duties or responsibilities, which in some people becomes a weariness that affects our efficiency.
To prevent boredom from having an effect and distracting you, the first step is to remember what you have to do and try to meet your priorities. The best tool to achieve this is our To-Day List; follow these tips to get the most of it:
Keep your list always on sight
If you want to know how to prioritize tasks, your task list must be really useful. To do it you must keep it accessible at all times, so that you will also have it in your mind. You can write it down on a digital device (your phone or a specific app) or on that physical piece of paper that you always carry with you. Remember that it should not be a very long list. On the contrary, it must only have those tasks you have to do, no matter what, during the day.
Read more: The Top 12 Productivity Apps For 2016
Check it often
If we checked our task list as often as we check our mail, we would all possibly be more productive. When you don’t know what you have to do next, check your To-Day List. If you have already crossed off all the items, you can add more tasks on the fly, just those that you are sure to complete.
Create another list
Make a note of whatever you have come up with during your downtime, so you will remember in the future. Some people argue that during moments of boredom we experience certain peaks of creativity which, properly managed, can mean an advantage.
Order your list
Check that the actions and tasks in your To-Day List are properly prioritized and remember that it is not about having a lot of completed tasks, but performing first the most important ones to meet your goals.
Check it often
We can’t stress it enough: checking your task list regularly is a habit that will increase your productivity. Check it especially when you feel that you have nothing to do. Go to her as if she were your great friend.
What productivity tip do you use to prioritize your tasks when you are bored?
