5 Proven Psychological Ways to Improve Your Productivity

Sep 23, 2021 | Operation Excellence

Nicco Heng

Nicco Heng

Marketing Executive

” You can increase your work productivity in many ways, like delegating various tasks, time management apps, etc. But there are also a number of psychological tricks that don’t get nearly enough recognition. ”

– 2 mins read

5 Proven Psychological Ways to Improve Your Productivity
Do you ever finish your workday feeling like you weren’t able to accomplish everything on your list? With our busy schedules and never-ending to-do lists, we are often under pressure to get things done. Being more productive at work isn’t rocket science, but it can sometimes be hard to know where to start.

Hence, that is the purpose of this read: to share with you 5 psychological ways that have been proven to boost your productivity effortlessly. Let’s jump right into it.

​

1. Stop Multi-tasking

multitasking
It can be tempting to want to take care of a few tasks at once, especially if they seem small or easy. But it simply doesn’t work. The problem with multi-tasking is that our brains cannot actually focus on multiple things at one time. When we attempt to multi-task, our brain shifts back and forth between tasks very quickly, giving the illusion that we can focus on multiple things at one time. Focus on one task at a time, and you’ll actually end up completing it faster.

2. Create Mini-Tasks

create mini tasks
First, take large tasks and break them up into much smaller tasks. Creating smaller tasks will giving you perspective into the scope of the master problem and allowing you to strategize before jumping in. Then, executing those small tasks one by one will dramatically increase your motivation in continuing. The end result is that you’ll be able to work more efficiently, and you’ll be more motivated to keep working hard once you get going.

3. Follow the “two-minute rule”

2 min rule
According to entrepreneur Steve Olenski, finding and immediately completing tasks that take 2 minutes or less actually saves you time. So, if it takes less than two minutes, do it now. The other aspect of the two-minute rule is that any goal or habit can be started in under two minutes. This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to complete every task in 120 seconds, but starting new goals is the first step to accomplishing them!

4. Reward Yourself for Accomplishing Significant Tasks

Reward yourself
When you make it a habit to reward yourself after the completion of every significant task, you motivate yourself to work more productively in anticipation of the reward. This is especially useful for completing tasks that you do not get to see immediate benefits, such as drafting a proposal for a client who may or may not take up your services in the end. There are many ways in which you can reward yourself, but make sure that the reward is personally significant to you. Your reward could range from getting yourself a cup of coffee, to buying a new gadget that you have always wanted for yourself.

5. Keep Track of Your Time

keep track of your time
When you keep track of your time, you become intimately aware of the time you are losing through doing unnecessary things. One of the most effective ways to get more productive is to simply track your time. Know what you are doing each 15 minutes, and over time, that awareness will yield additional results.

Not all of these tricks will work for everyone because everyone is different, with different preferences, and different strengths and weaknesses. In order to figure out which strategies work best for you, you’ll simply have to experiment. Don’t just sit here and read this article without doing anything. Put these words into actions, it’s the only way to achieve change in your work habits.

Reference :

  1. https://www.allbusiness.com/psychological-tricks-get-more-done-at-work-134447-1.html
  2. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-12-psychological-tricks-you-can-use-improve-your-productivity.html
  3. https://www.sofia.com.sg/psychological-tricks-boost-productivity/

 

0 Comments

More Article

Our Services

education icon 09

Consultancy

general icon 42

Training

ecology icon 12

ESG

devices icon 01

Business Digitalization

Podcast

Tune In, Get Inspired.

Webinar

Connect & Learn.

w

Get In Touch

Damansara Intan e-Business Park, Unit C-02-08 (lobby 4) Block C, No 1, Jalan SS20/27, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

