How to boost your productivity: Strategies for PhDs
How often have you looked at your to-do list and felt disappointed by how little you accomplished? Whether it’s struggling to find motivation or simply getting into the right mindset, many people constantly seek ways to boost their productivity. In this article, we’ll explore the psychology behind productivity and offer concrete strategies to supercharge your work.
What Does It Mean to Be Productive?
First, let's define what it means to work. In this context, "work" refers to taking actions that move you closer to your ultimate goal. "Effort," on the other hand, is the amount of sustained focus you can put toward a task.
“ work refers to taking actions that move you closer to your ultimate goal.”
It's crucial to differentiate between work and effort, as many people confuse the two. A common mistake is to equate effort with productivity. A simpler way to understand this is through the saying, “work smarter, not harder.” Ultimately, productivity means spending as much time as possible focused on actions that drive you toward your goal. Often, the time required to make meaningful progress is shorter than expected if you can stay focused and work without interruptions.
The best case scenario that we always aim for is to do the most work, with high effort. This is what it means to be highly productive.
In this article, we’ll address three common barriers to productivity and offer solutions to overcome them.
Common Issue 1: Procrastination
Procrastination is a classic obstacle to getting things done. It comes in many forms: watching videos, scrolling through social media, chatting with friends—the list goes on. Meanwhile, your work remains untouched.
Solution: Embrace Boredom
Humans have an aversion to boredom. A well-known 2014 study demonstrated that when left alone in a room for 15 minutes with nothing to do but sit or electrocute themselves, a majority of participants chose pain. This aversion to boredom is what leads us to find distractions. To combat this, we need to create environments with minimal distractions.
Here are some solid tips to create a distraction-free envrionment:
Find a quiet space: Sitting at your desk can lead to distractions from colleagues or background noise. Libraries or isolated workspaces are ideal for desk work. For laboratory work, noise-canceling headphones can help you stay on task. I once knew a grad student who got a ton of experiments done by simply using earplugs and big headphones to avoid interruptions!
Hide your phone: Our addiction to phones is a major source of distraction. Physically place your phone out of reach and out of sight, such as in a bag or under your desk.
Reward yourself: Tie work sessions to rewards. Plan a treat for yourself as a motivation to complete a task.
Common Issue 2: Productive Procrastination
Have you ever started a task only to end up cleaning your house instead? This is a classic example of productive procrastination—doing something else that feels productive but doesn’t help you achieve your main goal. Often, this happens because of an aversion to or fear of a specific part of the task.
Solution: Identify the Barrier and Seek Help
The key to overcoming productive procrastination is identifying the specific challenge that’s holding you back. Here’s a simple exercise to help identify the barriers:
Set a timer for three minutes.
Write down the two biggest challenges related to the task.
Write one way you could seek help for each challenge.
This exercise is fast, and helps pinpoint the real issues. If you’re unsure where to start, seeking advice from friends, colleagues, or online resources can be helpful. However, be mindful not to turn this into another form of procrastination. Set a time limit for your research before diving into the task.
Common Issue 3: Time Management
Many times, there are things you want to do but can’t find the time to get them done. For example, you may have an assignment, but your time keeps getting broken by meetings. People who suffer from time management issues often say things like, “When I find the time, I’ll do it…”
Solution: Creating Do Not Disturb Time and Saying No
We all have many competing interests and demands. It is critical to plan for the time when the most work can get done and not waste time with lots of effort. To do this, create blocks of do not disturb time where you can work on what you really need to do. This will create a block of time to actually get the work done and give you an easy excuse to decline the infinite invitations to do other things. Pair this with a distraction free environment and you can supercharge your productivity.
In addition, to make the “do not disturb time” work, you need to say no to things that don’t help you make progress. Perhaps you need to work on a presentation, and a colleague invites you to watch a seminar that is somewhat interesting. At the end of the day, the seminar is a distraction from your work, and to be the most productive, you need to focus on the task at hand.
As Steve Jobs once said, “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.” Saying no can be really difficult but is one of the most powerful tools you have to create your own time and focus on what you need to.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are”
Conclusion
Boosting productivity as a PhD requires a strategic approach that involves understanding the psychology of work, identifying and overcoming barriers like procrastination, and managing your time effectively. By creating environments that minimize distractions, addressing challenges head-on, and protecting your time, you can maximize your productivity and move closer to your academic and professional goals. Remember, productivity isn’t just about working harder—it’s about working smarter and making your effort count. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of research, writing, or job hunting, these strategies can help you achieve more with less stress.
A Free Tool - The Super To-Do List
In this article, we’ve covered three common issues that hurt your productivity and some ideas on how to solve them. To go a step further, I’ve developed a tool called the Super To-Do List, which can help you prioritize and get more done every day. I’ve covered the super To-Do list in an article and you can download the template for yourself from the resources page of my website. I hope it’s helpful!