Section outline

  • The productivity level of any process refers to the effective effort where output is measured per unit of input. In other words, how efficient are you at obtaining your goals, given your effort? Remember our discussion of SMART goals? Each component of this acronym plays an important part in getting to the finish line. Pay special attention to the "actionable" element to increase your efficiency and effectiveness. You might surprise yourself by attaining your goals if you use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to identify important and urgent demands on your time and avoid procrastinating on less enjoyable or more difficult tasks.

    • Procrastination Page
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      Are you an eleventh-hour person? Do you wait to study for an important exam until the night before the test date? Does the advice, "never put off until tomorrow what you can do today," make you uneasy? You may not consider yourself a procrastinator, but do you feel anxious when you receive deadlines? This resource explains why we procrastinate and challenges some common myths about why we put things off.

    • How to Stop Procrastination Page
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      Watch this video on the five-minute rule, which the narrator uses to build motivation and complete challenging or complex tasks. He celebrates each win by setting clear, realistic, and specific goals to accomplish in a five-minute time frame. He embarks on the next step of his assignment with extra motivation and momentum.

    • The Pomodoro Method Page
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      This short video introduces the Pomodoro method, a time management technique Francesco Cirillo created in the 1980s to break projects into smaller, more manageable chunks to make them seem easier to complete. This technique uses a 25-minute work interval followed by a five-minute break. After you have completed four Pomodoros, you get a 15-minute break, and so on. Experiment with the Pomodoro technique and the timing of breaks to see what works best for you.