Do you sometimes look at the clock, realise it is 11am and that you haven’t actually achieved anything yet? It is so easy to throw the towel in and say you will be more productive tomorrow. But what if the same thing happens the next day, or even the next. Suddenly, you are out of the swing of things and you have wasted a whole week. So instead of writing the day off, reclaim it! Turn that unproductive day into a productive one in 5 easy steps. Here is how…

5 Steps to Reclaim An Unproductive Day

Let me just make a confession, it is so easy to become unproductive as a writer. Part of your job is to research material on the web and it is very easy to get distracted. You start out researching an article and if you aren’t careful, you find yourself reading about cute child stars who are far from cute now.

So I have had to use this tactic to reclaim an unproductive day before. It is very effective to get your mind back on track.

Step 1: Take A Break

Yes, I know it sounds silly because you haven’t actually done anything yet. But standing up from your workspace and clearing your head for 10 minutes will put you in the right mindset to be productive again. It’s like a reset button.

Once you do get your motivation back and start working again, take a break every hour. It will help you to stay productive.

Step 2: Make A Priority List

Look at the things that you should have completed today and make a priority list of what truly needs to be done. Put a task that is quick to complete at the top of the list. By completing one thing you will feel motivated to do more.

Second on the list should be your big juicy task that will make a difference to the rest of your week. It might be something that you have been dreading and procrastinating on. But think how good it would be to have it off your list! If you can get those two things done at least, your whole day won’t be a waste.

Step 3: Decide On A Reward

Who isn’t adverse to a little bribery after all? And when you are bribing yourself it’s doubly ok! Plan to give yourself a little reward if you get through a certain amount of tasks. It might just be the motivation that you need to get stuck in and do it.

Step 4: Set A Deadline

I always work more efficiently if I know that I only have a certain amount of time to complete a job in. So set a self-imposed deadline. Bonus points if you are doing your reward or something fun after it. You could arrange to meet a friend at a certain time, then you would have to pull finger to get everything done before your meet up time. Or maybe you want to use school pick up as your deadline, as who can work with the kids running around?

Step 5: Just Get Started

Part of the hurdle is simply getting started. So just do it.

Who cares if half of what you write is rubbish, or if the fonts don’t quite work on your graphic, or if you don’t quite have all the answers on a phone call. You can always edit that draft, change the fonts, or send a follow up email with the information your client needed. It doesn’t have to be perfect the first time, but you will have to start to make any progress.

So there you go, hopefully those 5 easy steps will help you reclaim any unproductive day. Alright, I have finished writing this blog now, so I am off to reward myself with a coffee!

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