It's impossible to be productive 100% of the time, but it is possible to use techniques to optimise your productivity. Whenever I feel uninspired and unproductive I fall back on these three techniques:
1. Have a plan
When productivity strikes, you have to be ready to make the most of it. Having a plan is so important! If I don't have a plan, I often feel overwhelmed and don't know where to begin - I'm sure you've felt the same! My productivity absolutely tanks. But when I've organised my to-do-list and created a game plan, I have an end goal that I'm working towards.
I get a somewhat nerdy "productivity high" when I am achieving things. Ticking things off a to-do-list is so motivating!
The Will & Way Journal has a daily to-do-list and section to plan out your study sessions so they are as productive as possible. This was the exact system I used throughout medical school!
2. Do the hard stuff first
It differs for everyone, but I'm most productive first thing in the morning, or late at night. I'm victim to the afternoon slump. In order to combat this, I use my morning burst of energy to smash out the hard things. Sometimes, this would be the very first thing I did in my day. I would roll straight out of bed and to my desk, I would crank out an hour or two of study and then treat myself to a coffee run and slow breakfast. I love this because whilst everyone else is just starting their day, I've already made a massive dent in my to-do-list.
It also means that you can enjoy your hobbies and hanging out with loved ones, without the guilt hanging over your head of everything you still have to do.
3. The Pomodoro method
Pomodoro means Tomato in Italian and was named by Francesco Cirillo, a university student in the late 1980s. He used a kitchen timer to organise his study schedule.
After I've used up my morning productivity burst, I often struggle to stay focused. The Pomodoro method was a real game changer for me. When I feel lazy or uninspired I use an app on my phone called the Forest app (I had to pay for this one, but there are plenty of free ones out there!) I set up a timer for 25 minutes where I focus. Then at the end of the 25 minutes I take a 5 minute break. I repeat this for 5 x 25 minutes and then I take a 25 minute break. If that's too confusing this is how it goes:
12pm - start studying
12.25pm - break
12.30pm - back to study
12.55 - break
1pm- back to study
1.25pm - break
1.30 - back to study
1.55pm - break
2pm - back to study
2.25 - break
2.40 - back to study
You'll be surprised how fast the 25 minutes goes! The Forest app was great because at the end of the 25 minutes you've grown a tree, but if you use your phone, the tree automatically dies. It's a great way to stay focused without distractions.
I would usually use the break to get a drink of water, stretch or go for a walk around the house rather than scroll on my phone.
I hope you found something in this blog valuable! These are the systems that I used throughout high school and medical school and a lot of my friends also found these helpful!