5 Easy ways for staying calm while boosting productivity

Maintaining a Zen-like calm when chaos reigns around you is one of the secrets to staying productive at work and life. Forget caffeine – the ability to remain cool, calm, and collected is the key to boosting productivity in the workplace.

Of course, remaining unruffled when deadlines are approaching or bosses are demanding more of you can be hard. But it’s worth the effort, as it’s not only good for your productivity but also your well being.

Here are some easy tips for staying calm while getting more done, and feeling better rather than overwhelmed.

Begin the day with a short meditation session

Ever tried a short five to ten minute bite sized meditation session? This can help you start your day with a clear head space and find emotional balance if you’re feeling a bit stressed. If you’ve never meditated before, there are some wonderful free apps you can try such as ‘Headspace’, as well as guided meditation on Spotify such as ‘Meditation Minis’.

Write a to-do list

This is somewhat clichéd technique, but it has been proven to work! A to-do list brings order into a chaotic workday, helping you prioritise the important stuff and shelve the things that can wait until later. If you write your list first thing in the morning, then you’ve got a clear plan for the day ahead. Even better, if you’ve got the energy, write your list for the following day before you go home at the end of the day. And the best thing about a to-do list? The satisfaction of ticking things off.

Switch off multitasking (aka email and phone)

There’s nothing more stressful than seeing 135 unopened emails in your inbox. And, for many people, the temptation to flit back and forward between real work and those unanswered emails is too great – meaning that you spend your day multitasking, or doing bite-sized chunks of work that don’t get to the heart of the either matter.

Turn off phone notifications, too. If you see the screen light up from the corner of your eye, then a corner of your brain is being diverted from the task at hand.

Get some fresh air on your breaks

To help maintain balance and calmness throughout your day, taking short walks for fresh air can work wonders. A five-minute walk at the end of an hour of intense concentration or even during your lunch break will help your mind and prepare you for another stretch of work. Exercise is proven to reduce stress¹, and it may be just what you need to get your focus back.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a technique used to help restore calm after anxiety attacks or periods of acute stress². It can also be useful in managing a stressful workplace situation, too. Try this one: take five quick deep breaths, in and out, followed by a long exhalation. Or a series of long, slow inhalations and exhalations through the nose. It’s something you can do quietly and unobtrusively before you tackle the next thing on your to-do list.

You might have other secrets to restoring calm in a busy day. Whatever works for you, stick with it. And remember, a relaxed mind is a productive mind.

1 https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/physical-activity-reduces-st
2 http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/08/6-breathing-exercises-to-relax-in-10-minutes-or-less/