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Exercises to Become Productive

Becoming productive means reaching a state of high performance, characterized by efficiency (achieving maximum productivity with minimal waste of effort or cost) and the quality of our results. This involves using our time wisely and effectively while avoiding procrastination (i.e., delaying or postponing tasks). Productivity applies to various contexts, such as working on business projects or organizing personal events like birthday parties for friends or partners.

Productivity is most effectively achieved when we do something that feels meaningful and enjoyable in the moment. However, it’s not always easy to find meaning and joy in what we do. One day, we might lack motivation (a reason to act or behave in a certain way), and the next, we might struggle with discipline (the ability to work in a controlled manner). But to perform at a productive level, we need to understand and enjoy what we do by giving our brain enough to work with—without overwhelming it—knowing where we are in a process, and finding it meaningful and enjoyable. When we reach that point, we become incredibly productive by being present.

Presence in Productivity

To become productive, we need to be present in the process of achieving something. Being present in this context means:

Understanding what we are doing.
Knowing where our focus is.
Recognizing our position in the process chain.
Identifying areas where we can improve our skills.
Understanding the challenges we face.
Learning how to overcome difficult mistakes.
Knowing when we can move on to the next step with a solid result.

Being productive requires a certain level of deep focus and concentration, which we achieve by being present. However, reaching a state of productive presence can be difficult, so here are 10 ways to become productive by being present.

Practice Proactivity

Being proactive (creating or controlling a situation rather than merely reacting to it after it happens) helps us stay present in a situation. We can take responsibility for the moment and respond consciously to our current circumstances.

To practice proactivity, focus on doing one thing at a time. If you’re building a wall, ensure that you lay one brick at a time. If you’re writing by hand, write one letter at a time to form a word. Give your full attention to what you are doing right now.

The same applies if you are working on a challenging task. The more you focus on the details, the more aware and engaged you become. When doing one thing at a time, make sure your mind and body work together at a pace they can follow in sync. Our physical state can significantly impact our ability to enter a productive mindset, so being mindful of this effect can benefit our productivity and efficiency.

Positive Reinforcement

Set a goal and try to reach it with your best effort. Regardless of the outcome, give yourself credit for trying your best.

Your goal(s) could be:

Working for 30 minutes with full focus
Running a certain distance within a set time
Meditating for 10 minutes
Staying off your phone while socializing

Your positive reinforcement could be:

Having a snack
Watching TV for 30 minutes to an hour
Acknowledging your progress
Using your phone for 15 minutes

Positive reinforcement helps clear our minds of unhealthy habits and teaches us to distinguish between work and relaxation. By setting small goals that require our full attention and rewarding ourselves with breaks afterward, we can calm our minds.

When our performance doesn’t meet expectations, we tend to get frustrated and overlook the effort we’ve put in up to that point—which is an important aspect to acknowledge. By positively reinforcing ourselves, we cultivate resilience and a motivated mindset.

Time Management

Find a calendar, either physical or digital, and start planning your day. Create a schedule that suits your needs today. Begin by determining what you can handle on a daily basis—without putting too much pressure on yourself, but enough to feel satisfied with your achievements for the day.

Things to Consider in Your Calendar

Priorities

Set priorities for how you want to allocate your time. Take different aspects of your life into account that contribute to your well-being (the state of being comfortable physically and mentally). The major aspects include:

Professional: What we do for a living.
Financial: How we manage our money.
Social: Our relationships with friends, family, and partners.
Environmental: Where we live and how we interact with our surroundings.
Health (physical and mental): The state of our body and mind.
Intelligence: How satisfied and stimulated our mind is.

Our priorities should support what we want in life and what brings us joy and meaning.

Goals

Set a goal you want to achieve and break it down into smaller steps. Identify what needs to be done to reach it and allow room for adjustments and necessary changes.

For example, if your goal is to lose 10 kg, small steps could include preparing your workout clothes and setting a time for exercise each day. Actions to achieve this might involve conscious choices, such as eating fewer snacks or fast food and incorporating more vegetables into your diet. Adjustments might be necessary along the way, like reducing workout frequency to three times a week instead of daily. Similarly, you might need to adjust your diet without feeling deprived.

