You can find countless tips online about boosting everyday productivity. But do many of those tips actually work? Not necessarily.
“There might not be any dramatic tricks that will turn you into the next Bill Gates, but there are a few small changes that can help you work more productively,” British neuroscientist and author Dean Burnett told BBC Science Focus in an interview.
Turn on background music to drown out distractions
Some people prefer to work in relative silence. But a lot of people are more effective when they play their quietly in the background. Research shows that gentle, unobtrusive music most often helps people get into a good groove without pulling their attention away.
Burnett says we have two attention systems:
- a conscious system that we direct and control
- a subconscious system that alerts us to anything meaningful our senses pick up
When we sit in complete silence, every creak, sigh, and mutter sounds louder. That effect makes our subconscious attention more likely to wander, and our productivity drops.
If we play background music, it masks intrusive noises and occupies the subconscious attention. It’s like giving a bored child a toy while you try to get some work done.
Music with lyrics isn’t great for background listening because the brain reacts to spoken language and attention gets scattered.
Instrumental music is ideal. Which style you choose depends on your taste — it can be jazz, classical, or even video game soundtracks.
Wake up when you’re well-rested, not at 4 a.m.
If you’ve ever forced yourself to before sunrise to be more productive, you may have seen the opposite effect: you’re still too tired to do good work.
Burnett doesn’t deny that some people thrive on an extremely early start. Those people are the ones who go to bed at 8 p.m.
Getting enough high-quality sleep brings many benefits to the body, including:
- better concentration
- stronger overall health
- improved mood
- reduced irritability
All of those benefits together increase productivity.
“Sleep matters for productivity — it’s even more important than waking up at a specific time,” Burnett says.
Add plants to your workspace
When you look at natural green plants, your brain feels engaged without being overwhelmed. Burnett says that looking at greenery is the cognitive equivalent of relaxing with a good book: it restores you without requiring much effort.
Greenery helps boost productivity because it replenishes the brain’s resources. Decorate your workspace with , and take every chance you can to walk in a park to clear your head.
Eat well and exercise
The internet is full of advice on how to be productive that comes from “very successful people.” You’ve probably read pieces about some driven person who makes a seven-figure income, eats a bowl of mysterious superfood berries for breakfast every day, and drinks ionized water.
If those idealized examples strike you as hypocritical, they probably are. The part worth agreeing with is that diet and exercise significantly boost productivity.
The better your , the more resources your body can devote to brain work, improving cognitive function and productivity.
also has a direct effect on the brain. Studies show that unhealthy food harms the brain and interferes with concentration on tasks, while healthy food helps the brain work better.
“Everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. Individual differences play a big role in how productive we ultimately become.” — Dean Burnett
Find your flow state
The so-called flow state is the most productive mental state. You reach it when you are fully focused on a task and performing at your highest skill level.
People spend a lot of time and effort trying to reach flow, but it isn’t easy. One reason is that the brain is juggling dozens of tasks at once.
Sometimes the scattered parts of our consciousness come together and focus on a single task, and that’s when we enter flow. The way flow happens varies from person to person, and what helps you get productive will probably be unique to you. Ultimately, no one knows how to boost your productivity better than you do.
Photo: pexels.com, Unsplash
