Six Tips for Productivity ✅

Pomodoro method, choosing a uniform, letting go of idealism, and more!

Hello!

This month we’ve talked about Productivity and Purpose. Though we don’t want to let our tasks overpower our love for others, we do need to get things done, so here are some tips!

Use the Pomodoro method.

When you need to get things done, the Pomodoro method is magic somehow. Focus on a particular task for 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break. Repeat.

There are apps and other Pomodoro tools available, but I’ve been highly motivated by writing down what I got done in each 25-minute block on a piece of scrap paper and keeping a to-do list at the bottom (with tasks prioritized by Urgent, Soon, or Hopefully 😅)

If you try to live in a constant cycle of Pomodoro productivity, however, you’ll get burnt out quickly. Welcome the “interruptions” in life as part of your real and beautiful life. But if you need to do a productivity push, bite-sized chunks of focused time are great!

Wear a uniform.

Wearing the same thing every day or using a capsule wardrobe is growing in popularity, but historically, people have not had as many clothes, so it’s not just trendy to simplify your wardrobe. If you feel overwhelmed and want to make just one fewer decision—especially if you’re not super stoked about your body right now—find an outfit that you love and wear variations of it all the time.

I have about six pairs of these joggers from Target that I pair with thrifted tops, and five of these skater dresses from Amazon in different colors—some short-sleeved and some long-sleeved. Both outfits go great with a denim jacket. Those are my two main uniform options. They fit my style and body. You probably have a different style—especially if you work in a professional environment—but maybe you can find something repeatable that you feel good about wearing every day. Most likely, nobody will even notice because they’re focused on their own insecurities!

my excellent supply of the aforementioned Target joggers

Listen to audiobooks while driving or doing boring chores.

If you have a library card, you can probably access audiobooks for free using apps called Libby or Hoopla. Scribd is a good audiobook streaming option for $10/month. I personally think Audible is worth it because you get to own the book and you can return any titles you change your mind about. Best of all, your kids can listen to audiobooks on their Echo devices while they clean their room or take a siesta. Screen-free 🙌🏻

If you struggle with focusing while listening to audiobooks, try different genres and see if anything works. Memoirs—ideally narrated by the author!—are great because they feel like you’re sitting down for coffee and listening to someone’s story…except instead of just sitting, you’re folding laundry or doing dishes 😉

Some favorites:

• Memoir: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

• Fiction: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (content warning)

• Nonfiction: Good Money Revolution by Derrick Kinney (for next month’s theme!)

Use organization methods that work for you, even if they’re not aesthetically ideal.

A book like Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD might be very helpful for you if you feel overwhelmed with your house—whether you have ADHD or not—because it prioritizes efficiency and simplicity. Tips such as “use a kitchen-sized garbage can in your bedroom so you have to change it less frequently” have helped me decrease stress and the amount of things I have to think about…though it’s not as pretty as a decorate wastebasket. Labeling every single space in my kitchen isn’t very instagrammable, but when everything has a clearly defined place to go, it saves tons of time in cleanup. Figure out what actually works for you instead of what seems ideal. Idealism is one of the biggest obstacles to productivity.

Share your wins with people who care.

You might get annoyed when people post on Facebook every time they go for a run, but that doesn’t mean that you have to keep your self-discipline victories to yourself just so that you’re not “that person.” (“That person” mentality is kind of uncharitable anyway.)

Plenty of people do want updates, though! Your mom might want to see a pic of your grocery cart when it’s full of fresh ingredients. Your best friend might want to say “Great job!” when you send a sweaty selfie after the gym. Your grandma might want to see a picture of what you made for dinner. And your husband might want to compete with you for who can have the lowest amount of screen time each day!

There are lots of people who want to cheer you on. They want to be thought of and they’ll even feel loved by your updates. A little accountability can be a happy thing for everyone!

Welcome your kids to be part of the team.

That’s another way of saying “Make your kids do chores” 😉 We shared lots of ideas here, such as using this chart to assign fun roles to your kids to make helping more fun! We keep this up on the dining room wall and I let the kids choose what they’ll be to help out. (The “Overseer” works best in a large family and it’s usually given to a younger kid 😜)

I hope these were helpful tips! I’d love to hear your favorite productivity hacks and ideas. We’ll share plenty more throughout the year! ☺️

Warmly,

Hope from Family Scripts