Do you ever find yourself sitting down to work but struggling to focus on the task at hand? Perhaps you have all the right equipment and a comfortable workspace, but your mind is wandering, and you're feeling anxious or stressed.
As students, it's essential to optimize our productivity to succeed academically, but sometimes, our minds and bodies are not ready for work.
One solution to this problem is mindfulness productivity, which involves being present in the task at hand while also being aware of our mental and emotional states. By acknowledging and addressing these states, we can better focus on our work and increase our productivity.
To implement mindfulness productivity, try this process:
1. Start by doing a mental check-in before beginning your work. Release yourself from past and future concerns. Don't dwell on past work problems or future worries. If you're struggling with a painful memory, use the "noterday" (let go of yesterday) exercise to move on and focus on the present moment.
2. Set SMART goals for your work session and write them down in a visible place. Here is a link to a short interactive SMART goal tracker. Feel free to make your own copy and use it regularly!
3. Take a few deep breaths and ask yourself how you're feeling mentally and emotionally. Achieve a flow state. Find the balance between the challenge of the task and your own skill level. Cut out distractions and keep your mind attentive to stay relaxed and focused. This is not about judging your emotional and mental states. Rather, it’s about being aware of them, accepting them, and moving on so you can get back to being productive. Each time your mind wanders, just acknowledge the thoughts and emotions, and bring your attention back to the task at hand.
4. Write down anything that's on your mind or affecting your mood. This step allows you to acknowledge your current state and be more present in your work. Question your procrastination. Identify the root cause and develop a plan to overcome it. Think, visualize and write it out.
5. To stay mindful of your mental state during your work, try writing down any distracting thoughts on a piece of paper and tell yourself you'll deal with them after you've completed your goals.
6. Check in with yourself periodically and take deep breaths to refocus your mind. If you find yourself getting distracted from your goals, remind yourself of your SMART goals and ask if what you're doing is helping you achieve them. Avoid multitasking. Use mindful context switching to balance productivity and responsiveness.
7. Cultivate curiosity. Observe the world, take time to learn, ask questions, and don't take anything for granted. Be mindful of your work environment. Be aware of how your environment affects your productivity and adapt accordingly.
8. Develop a growth mindset. Believe in your ability to improve and practice the "not yet" technique. Use metacognitive strategies. Plan, monitor, and evaluate your learning experiences.
9. Take mindful breaks. Not just getting up to grab a cup of coffee, but instead using breaks to remind yourself to be mindful of your thoughts, emotions, and your environment. Widen your visual field especially if your work sessions were on a computer and avoid looking at social media. Check out this Chrome Extension called "Teeny Breaks" to help you set mindful breaks into your work session.
Incorporating mindfulness productivity into your academic work can help you optimize your productivity and stay focused on your goals.
It's essential to take care of your mental and emotional states to succeed academically, and mindfulness productivity can help you do just that.