Deadlines

If you have a project or goal you are determined to complete, set a deadline. Estimate the time required for different steps in the process. Ensure the project or goal doesn’t consume all your time—leave room for other activities so you don’t become overly fixated on one thing.

Relaxation

Make sure to schedule time for rest. Aim for a 50/50 balance between relaxation (which can include socializing with friends or colleagues) and work. The purpose of relaxation is to reset your mind, preventing feelings of overwhelm and stress. Creating a schedule can be challenging at first because it requires balancing work and relaxation, but over time, you will learn your limits and understand how much you can realistically accomplish in a day.

Managing time isn’t always easy. Some tasks take longer than expected, and when they do, you must be ready to adjust and make on-the-spot decisions that help you move forward rather than getting stuck in a mental loop.

Habits

Before starting a project, take five minutes without distractions to mentally prepare for the task. After these five minutes, write down your intention for the day’s project, such as working on a specific section or focusing on details. Also, note any temptations that distracted you—whether it was wanting coffee, checking social media, or going to the restroom—and commit to postponing them for a set period.

If a habit (a regular practice or tendency, especially one that is difficult to give up) has a negative impact, replace it with something that leads to positive results. Once you identify habits that benefit your productivity, track them by adding them to your calendar or marking them on a notepad.

Habit Tracking

For productivity, we can develop habits that support our efficiency. Here are some examples:

Post-it notes: Write down three achievable tasks for the day.
Time management: Work with full focus for 30 minutes, then take a break.
Journaling: If you encounter a problem in your project, write it down along with possible solutions.
Mindful routines: Make time for relaxation-focused activities.
Reading: Dedicate 30 minutes to reading each day.

Tracking habits encourages our mind to aim for outcomes that feel rewarding. It helps us build awareness of our needs and behaviors that enhance productivity.

Speed Reading

Find something to read—anything from a newspaper to a book or an online article—and follow this speed-reading process:

Scan the headline and predict what the section is about.
Set a timer for two-minute reading intervals.
Keep reading without re-reading previous sections.
Let your subvocalization (the voice you “hear” in your head when reading) make sense of the text rather than just reading the words aloud internally.
After reading, connect the information to form an overall understanding.

Speed reading helps our mind process information more quickly and sometimes even more accurately, as it forces us to extract meaning from the text rather than passively consuming words. This skill can be useful for projects, helping us grasp concepts more effectively.

Journaling

Journaling can help us step back from being too deeply involved in a project. It allows us to gain perspective and think about our work in new ways.

Write down your thoughts on anything that comes to mind—whether it happened today or a long time ago. Whatever thoughts arise, write them down by hand rather than on a digital device. Handwriting slows down the process, allowing the mind to keep pace with the words.

Once you’ve written your thoughts, reflect on them using questions like:

“Do I really want to think about (X) this way?”
“How would I prefer to think about (X)?”
“How can I approach (X) from a different angle?”

Writing down thoughts allows us to see them more clearly. It helps distance them from our mind, making room for new reflections.

Journaling also lets us observe how our thinking changes over time. Whether or not you revisit your writing later is entirely up to you—the most important thing is simply doing it.

Practicing Flow State

The flow state (coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) is a mental state where we work efficiently with minimal resistance. In this state, we feel completely focused and immersed in what we are doing—we are fully present and engaged.

Achieving flow requires balancing the challenge of a task with our skill level, which can be broken down into steps:

Eliminate distractions that disrupt your focus and don’t benefit the task at hand—this includes phone notifications, social media, or other interruptions.
Choose a task that challenges your knowledge but remains manageable. It could be work-related or a hobby.
Review your materials thoroughly and understand what needs to be done to complete the task.

Flow can be achieved individually or in a group, as long as everyone maintains the same level of focus. Understanding where you are in a process is key to staying in flow.

Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness (a mental state achieved by focusing one’s attention on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations) helps us become aware of our emotions and thoughts in real-time. It can reveal underlying frustrations and help us resolve internal struggles.

