5 Pillars Of Being Productive

We are living in the world of rush and high demands, where everybody is trying to fit in as much as they can in the given short period of time. There is no pitying the weak. An episode of improper scattered attention or minor laziness may cost us a lot.

Therefore, to make the most out of those 24 hours we are given, we need to stay on the peak of our performance and to be the best, we need to out-perform the others. How to be more productive?

How do we reach that peak and keep it?

The place where everything seems to be going with the flow. Where unbearable obstacle suddenly becomes another thing in the “to-do” list. The state where we enjoy the high-dynamics and easily handle some of the toughest hardships on our way to success.

Having struggled and tried a lot of different so-called “methods”, I have come up with these five pillars of productivity, the basic fundamental rituals that I am going through to stay on the top of my game.

1. Become an Early Bird

One thing I have noticed that unites some of the most influential and successful people is their habit to wake up early in the morning. Different people have shown various incentives for doing so but one thing is clear, waking up early is putting you two steps ahead of your competitors.

The biorhythms in the human body are tailored to work with the maximum output with the first beams of the sun. I believe this has been inherited from our ancestors, the cavemen. They didn’t have any alarm clocks, did they?

“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day hunting for it.” ~Richard Whately

One of the brightest examples of waking up early is Tim Cook (Apple CEO) who wakes up and starts his day as soon as at 5 a.m. Tim says that waking up early allows him to get some of the “me time” and concentrate before a long working day.

So, what is stopping you from kicking your butt out of the bed and instantly get ahead of your competitors?

2. Create a schedule

How can anything be completed without a decent game plan? The biggest obstacle with effective multitasking is the shortness of time. We are given only 24 hours a day, neither less nor more. The goal is to squeeze out everything out of those 1440 minutes. Therefore, we must treat the time as the most valuable asset in our possession.

The best way to do so is to create a proper schedule. Plan out every single event on the menu or at least try to do your best. Some people refer to planning as to being “boring” or “too predictable” but if you really want to make it happen, you will have to learn how to wisely manage your time.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” – Alan Lakein

Of course, when it comes to taking a time off for a vacation, the “game plan” should go out of the window because it is YOUR TIME and you should enjoy it to the fullest. This brings me to my next point.

3. Work Hard, Play Hard

To stay productive, sometimes you need to give yourself a break. The human brain is not a forever going machine which can function, non-stop for days, sometimes it needs a time off. Even the busiest and successful people are going on vacations from time to time.
You know what they do?

They relax and spend that time to get some rest, to recover the Central Nervous System (CNS) and of course, to spend some time with their friends and family.

Working hard is great but we should not be tough on ourselves because even if the will is striving towards new accomplishments, the body in contrary may need some time to recover. If it doesn’t get the rest it needs, it is going to break down.

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” ― Alan Cohen

Our health and body are all we got, it is something indispensable that we should treat carefully and thoughtfully.

When the mind and brain are exhausted, the results will go down exponentially. I have tried it and nothing good has happened. In the end, I was left with a major depression and a huge dropdown in productivity and results

4. Proper Diet

Rest is great but it is only half of the road. To be completely healthy, feel great and have the energy to conquer, we need to properly fuel our bodies. Our organism needs quality calories, vitamins, and minerals to properly sustain and stay healthy.

Proper diet nurtures both our body and soul. Good foods contribute to a healthy organism functioning, as well as, serve as a therapy, making us more energized, congruent and happy.

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver .” – Mahatma Gandhi

Have you even seen a person who lives just off fast food? I have and trust me, this is not something that you want to consider in the long term. Bad eating habits contribute to mood swings, low self-esteem and decreased productivity.

You don’t have to be completely living off “all-natural” products but something as basic as a few servings of fruits and vegetables a day will worth the investment.

5. Leaving the Comfort Zone

You have probably already heard of this one but in a slightly different form. Usually, people refer to going to the gym as refreshing and energizing but what they haven’t discovered yet is that any activity that makes you leave the comfort zone may give you an immense boost in productivity. Let me bring you an example from my personal experience.

I was leaving the subway the other day when I saw her. A really gorgeous girl was just waiting for the tram. She was way out of my league but I still have pushed myself to get in and open a conversation. You know what happened? She rejected me but I have made a great discovery.

Despite the rejection, the adrenalin and a new feel of high as taken over me. The whole next day has gone by in an eye-bat. I have done everything needed for the day and still had the energy to go out and socialize.

“Life always begins with one step outside of your comfort zone.” ― Shannon L. Alder

Putting yourself in the challenging positions, whether it is hitting a Personal Record (PR) on deadlift platform or approaching a smoking hot woman, undoubtedly gives you the required spike of emotions to encourage you for higher accomplishments and of course, the success.