With 24 hours in a day, the biggest question is how do we possibly fit in all the obligations we put on ourselves? We are told to aim for eight hours of sleep, one hour of working out, eight hours of work, which leaves us with just seven hours to fit in the rest of our life… good luck to us.
In our increasingly demanding society, we value convenience and efficiency to tackle the never-ending demands around us. How can we keep organized so that we can maximize on the limited time we have to boost productivity? Whether its an app on our computer or phone, or a tangible tool, there are resources that if used properly can really help us stay organized in order to perform our best in sport, business, and life.
Google Calendar (Or Similar)
Google Calendar has to be one of internet’s biggest gift to humans. It’s simple, intuitive, and functional. You can send and receive meeting invitations, share your calendar with others, and have access across multiple mediums such as your laptop and phone. The biggest way to use this tool to its fullest capability is to be consistentwith your use. Spend some time at the beginning of the week updating your calendar with appointments, meetings, soccer practice, whatever it may be so that you have an idea what you are getting yourself into that week. Google gets the reputation is does because of how smart it is. Automatically sending notifications to your phone ten min before your scheduled appointment to remind you. Inputting the address into the note tells you the estimated drive time. It’s all there! Whether it’s an online calendar like Google Calendar, or a simple day planner, utilizing some sort of planning tool consistently and dedicating time to updating it each week helps keep us organized and allows us to capitalize on our limited hours.
Notes
The time-tested use of sticky notes has proven that sometimes just writing things down and having it in front of us, help to remind us that there is something that needs to get done. It’s as simple as buying a pack of sticky notes from the dollar store, downloading the “stickies” app on your Mac, or utilizing the “notes” on our iPhone or other devices. The trick is using whatever it is consistentlyand intentionallyhelp to keep our “to-do” lists in order and hold us accountable.
Declutter
Our environment has a huge impact on our productivity, mentally and physically. When our environment is cluttered, it can make us feel that our mind is cluttered as well. Additionally, trying to find what you need when you need it is a lot easier when you know where it is. Decluttering our environment can boost our productivity by controlling an aspect of our life that we actually have control over and eliminating the distractions around us. The book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo discusses this topic and its ability to contribute to a motivated mindset.
What tools do you use most often to boost productivity and stay organized? Regardless of brand, finding the tools that fit your lifestyle and encourage healthy habits should be the goal. If you ever need help increasing your productivity in sport, business, or life be sure to contact the professionals at Human Integrated Performance for support.