Mindfulness exercises calm the mind and bring a sense of presence, helping us fully engage in the moment.

Mindfulness Essentials

Before diving into mindfulness exercises, establish three key foundations:

Openness: Accept that your thoughts exist, but you don’t need to act on them.
Breath awareness: Give full attention to your breathing.
Patience: Allow yourself time to ease into the practice.

These three elements are essential for fully experiencing the benefits of mindfulness.

Meditation

Take 5–10 minutes each day to do nothing but breathe. Avoid distractions like phones, emails, TV, or coffee—just sit still or lie down in a quiet space. Close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and observe where your thoughts take you.

Inhale deeply and notice how far the air travels into your body.
Exhale when you feel ready.

Meditation clears mental clutter, reducing overwork and stress. We can’t be productive if our mind is overloaded with unnecessary distractions. If we make breathing exercises a habit and detach from behaviors like constant social media use, we can focus more deeply on our tasks and improve our attention span.

For more information on meditation: Click here

Awareness Conversations

Talk with a close friend, colleague(s), group, or professional about your productivity level or a project you’re struggling with. If or when you feel frustrated or discouraged, take a deep breath, calm yourself by remembering the purpose of the conversation, and continue when you’re ready.

You can start the conversation by addressing the challenges you know you’re facing and turning them into questions that need answers, such as:

“Why am I encountering resistance in my work?”
“Why am I not being efficient?”
“What can I do to break out of this unproductive cycle?”
“How can I become more productive?”
“What do you think I should do differently?”

An awareness conversation can be eye-opening, as others can shed light on truths we might be blind to. People have different perspectives on us, which can help us see aspects of our behavior or mindset that we may not have noticed. While people also have their own opinions, listen actively, try their suggested methods, and see if they resonate with you.

Visualization

Visualization is a powerful tool that helps reshape our thinking by allowing us to see our ideas and concepts in a more tangible and accessible way. It can put us in mental states that enhance our approach to projects and tasks, helping us understand the purpose behind what we’re doing. It also helps us gain a mental overview of our thoughts and create mind maps (an organizational tool for exploring a topic or generating ideas in a non-linear way).

To get started:

Find a quiet space without distractions.
Focus on your breathing and picture yourself in a moment where you feel “in flow.”
Once you find that moment, observe how it affects you:
- Physically: What sensations do you experience?
- Mentally: How do you feel in that state?
- Visually: Where is your focus in the mental image?

If you struggle to enter this state, ask yourself:

“What activity would put me in a productive state?”
“How would I feel in the moment while doing it?”

For more information on visualization: Click here

The Process of Becoming Productive

Being productive requires sustained attention and mental focus (the ability to direct mental effort toward the most relevant information in our environment), which can be hard to maintain daily. After a productive session, our mind needs to rest, but transitioning from productivity to rest isn’t always easy. Learning when to switch on and off productivity is key to avoiding burnout.

Key Factors in Productivity

Presence – Being engaged in a process requires commitment to the moment and awareness of the actions we’re taking. Presence helps us stay connected to our tasks and prevents burnout from overthinking or losing focus.
Stimulation – Long-term productivity requires mental stimulation, meaning we should feel satisfied with our actions and understand their purpose. While productivity doesn’t always require mental challenge, challenging ourselves enhances our work ethic and drives better performance.

Define Purpose Before Setting Goals

People often confuse purpose with goals, so let’s clarify:

Purpose is an infinite impact we want to create, something that affects others beyond just ourselves. Examples include:
- Helping people discover their passion.
- Supporting mental health awareness.
- Empowering others to create positive change.
- Advocating for ethical change in unjust environments.
Goals are the stepping stones that support our purpose.

If we want to achieve something meaningful, we should define our purpose first, then set goals that align with it. This approach creates more effective results and enhances our well-being.

Understand Before Moving Forward

Our brain expends more energy when we feel confused about a task. Once we fully understand what we’re doing, our mind can process the task more easily and guide us toward completion.

Being goal-oriented helps us plan our next steps, but we must also remember why we’re doing what we do. Reminding ourselves of our purpose keeps us connected to the motivation that started our journey in the first place.

