Science-Based Protocols For a Productive Day

Because scientific knowledge is objective, productivity habits grounded in science-based protocols offer concrete, evidence-supported methodology. You’ll waste time and get the wrong information if you depend on personal opinion or flawed research to deal with your productivity issues. 

When you understand why your productivity is low, developing habitual concepts based on facts can drive us in the right direction with fresh enthusiasm and renewed motivation.

If you’re feeling trapped between the guilt of delaying tasks and the seemingly impossible task of completing them, you’re on the right path so far.

So far, your daily routine isn’t working, most likely due to bad habits. You’re distracted, exhausted, and lacking the success you deserve.  

Forming habits is as simple as deciding and performing; deciding on small tasks to achieve your goals, and actioning those tasks consistently. There’s science behind setting goals that form consistent habits and increased serotonin levels, and it shouldn’t be ignored. 

Deciding what works best for you won’t take much trial and error. The important thing is to recognize the results.  

Let’s dive into some actionable productivity-increasing methods you can use to improve your potential and get the most from your day. 

Overcome Procrastination and Get Better Results

When you have something to accomplish, just do it!

As cliche as it sounds, it’s still applicable to those who suffer from bouts of procrastination- organizing spice jars, anyone? This obstructive phenomenon is the number one killer of productivity and the biggest obstacle to achieving your goals. 

As controlled by the limbic system, our innate fight or flight response is a section of our brain that automatically regulates our body during stressful or overwhelming situations. 

You guessed it; our brain has analyzed the task or activity that feels like climbing a mountain as an obstacle too daunting to overcome- so we put it off.  

Procrastination is rooted in our biology, but we can combat this by taking a step back for a minute, acknowledging the bothersome task at hand, and moving forward.  Don’t let biology control every problematic situation. Otherwise, problems pile up, and you’ll end up with a list of things you’re too afraid to deal with.

Take Micro-Breaks and Prevent Stress

Working on long-term or complex tasks can make us wary of rest in case we lose momentum or miss that important deadline. Yet taking some time away from work can boost energy levels and invigorate performance. 

If you’re wondering what happens if we dedicate too much time to our work, just look at the 5 reasons why being productive makes you tired. 

Improve your performance output and overall productivity by taking frequent breaks throughout the day.  Take a time out and chat with colleagues, grab a bite to eat, catch up on the latest Tiktik, or do anything else to distract yourself from work. 

The ideal length for breaks will depend on what works best for you. Take short 5-15 minute breaks every hour, or at least 30 minutes every 2-4 hours for longer breaks. Ultimately, the length of breaks doesn’t matter as much as the frequency. 

Create a To-Do List to Increase Happiness

This method is scientifically proven to release dopamine, also known as happy hormones. As we complete a task, our brains release serotonin, activating the brain’s ‘reward system’, motivating us to do the things we do because it feels good. 

It works like this: dopamine-producing neurons in the brain control feelings of pleasure that are activated when we complete a to-do task. 

Because our brains are hardwired to desire pleasure-seeking activities, setting and achieving goals becomes easier because our brain has got into the habit of feeling good when we check items off our list. 

Create a to-do list that boosts your productivity.

It’s as simple as it sounds; create one with a pen and paper and keep it within sight or download an app and set notifications for extra motivation. 

Take a Nap to Prevent Burnout 

Feeling drained from excessive workload, long-term stress, or constant demand is not an unfamiliar phenomenon. Burnout can affect your physical and mental health and prevent productivity. 

Luckily, there are scientifically-backed protocols to combat stress-related burnout and enhance performance output.  

There are many health benefits to taking a short afternoon nap. All of them relate to better productivity. Set your alarm to wake up with improved memory to prevent information overload. 

• Facilitate the problem-solving process in complex tasks
• Boost mood and attention span 
• Prevent stress when under pressure 
• Improve immune system health. 

Keep your naps short, between 10 and 30 minutes, to prevent inertia. That groggy feeling you get after waking up can worsen the longer you sleep. If you’re feeling extra tired and unproductive, activate your REM sleep cycle with a 60-minute or longer nap to increase your creativity. 

Change Your Habits to Enhance Productivity

We form our daily routines with the activities and behaviors we repeat subconsciously. These can be anything from constantly checking our phone and losing precious time, telling ourselves the weather determines if we go for that run or frequent procrastination.  

