This is a guest article contribute by Richard Nolan from ProWritersCenter.
People live in a hurry. It feels like we are always out of time. We just need a couple more hours to concentrate on the problem, and a few more brilliant ideas to finish our writing. However, for some reason, there is a point when it feels like your brain is blocking any information, and you just cannot work.
That is a sign that you need to boost your brain capacity. We have gathered a list of techniques that will help you enhance your creativity, increase your productivity and stimulate a better focus. They are easy to use. Yet we recommend you to save them and apply, once you feel stuck, or when your brain seems to be blocked out by the enormous amount of responsibilities that you carry.
So, meet our list of things to stimulate your productivity:
1. Train Your Memory
Ability to keep tons of information in your head instead of having to constantly search for it on the Internet is priceless. You cannot overestimate its power and value. That is why this recommendation tops our list.
Training your brain is not as hard as some people claim it is. You are capable of making it way more flexible than you think it can ever be. All you need for it are smart techniques to use and discipline not to give up on it in the meantime.
You can start with establishing a rule to learn a new word every day. This might be a word in your language or a foreign language in case you’re currently learning one.
You can use sticky notes to name the objects in your office or at home or you can have a special notebook to write these words in. It does not matter what you opt for, just make sure that you expand your vocabulary on a regular basis.
You can also play memory games on your smartphone. Or go for actual card memory games to train your ability to remember facts and images.
2. Do Some Physical Exercise
It is scientifically proven that physical activity can stimulate the proper functioning of your brain.
In fact, you don’t even need to join a gym and spend hours exercising and lifting weights. Just regular morning exercise and some occasional workout in the middle of the day will have a jaw-dropping effect on your performance.
The thing is that when you stretch your body and do some physical activity, you make your brain create new neural connections more quickly. And it is a key to successful and efficient performance at work.
3. Prepare Healthy Snacks
Even though eating healthy seems to be irrelevant to the topic in question, scientists claim that healthy food promotes better brain functioning.
That is why instead of getting a candy bar for a snack, opt for some carrots or apples. They will work better, improve your immune system, and stimulate your brain activity.
By the way, while we are on the topic of healthy snacks, I should mention that it is now scientifically proven that an apple eaten in the morning works better than a cup of coffee.
That’s right: an apple can help you to wake up properly. That is why, if in the morning or in the middle of the day you experience a significant lack of energy, grab an apple.
4. Have Breaks
If you are anything like me then you probably do not have real breaks.
I used to believe that taking a whole hour for the lunch break is not as important as people claim it is, that it’s a pure waste of time.
However, your brain needs to take breaks from all the information you are making it to process and remember.
So, instead of reading some work-related books, making important phone calls, or planning more tasks for the rest of the day, consider having an hour-long satisfying lunch with no worries and plans for the future work.
This will boost your creativity and help to make the writing process (if you are a freelance writer) easier.
5. Read Your Favorite Book
It is tempting to study at all times. Moreover, it is extremely useful to be always on the watch for new valuable information.
However, reading a favorite book is vital, because when you read it, your brain imagines everything and forms images in your head. This activity is also enhancing your performance and makes your brain more flexible, adds greater capacity to it.
When thinking about a favorite reading piece, opt for fiction and not professional literature, because there is not much to picture in the latter.
And also, your favorite book will help you to relieve stress and calm down. If your job causes increased levels of stress, you should definitely carry a book with you to dive into in case of emergency need for relaxation and distraction.
6. Write A Diary
A lot of people have recently become obsessed with meditation. I am not a big fan of it for many reasons. This is the reason why I have found a brilliant alternative to it.
Writing a diary will have an eye-opening effect once you start implementing it.
The diary will be a place where you explain all the hard feelings you have, as well as describe the emotions you cannot deal with properly. It will keep your secrets and will serve as a safety bag that won’t let you break your neck under pressure your work puts on you.
So, get a diary, either traditional paper-based one, or a digital one, and write in it to clear out your head when needed.
7. Sleep Well
I remember, when I was a child, I often asked my mom why I had to sleep for so long, while so many amazing things could be done and a vast number of breathtaking adventures could be experienced during this time.
She always said that I need to recover from all the activities I had during the day. I did not understand it then, but I understand it now very well.
I usually feel drained and exhausted by the end of the day. And if I opt for spending another hour dealing with some work issues, I know for sure that the next day I will be useless at the office.
I will yawn the whole day and barely blink. No good can come out of getting an insufficient amount of sleep.
Therefore, you need to remember that sleeping seven or eight hours is essential to your focus, memory, and adequate performance of the brain.
8. Get Inspiration
You know yourself better than anyone, which means that only you know what inspires you and makes you want to wake up every morning despite the pouring rain or scorching heat outside.
And once you feel stuck at a task, you should switch to something that inspires you.
Maybe you cannot do this during the working hours, but have it as a reward at the end of the day.
You should not be afraid to spend all the money you need on this, as without inspiration you won’t do well in life and at work.
So, you can go dancing, see a play in your favorite theater, or rent a movie you love to stimulate yourself to do your best during the work hours.
9. Don’t Aim For Perfection
Again, it is my problem. I want to do everything perfectly or not do it at all. However, in a lot of cases, it does not work this way.
There will be things you will have to deal with in the shortest time, and you will have no time left to do it flawlessly.
So, some people refuse to do anything at all when they realize that they cannot do it well.
This shouldn’t be a problem for you. Therefore, if you are a perfectionist, have the guts to do things on time, even if not perfectly, because otherwise, you won’t be able to meet the deadlines at all.
The desire to have everything done without flaws is good, but once not fulfilled, it can make your life miserable.
10. Listen To Music
There is no need to explain how important music is when you are working. Studies have shown that students do better at school, even at the hardest classes, when classic music is playing in the background.
Even plants grow faster and better with the right music playing around. You are not an exception here.
Make a list of tracks that you want to listen to while at work to increase your focus and stimulate performance. It does not necessarily have to be classic music. Just pick something with no lyrics in it to distract you.
Conclusion
Now, as you have these tips, you will no longer experience problems when dealing with complicated tasks that require focusing and memory skills.
Save these tips for the time when you need to improve your productivity and boost your creative potential.
About the Author
Richard Nolan is a blogger and a private tutor, sharing his experience in spheres of blogging, self-growth, and psychology. Richard writes for numerous blogs and gives useful tips for bloggers, students, and teachers. At the present moment Richard works as a general blog editor for ProWritersCenter.