Cultivate Curiosity

Curiosity helps our mind enter a productive state. When we are genuinely interested, it becomes much easier to transition into focused work.

Some challenges are harder than others. When facing setbacks—whether it’s repetitive work, overwhelming tasks, or mistakes—it’s easy to react negatively. Instead, use curiosity as a tool to find solutions, reframe obstacles as problems to solve, and explore new knowledge in your field.

Know Your Limits

We cannot be productive 24/7. Understanding our daily limits ensures we don’t exhaust ourselves and compromise the next day. When we feel mentally foggy or less efficient, it’s a sign to pause and recharge.

Productivity also varies depending on the phase of a process. Different stages—such as planning, execution, revision, and decision-making—demand different levels of effort. Being mindful of these phases prevents burnout and improves efficiency.

Acknowlegde Setbacks as Part of the Process, Not Failure

There is no failure in a process—only steps that guide us toward what does work. If we spend time on something that doesn’t yield results, we’ve simply identified an approach that isn’t effective for us. Now, we can try another method.

There will be days when our work feels unsatisfactory, but when that happens, step back, gather your thoughts, and focus on transforming obstacles into something constructive rather than demotivating.

Take Responsibility

If we want something done, we must take responsibility for making it happen. Productivity involves accountability, whether it’s fixing mistakes, recognizing wasted efforts, or improving workplace conditions. Instead of avoiding problems, address them head-on and manage them responsibly.

For more information on responsibility: Click here

Less Is More

The “less is more” principle applies to productivity. Focusing on fewer, high-priority tasks leads to better results than juggling multiple things at once. Overloading yourself reduces performance, whereas deep focus on one task ensures quality work and smoother progress.

Be Aware of Social Media Distractions

Social media addiction can significantly disrupt productivity. Be mindful of why you reach for your phone or open social apps. If social media constantly interrupts your workflow, it becomes harder to stay productive.

Discipline Yourself

Discipline (performing tasks in a controlled and habitual manner) allows us to program ourselves to follow routines that enhance productivity. Instead of relying on old, unproductive habits, become mindful of your actions and adjust them to align with productive behaviors.

Clear Your Attention Span

Clear your mind and remove distractions that interfere with productivity:

Eliminate all digital distractions (put your phone away, disable notifications, block social media access).
Communicate boundaries—let coworkers, family, or friends know when you need uninterrupted focus time.
Let go of minor distractions—whether it’s grabbing a coffee or thinking about lunch, set those thoughts aside and fully immerse yourself in the present task.

By clearing your focus space, you establish the foundation for deep concentration and efficiency.

Implementing Productivity

Productivity can offer many benefits when it comes to pursuing our inner desires. Whether we want to become freelancers or start a business, productivity provides us with the tools and resources to move closer to fulfilling our purpose.

At its core, productivity means using our time wisely to enhance our lifestyle. To increase productivity and overall quality of life, we can engage in practices that heighten our awareness and presence, allowing us to find joy in our actions and habits.

Enhanced Well-Being

Productivity isn’t just about work—it applies to various aspects of life, including social, environmental, intellectual, financial, mental, and physical well-being. A productive state of mind improves overall well-being by stimulating the brain and satisfying the mind, leading to a sense of fulfillment and balance.

A Stronger Mind

Our mind learns when to work and when to rest. A productive mindset trains us to:

Pay attention to details and direct our focus effectively.
Make sense of tasks and situations by being fully present.
Recognize when to relax and recharge for the next day.
Avoid mental overload by understanding how our thoughts impact us.

By strengthening our mind, we improve our ability to concentrate, process information efficiently, and manage stress effectively.

Increased Emotional Intelligence

A productive state helps enhance emotional intelligence—the ability to:

Recognize, regulate, and express emotions in a healthy way.
Navigate interpersonal relationships with empathy and awareness.

When we work on something, we develop an emotional connection between ourselves and our tasks. Whether we’re working alone or in a team, productivity teaches us how to align our emotions with our work, allowing us to approach challenges with clarity and composure.