To prevent bad habits from keeping us productive, we need to eliminate negative habits and replace them with better ones.

How can you replace destructive habits with good ones?

By linking a new habit to an existing habit. 

• If you’re prone to multitasking, don’t start a new task until you’ve completed the current one. Instead of wasting time switching between different tasks, this technique will focus your attention on the task at hand. 
• If you enjoy a morning coffee and chocolate croissant but check your emails or perform work-related duties simultaneously, you’ll burn out soon. Instead, take up meditation, learn how to read faster, or prepare a healthy breakfast to practice self-care.  
• If you need to listen to music or your favorite podcast while working, turn the volume as low as possible, or change to something less entertaining to prevent distraction.
• If you can’t stay away from your socials while working on your laptop, use site blockers to limit the amount of time you spend on them, and silence notifications to avoid distractions

Why Follow a Daily Routine?

A daily routine is made by habitually following a sequence of organized and structured activities. Taking the necessary steps to care for yourself by incorporating a daily routine into your life has psychological benefits that improve your overall mental and bodily health.  

When was the last time you truly stuck to a daily routine? And by this, we don’t mean copying the latest influencers with their military-style bed making, followed by a breakfast made from 101 organic ingredients, then an hour of extreme yoga before another hour of grooming and outfit decisions- because who has time for that?

Following a customized, daily routine that improves health and encourages well-being is easily attainable once you know why you need one and how to implement it into your everyday life.  

Many people who don’t follow a daily routine suffer from:

• Poor physical health: because there isn’t enough time in the day for physical exercise
• Poor mental health: because not fulfilling individual goals leads to stress and anxiety 
• Poor eating habits: because fast food is an easy option for those who don’t make time for healthy food planning
• Poor time management: because ineffective use of time feels like there are not enough hours in the day to achieve goals
• Poor sleep quality: because concerns about overdue tasks or inadequate personal output lead to worry and lack of sleep

Following a routine doesn’t have to be stifling either. Making small but enjoyable changes to your day can make an impact. Thrash it out on the gym for 30 minutes, maximize your memory, or enjoy a crisp evening walk to boost energy and feel good about yourself.  

A routine creates structure

Structure happens when we consistently adhere to a system of tasks and activities to help us get things done. Instead of crashing under the weight of responsibilities as they pile up from procrastination or lack of planning. 

A planned structure and regular routine bring order to our lives, add value to things we do, and create a sense of control and familiarity, making tasks easier to achieve.   

A routine develops self-discipline 

Self-discipline is the internal ability to push ourselves to achieve goals. When we apply self-discipline, we feel in control, and mastering this technique helps us make decisions about our daily lives, prioritize goals, and face responsibilities head-on. 

Self-discipline is a powerful tool that contributes to personal and professional success. 

A routine improves productivity 

Following a routine helps us set the stage for better time management, greater productivity, and effective prioritization. 

Organizing tasks in terms of priority empowers us to commit to each goal. As we assess the benefits of the outcome, the effort we put into tasks compels us to achieve them. 

A routine facilitates a healthy work-life balance

Planning your work tasks, personal and home life activities with a daily routine determines productivity versus quality of rest. By prioritizing the essential things, we discover what’s important to us. We are happier because we have more time to spend on the things that bring us joy instead of feeling demoralized by work-related tasks.

A routine generates achievement and success

Putting our socks on in the morning is a regular habit ingrained in us since childhood. Our parents celebrated when we dressed without their help, thus creating a sense of achievement. 

This aspect of our lives continues into adulthood and is such a familiar concept that we fail to recognize habits as they form. Healthy, repetitive daily routines will eventually turn into everyday achievements relative to success in life. 

Let’s recap

Be more productive by consistently following a daily routine. Routines bring structure to our lives upon which we can build a foundation of success. 

They give us time to do things that make us happy and benefit our mental and physical health. Eventually, this routine becomes an automatic habit that aids performance output. 

If you have more time in the day to spend doing the things you enjoy, your work is completed to a higher standard, stress and anxiety levels are managed, and you have a general feeling of personal and professional success, you’re doing it right. 

Discover what it really means to increase your productivity and how it feels when you wake up in the morning with purpose and self-respect. Find out how to stop yourself before watching the new Netflix boxset.  You can learn how to do this by taking an online Personal Productivity course. Achieve success and be happy!