Anyone else out there struggle in the productivity department? (No? Just me? Haha I hope not…) Well today I’m sharing four of my best productivity tips for those days when you just don’t feel motivated!

I’m the kind of person who has a million goals at once, but more often than not I don’t reach them before I burn out or give up. I easily lose motivation or get overwhelmed and don’t always finish what I start.

This year I’ve learned that the key to productivity is taking baby steps to change your routine. Of course I’m still a work in progress, but by focusing on these productivity tips I’ve improved so much and hopefully you will too!

4 productivity tips for when you don’t feel motivated

Tip #1: have a plan (but don’t overplan!)

Having a plan is SO important for staying productive! But did you know there’s actually such a thing as over-planning? (Believe me, I’m the queen of it!) Do you spend forever writing long and elaborate to-do lists but then struggle to actually finish them? Yeah. Same here.

But what happens when you do the opposite and don’t have a plan at all? Your free time somehow vanishes and you find yourself mindlessly scrolling on your phone or watching TV for hours, right?

So it turns out that having a plan is critical in order to make your days productive. But it has to actually be doable instead of overwhelming. The key is to keep your to-do list as short and simple as possible. And by that I mean 5 TASKS OR LESS! That way you can spend less time planning and more time actually doing what you planned.

Also, try writing your list the night before! You’ve probably heard that one a million times, but I’m telling you it works. Sometimes it’s hard to get going first thing in the morning. Having a list already written down saves you the pressure of decision-making at the start of the day, and your most productive mental energy is used towards actually getting stuff done!

Tip #2: time-block your tasks into bite-size chunks

This might be the most useful of productivity tips I’ve ever learned! Maybe you find yourself procrastinating when there’s a big project you need to tackle but you know it’s going to take a long time. You get intimidated and put it off because it seems too daunting and you’re afraid you’ll never finish.

You need to break it down into bite-size chunks! When you focus on each step of a task one at a time, you’ll get much more done. Make a note of how much time you want to dedicate to each task when you write your to-do list. Keep it simple and try to break your list down into 15, 30, or 45 minute chunks.

Also, make sure you take small breaks between chunks! Even if you feel like you’re on a roll, taking a break for even 5 minutes to walk around and get some fresh air will help your mind stay focused all day long and help you avoid burnout.

Something I’ve been loving lately is the pomodoro technique – where you set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterrupted for that time. Then take a 5 minute break, and do it again! After 4 rounds or “pomodoros”, you take a longer (20-30 minute) break. Try it and watch your productivity soar!

Remember – most things take longer to finish than you think. My best recommendation is to give yourself double the amout of time you think something is going to take! That way you don’t set yourself up for failure, and you’ll feel awesome if you get it done in less time than you planned!

Tip #3: pay attention to your feelings

Some days you might have a ton of energy and breeze through tasks to get a lot accomplished. But other days maybe you have no idea where start, and find yourself wasting time and getting nothing done.

Try paying attention your feelings on a productive day versus a day when you’re lacking motivation. Soon you’ll start to see how much your productivity is linked directly to your emotions. And if you’re anything like me, your emotions probably change on a daily basis!

Acknowledging how much your feelings can control your productivity is the first step. And then you have to make a conscious choice to be productive anyway! It’s that simple. It’s up to you to control your feelings instead of letting them control you.

Of course that’s so much easier said than done. But don’t worry – productivity is a habit that takes time and effort to form. If you mess up, just keep trying the next day! With more practice it’ll become easier to get things done no matter how you’re feeling.

Tip #4: change your emotions (i.e. replace lies with truth)

Like I said, being productive when you’re lacking motivation or feeling down is much easier said than done. If you feel like you’re constantly fighting negative emotions in order to be productive, maybe you need to focus on changing the emotions themselves.

What makes you feel unmotivated? When you get to the heart of it, you’ll probably uncover some fear and self-doubt. For example, I tend to get afraid that I’ll fail and disappoint others or let myself down. Or I start to think I’m not qualified to reach my goals anyway, so why should I even try?

I just want to tell you something right now: THOSE. ARE. LIES. They’re not true for me and they’re not true for you either. It’s easy to let our minds trick us, but those lies will ultimately hold you back from living out your calling.

So what do we do about that? We have to fight the lies by replacing them with TRUTH. The truth is, you’re not a failure. But even if you were, that’s not where you find your worth! Your worth comes from Jesus, who bought you with a price. It comes from God, who created you and put you on this planet for a reason.

I hope that as you recognize the lies in your head and replace them with truth, you’ll find the courage and motivation to chase your goals in life every single day. With God on your side, you ultimately cannot fail! How amazing is that?! You’re free to move forward completely fearless and conquer your dreams!

So now it’s time to get going! What are your best productivity tips? Anything you would add to this list? I hope it encouraged and inspired you in some way! Oh and be sure to share this list with someone that you think it could help!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – 5 life changing books you need to read, and 25 things I’ve learned in 25 years.