Written by Megan Chan

With school closure lasting until April 20th (or possibly longer!), students around RCHK have had to adapt to a different way of learning: online school. And unsurprisingly, this makes us more prone to procrastination.

However much you may struggle with productivity, you are not alone: a 2014 study from StudyMode, an online learning network, found that 87% of high school and college students procrastinate, even though 45% of them knew it negatively affected performance. Studies over the years have also explored the idea of ego depletion, where there is a limit to the amount of self-control and willpower we have. Not only can that pool of mental resources be used up, but it also dramatically hinders our self-control. 

However, that is not an excuse for nothing being done. Productivity is about working smart as much as it is about working hard. Understanding essential tips and principles are the start to overcoming the obstacles of procrastination and integrating productivity into your life.

#1: Form Healthy Habits and Routines

The best thing about developing a new habit or routine is that it tests and trains your discipline: it’s about being committed through and through, willing yourself to do things even when you don’t want to. It can be tricky at first, and maintaining the determination to carry it out is the hardest part, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Just like how the more you train your discipline, the better you can apply it to your everyday life. 

Try to adopt healthy habits like getting enough sleep, eating breakfast, or reading every day — they do not have to be difficult at all, and it’s essential to take small steps as you go. Choose things that will boost your energy and motivation, as well as activities that are generally good for your well-being. Adopting a morning routine in particular, when planned well, can help you get into the “productive mindset,” giving you a head start into the day!

#2: To-Do Lists

To-do lists are necessary if you want to provide structure and organisation to your day. In 2011, a study by professors Baumeister and Masicampo from Wake Forest University found that cognitive processes spent on thinking about unfulfilled tasks cease when we make plans for what needs to be done. Not only can it decrease the anxiety we feel from uncompleted tasks, but it can also increase our focus on current activities and allow us to comprehend material or perform better. 

When making a to-do list, break everything down into manageable chunks, keeping your goals attainable. Note that a rigid schedule is not a good one, so allowing flexibility in your plan will make it better suited to your productivity. Daily to-do lists are a great way to manage activities, but keeping an eye on the bigger picture by using a calendar is also recommended for meeting deadlines. 

#3: Parkinson’s Law

Parkinson’s law, first coined by C. Northcote Parkinson in a 1955 The Economist essay, is the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In short, the longer you leave a task unfinished, the more complex, daunting, and stressful it will become. Think back to a time when you rushed an assignment before the deadline — because the time available for completion is short, you work much more productively. 

Setting deadlines for yourself and treating them as crucial can boost the amount of work you get done in a short amount of time. Giving yourself a little less time to do something can also go a long way. Incentivising yourself with a reward at the end or getting friends to keep you accountable can further maximise the effect. 

#4: Breaks and Leisure

Many studies, like ones from the University of Illinois and Psych Central, have proven that breaks can significantly improve performance and attention. Remember, you have only so much willpower at a given time, so having intense working sessions followed by brief breaks can make you productive and prevent burnout. Some highly suggest using the Pomodoro technique, while others find 90-minute work sessions followed with 5-minute breaks to be more optimal. As long as your breaks are a reasonable amount of time, they can considerably boost productivity.

However, what you do during your breaks is as important as taking them. Activities such as watching TV, playing video games, and napping can be detrimental and should be avoided. They may be hard to resist at first, but it’s even harder to stop once you’ve started. Instead, choose activities like doing errands, stretching, and exercise. Give yourself designated leisure times, but not in the middle of work.

#5: Working Environment

If you need to work for hours on end, why not make it enjoyable for yourself? Listening to music has been proven to boost concentration; certain types of music (such as meditative or lofi music) can increase your attention even more. 

Choose where to work wisely: for most, working at a desk will keep you more focused than working on the couch or bed. Some studies have also found standing desks to boost productivity. Eliminating distractions, such as phone notifications, and establishing a specific environment for work, can help you get into the right mindset when needed. 

#6: Productivity Apps

Technology — friend or foe? Though they can be distracting, utilising them well can be the key to keeping organised. Apps such as Google Calendar and myHomework are great for keeping track of deadlines and events, giving you an idea of what lies ahead. 

Todoist, Google Keep, and Any.do are great for to-do lists; they often connect to your calendar as well, allowing you to sync activities. 

Forest is a brilliant app for keeping you focused — the app plants virtual trees for every set amount of time you spend working, and if you leave the app during a working session, the tree dies. 

Practice effective and efficient studying by taking advantage of online tools: Anki and Quizlet are ideal for making flashcards, while Evernote, OneNote, and Notion are convenient for digital note-taking.

There are many other productivity apps out there, so take the time to find what works best. Ideally, find apps that sync across devices, making them more convenient. 

#7: The Pareto Principle and Working Smart

The Pareto principle explains how 80% of your output comes from 20% of your input. Working may seem daunting when we have a lot of work ahead. However, we sometimes spend unnecessarily long hours doing work that could have been completed for much less. Learning how to read, work, and study faster and more effectively can save you a lot of time — for example, contrary to popular belief, notebook notes and highlighting textbooks are incredibly ineffective and time-consuming ways of studying. If stuck, brush aside the perfectionism and focus on churning things out. 

Another aspect of working smart is recognising the wasted moments of your day and making the most out of it. Not all productivity has to be related to work — stuck on the commute? Listen to a podcast or an audiobook on Blinkist. Eating breakfast? Catch up on the news. Need a break from studying? Play Duolingo. 

#8: The Hardest Part is Getting Started

Unfortunately, embracing productivity tips doesn’t turn you productive overnight. Everyone would prefer to relax and spend time on leisure activities, but understand that a productive mood cannot always naturally come to you — often, the only way to get to it is by pushing through.

The Zeigarnick effect explains how incomplete tasks bother you once having started them. We tap into this effect when we start working — that’s why it gets easier as we go on. Tasks often aren’t as hard as we believe. Imagine a PE class; you may be exhausted from running, but you won’t stop halfway unless you really need to. If you can keep pushing, you will eventually reach your goal. The same logic applies to productivity: starting may feel impossible, but push hard enough, and you’ll see it. 

Recognise that you have complete and utter control over your actions and your time. Saying you “don’t feel like it” isn’t a good excuse.

What makes one person productive doesn’t necessarily work for everyone else. Working isn’t always fun, but it can get worse when we choose to procrastinate. Understanding what works best for you means trying out different things — don’t take this article as gospel, and be inclined to act and change what needs fixing in your life.

School closure is not an easy time for anyone right now, but knowing how to take care and manage ourselves during this time is the best way to keep school closure from hindering our ability and work. Yes, productivity is hard. Even regularly productive people find it hard. And for many, it’s not as simple as just learning a couple of tips — it takes genuine work and effort, but take the time to put that in, and you will see lasting impacts. 

As school closure continues, remember to be kind to yourself, take good care of your well-being, and keep the right mindset. Most importantly, stay productive!