4 Mindfulness Tips to Help You Get Your To-do List Done!

We have all been there before, staring down a mammoth long list of things that we have to do, deadlines we need to meet, and people we need to please. Mindfulness tips like the four starting points below are a roadmap to success when it comes to tackling the biblically long to-do lists of today. Whether you need to create a good routine for when you get overwhelmed, often find yourself up a creek with stress as your only companion, or even that you are stressed right now; my four top mindfulness tips below are a sure way to reduce stress, increase productivity, and get everything done (without tearing your hair out in the process).
1: Exercise!
Exercise, an old but gold sure-fire way to increase your productivity and reduce stress. You might be sitting there and thinking ‘I don’t have the time’. But a twenty-minute stroll in the sun and fresh air will make you four times as productive as if you stayed holed up in your office.
Of course, the main reason to exercise is to get the ‘happy hormones’ or endorphins, that you gain from exercising. However, Janine Mullins, a psychology writer from Elite assignment help and OX Essays, notes in her findings, that “however important and helpful endorphins are, exercising outside will also give you a healthy dose of Vitamin D and fresh air which will re-invigorate your brain.” Whenever I get writer’s block or am struggling to make progress with a project; I find that a quick stroll in the fresh air rarely fails me. Taking a quick break if nothing else will allow you to come back to your project(s) with a fresh set of eyes and new ideas.
2: Make Yourself Happy
It might seem simplistic, but you will never be as productive as possible if you are not in a good mood. It is just the way we were built; humans will always create more and better-quality work when we are happy, and happiness is rarely built off the back of negative energy such as stress. Depending on what you love and your personality, different things may work for you.
Personally, I love music and find that it brings out a happy side to me which greatly helps me increase my productivity. If I need to focus or have a specific deadline to meet, I will often play a few songs which relax and center me, and then do the work I need to, and reward myself with a couple of songs when I have ticked a box. Drive yourself with what drives you. As Michelle Holden, a lifestyle blogger from Revieweal and UK Writings noted, “Happy people create better quality work, and happy people will build better quality lives. It is no use driving yourself insane to get all of your work done and then be miserable!”
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3: Control the Controllable
This mindfulness tip I learned from my mother while at school—”Control the Controllable”. I rolled my eyes when she first said it but grew to understand just how true it was. You may not be able to control that your boss is a massive perfectionist. But you can control the quality of the work that you submit to them. You may not be able to control the traffic being so slow that you are going to miss your meeting. But you can control how productive you are once you arrive at work.
4: Eat the Elephant One Bite at a Time
There’s only one way to eat an elephant…we have all heard at one point or another. If you have a list longer than your left arm, just start with number one. If you have a lot to do and it is all in your head, write a list. Just start and work your way through it. Try not to jump from task to task, as you just will not feel productive. Tick boxes were made to be stared at with pride once they are ticked! The more boxes ticked, the more your stress level will reduce.
Stress is a funny emotion, and it beats the best of us at times. However, awareness will allow you to manage and tame the beast. It can be so easy to get into your own head and stress yourself out when you do not have a good place to start and too much to do. These four top mindfulness tips mentioned above are stepping stones to understanding what works best for you and will hopefully help you reduce stress and increase productivity so you can be your happiest and most efficient self.
About the Author
Elizabeth Hines is a digital marketer and online content writer for Lia Help and Big Assignments. She enjoys writing lifestyle articles and educational pieces. She also writes for online magazines and blogs, such as Top Essay Writing Services.
Feature Image: Photo by Motoki Tonn