Stress Hack: slow down to be more productive
Yep, you heard that right! It sounds like an oxymoron but it actually works. every. single. time!
Slowing down allows you to have less stress, less overwhelm, and more energy. All of these things help productivity because you will have laser focus on the task at hand, boost your joy and satisfaction in your life.
I’m sure you have had days or weeks that you feel like you are treading water. Jumping from one thing to another, constantly having to reprioritize, feeling like you never did enough?
I am totally with you. For years this was how I felt. Trying to prove I was worthy by signing up for way way WAY too much. But this just lead to overwhelm, frustration, and eventually burn out.
Here are my Six Steps for slowing down and being more productive.
They are my go-to steps when I have a stressful week coming up or start to feel overwhelmed. They work for me every time and I recommend you try them and see how they help you remove stress from your life. They also all start with the letter S because I love alliteration. :)
SLEEP:
It is the number one thing we can do to help heal the body and fight stress. However, when we are stressed or busy sleep is usually at the bottom of our to do list. When you should be prioritizing your sleep, without it your mind and body won't be running at their full potential. For years society have stigmatized sleep with the label of laziness, for example the badge of honor after pulling all-nighters. But those careless college days are behind us and so should the lack of sleep! We know that a baby needs sleep, but why do we think we don't? Sleep is the time our body recharges, cleans toxins, heals damage, and actually rests! With a solid eight hours of sleep you will have more energy, have more focus, have a better temperament, be more fun to be around, and yes be more productive!
SIP & SAVOR:
I can’t even count how many times I have heard “I’m too busy to eat” You will be way more productive when your body has the fuel it needs to function. Get yourself some food and savor it. Water, tea, fresh juice, even coffee sip and savor. Take time in your busy to stay hydrated. Sipping on a cup of herbal tea or a delicious latte and slowing down your mind. Food or drink take a moment and notice the colors, temperature, texture, and taste. Just taking 60 seconds to do this will slow your nervous system, boost your metabolism and kick start your digestion.
STROLL:
It has been proven that moving your body not only helps the body, but also the mind. Get up from your desk, get off the couch, take a stroll outside and breathe some fresh air. This will help change your perspective, take a break from your current project, and ease your nervous system. You will come back refreshed, refocused, and revived! Try it, it works!
SELF CARE:
Have you ever said after getting sick “it was bound to happen I have been going none stop!” There is no surprise that most of us get sick after a busy or stressful time in our life because we aren’t taking care of ourselves! But there are plenty of forms of self care that don't take much time, are completely free, and have massive benefits! My favorite to use and that I recommend to all of my clients is: slow belly breathing. When we are stressed we tend to shorten our breaths which speeds up our heart rate and our nervous system. This in turns produces more cortisol and continue the stress cycle. Slow belly breathing turns that all around, it also calms the mind, resets your focus, detoxifies your body, and helps your body fight the effects of stress. That is why it is super important and one of my go-to stress hacks! Take time for yourself, to take care of yourself.
Check out my instagram post here for a list of many other forms of self care and I recommend you try several to find what works before for you.
STOP SCROLLING:
Social media is easily the biggest time suck when it comes to productivity. How many hours of your day do you spend scrolling your social media outlets? Is it more than 2? That is 14 hours that you could be spending your time being productive, starting a hobby, earning money, making your dreams come true. Try this - go to Settings -> Battery scroll down and if you click on your social media it will show you how long you have spent then look how much time you spend on each! Also turn off the notifications on your phone! Having your phone ding or buzz every time you get an like, comment, post, text, or email it the definition of distraction. They interrupt your focus and your train of thought even if you aren't scrolling. If you want to get things done, be more productive, turn them off!
SCHEDULE:
Writing it down or putting it on your calendar is the number one way to get things done. If you don’t schedule it, it isn’t a priority. Whatever it is that you are trying to get done write out the steps and put them in your calendar. Also put time for sleep, stroll, sips, and self care. You wouldn’t cancel on your boss or your dentist, so stop canceling on yourself!
Your life is supposed to be enjoyable. It shouldn't be filled with stress, chaos, or the feeling that you aren't doing enough. To help find balance, get more accomplished, have less stress and more energy use these seven tips when you have a lot going on in life.
Work/Life Balance is something that I struggled with for many years. But now I use these steps to keep me balanced and I have learned to see the signs early when I get out of balance. I love helping hardworking men and women find more balance in their life and thus being more productive, more successful, and less stressed.
Hack your stress so you can live life to the fullest! Live a Radiant & Abundant life!
What's one thing you can do today to slow down and be more productive?
