Simple things that affect productivity

Dear Strangers,

Lately I have been trying to use my time wisely. I have been trying to read books more and scroll Instagram less. I have been trying to plan my days better, morning to evening, and to really invest time into my goals.

What I have noticed lately is that if I get up earlier in the morning, get properly dressed (wear an outfit that I feel comfortable and confident in) and plan my day, it usually ends up being a great day. This works from Monday to Friday and I accomplish to have five great days.

But then the weekend comes. I wake up whenever I want to. I am a morning person, so this is not very late, but still not in the right time. I make myself a cup of coffee and stay in my pajamas. I definitely don't plan the day and make it a successful one.

Reading a book on the balcony

Painting

A girl working on her laptop

After a lot of successful weekdays and failed weekends I have found three simple things that affect productivity and allow you to have successful days always are dressing up, finding inspiring environment and doing things you don't like on a Monday.

1. Dressing up

When I wake up on Saturday morning the thoughts that go through my head are exactly like this.

"I have worked incredibly hard this week and I absolutely deserve to sleep in today."

"I have a whole day in front of me. I can plan the day once I get up and still make it a very successful day. I don't have to be up at 6AM. It's Saturday after all!"

"My pajamas are very comfortable and I don't have to wear a boss lady outfit every single day. You can work hard even in your pajamas. It is the hard work that is important here, not the outfit."

But all of these thoughts differ greatly from who I am.

Half off my productivity goes to my boss lady outfit.

If I could give you just one advice on having a successful day then I choose to give you this. As soon as that alarm goes off, get up. As you get up - take a shower and dress up. Wear something that makes you feel very confident and good.

By dressing up, you are saying to the Universe and to all of the people you meet that you are ready today. You are ready for all of the things that the day might bring. You are ready to work on your goals and achieve them. You are ready to move on to better things, people and circumstances.

Also, since it's the weekend and you're already dressed up, you can easily say yes to any coffee, lunch or other invitation. And you never know whom you can meet or have a conversation with.

Just give it a try for one week and you will see the results.

2. Environment

The second thing is to work and spend your time in an environment that motivates you, that promotes productivity, that inspires you.

Now what I love to do after I get ready on my Saturday is get outside the house. I bring my laptop with me, or my book and iPad, depending on how I have planned that day and go to my favorite Starbucks. Starbucks is a place in my head where I can work for hours and hours, be productive without needing any motivation, just work because I care about my goals and want to achieve them.

I suggest you find a place like that too. It can be a coffee shop, some corner of your room, house or apartment that you have decorated and organized in a way that inspires you to work. And I suggest that you only work in that area. Never watch tv shows there, never eat there, just work. Allow your brain to have that little corner just for work and your brain won't need additional motivation. That place will become a place in which you work on your goals and not only that, but a place in which you achieve them.

3. Use Monday to finish all the things you don't like

If you are one of those people who simply don't like Monday, for whatever the reason, then I suggest you use it in a different day.

I suggest you put all of the "bad things" into the day you don't like. If there is a task you have been putting off for a while, then use this Monday you already don't like to finish that thing you also don't like. Spend it on that.

I am very bad with errands, for example. No matter what the errand is. Brows or nails appointments - I'll do it tomorrow. I have heard a weird noise in my car - Why me!? My passport needs to be renewed - I desperately need my passport because I'm always traveling, but I don't have time to wait in the line.

I hate errands! Any kind of errands, no matter how simple it is. I use my Monday for this.

Not only do I solve all of the things I hate, but the more of those things I solve, the stronger I feel I have had an amazing Monday.

Now, these things may feel very small and unimportant to you, but small things are always those that make a big difference.

Once we learn how to and can successfully handle the small things, we are ready for the big ones.

With love,

Viola