Tech-Free Productivity Hacks

We all do it – use our calendars and to-do apps to get life organised. Or reminders to ping when we need to be on top of things. Which is all great because apps really come in handy to make us productive. For starters, they can help you manage your time, calendar, and schedule. They can also help you keep track of daily tasks, to-do-lists, and collaborate with others on big projects. Then there are the communication apps to make sure everyone is aligned with their roles. We lean on these tools to track our progress at work… and hey, even our holidays must-dos!

But did you also know that there is a downside to using productivity apps? For one thing, there are so many apps to choose from – which one works best for what you’re looking for? We’re guilty of spending time just searching and sifting and trying all different kinds of apps that we spend more time on instead of what they are intended for – to be more productive!

And sometimes, because apps are so fun to use, we tend to over-task our to dos. You find yourself listing down every single little thing and every detail and every event – urgh, talk about productivity overload when everything seems to be a must-do on the checklist!

Another fact about productivity apps: Did you know that despite the availability of these apps, productivity has been on a decline? A study conducted in 2018 found that the average operation support work switched between 35 different applications 1,100 times during the course of their shift. This has caused the productivity level to decline, and worse, for burnout to increase! We are working harder guys, but not smarter!

The good news? You can still up your productivity without apps! Yes, just like the good old days of pen and paper. Here are some tech-free ways productivity can be boosted without the risk of tasks overload.

#1 Work on yourself
Look, how you feel and how productive you’ll be go hand in hand. The less energy you have, the less you will be able to accomplish. So first things first for productivity, even before all the apps, is to get enough energy to last you through the day. To do this, you need enough sleep, a healthy diet, exercise for starters, and you’ll need to learn how to say no, spend time only on important things, and determine what deserves your time and focus. No app can help you do all the above – just you!

#2 Paper and pen, all the time
There’s nothing like writing on a piece of paper and pen to list down what you need to do for the day. Why might this work better than an app? Because the very act of writing things down is cathartic and it helps you unload what you have out of your head, helping you feel calmer and more ready to take on the world. Here’s another plus – when you enter your list on a piece of paper, you’re more likely to remember them!

#3 Reduce your task list!
If you’re the type to open the app every time you have something you want to accomplish, you might be overdoing your to-dos. This can backfire on your productivity as having too much on your plate can lead you to feeling overwhelmed!

Before you do any type of listing in paper or app, do this first: Evaluate and reduce your to-do list. You can’t possibly complete everything you want in a day. Having a lot on your list doesn’t make you more productive. Work smarter and maximise your productivity by focusing on the things that really need to get done! Sometimes, it can only be just one thing but it’s that one thing that will make a huge difference. Wouldn’t it be better to focus on that and do it great instead of 10 other things and be mediocre at them?

#4 Block off your time to be productive
For this, you really only need a clock and focus. When you work in timed, focused springs, you tend to achieve more. You shut off all distractions (and that includes your gadget) so you can properly spend that time to complete your task. As a result, this helps you to be productive and track your progress better. All without the help of an app but with pure determination.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.