T: +603 – 7728 1637 /
T: +603 – 7728 1590

W: +6013 – 294 3885

E: info@nexustac.com

Seamless process and the consultant is able to work directly with the MR & farm's management to get the things done.
QL Resources Berhad
Seamless process and the consultant is able to work directly with the MR & farm's management to get the things done.
QL Resources Berhad
The trainer was able to provide us with practical tips and tools that we could easily implement in our work life. Their teaching style was engaging and effective, and I felt confident that I would be able to apply what ...
Read More
Eastern Pretech (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
The trainer was able to provide us with practical tips and tools that we could easily implement in our work life. Their teaching style was engaging and effective, and I felt confident that I would be able to apply what I learned in the session to my day-to-day work. Overall, I found the training to be very helpful.
Eastern Pretech (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
Presentation and training were clear, concise, and interesting. They gave examples throughout the session, which helped me and my colleagues to understand the material better. Overall, we found the training to be excellent, and I would highly recommend!
CCS Corporation
Presentation and training were clear, concise, and interesting. They gave examples throughout the session, which helped me and my colleagues to understand the material better. Overall, we found the training to be excellent, and I would highly recommend!
CCS Corporation
The trainer has a very good foundation in the subject matter and communicated clearly and effectively throughout the training, using language that was easy to understand and explaining complex concepts in a way that was accessible to everyone in the ...
Read More
Brahims Food Services Sdn Bhd
The trainer has a very good foundation in the subject matter and communicated clearly and effectively throughout the training, using language that was easy to understand and explaining complex concepts in a way that was accessible to everyone in the audience. They also took a personalized approach to the training, taking the time to understand the unique needs and learning styles of each participant, and tailoring the training to the specific needs of our organization.
Brahims Food Services Sdn Bhd
One of the best trainers we ever engaged with. Thumbs up! The trainer’s expertise and knowledge in the subject matter were exceptional, and their insights and advice were invaluable. They made the training interactive and engaging.
DXN Industries (M) Sdn Bhd
One of the best trainers we ever engaged with. Thumbs up! The trainer’s expertise and knowledge in the subject matter were exceptional, and their insights and advice were invaluable. They made the training interactive and engaging.
DXN Industries (M) Sdn Bhd
Great training! They went above and beyond to make the subject interesting. The trainer did an excellent job of engaging the audience and bringing the material to life. The teaching style was energetic and enthusiastic, and trainer clearly put in ...
Read More
Hap Seng Trucks Distribution Sdn Bhd
Great training! They went above and beyond to make the subject interesting. The trainer did an excellent job of engaging the audience and bringing the material to life. The teaching style was energetic and enthusiastic, and trainer clearly put in a lot of effort to ensure that everyone was able to follow along and understand the material. I found the training to be both informative and enjoyable! Highly recommended!
Hap Seng Trucks Distribution Sdn Bhd
The trainer highlighted important keywords throughout the session, which made it easy to understand and remember the most important concepts. They were able to explain complex ideas in a way that was accessible to everyone in the audience.
Hitachi Elevator Engineering
The trainer highlighted important keywords throughout the session, which made it easy to understand and remember the most important concepts. They were able to explain complex ideas in a way that was accessible to everyone in the audience.
Hitachi Elevator Engineering
It was one of the best training experiences I have had. The trainer was engaging and supportive throughout the session, and they demonstrated excellent teaching skills. They took the time to interact with each participant, and their sincerity to teach ...
Read More
Sime Darby Industrial
It was one of the best training experiences I have had. The trainer was engaging and supportive throughout the session, and they demonstrated excellent teaching skills. They took the time to interact with each participant, and their sincerity to teach was evident in the way they delivered the training. I felt encouraged and motivated to learn!
Sime Darby Industrial
Very helpful consultant and the service provided is good.
HK3 Marketing
Very helpful consultant and the service provided is good.
HK3 Marketing
Despite some delay to postponed the plan our request, the overall ISO45001 migration was done perfectly ontime and able achieve ultimate goal to have a successful audit for ISO 45001 certification. Nexus provided us a good experience through this challenging moment ...
Read More
Endress + Hauser (M) Sdn Bhd
Despite some delay to postponed the plan our request, the overall ISO45001 migration was done perfectly ontime and able achieve ultimate goal to have a successful audit for ISO 45001 certification. Nexus provided us a good experience through this challenging moment during the COVID pandemic. Consistently supporting us along with guidance provided that made us successful sailed through with this tough period.
Endress + Hauser (M) Sdn Bhd

Contact Us

Share your contact details through the form below or reach out to us using the contact information provided.

Let’s have a conversation that can truly make a difference for your business.

Contact Form
Target date to start project / training.
How can we help you? The more details, the better!

Get ISO Tips & News From Nexus Consultancy

Sign up to Nexus Consultancy e-mail newsletter and stay up to date with useful ISO tips, news, special offers and more.

Related Articles

2026 Starts Now: Leadership Strategies to Strengthen ISO Performance and Accountability

2026 Starts Now: Leadership Strategies to Strengthen ISO Performance and Accountability

2025 in Review: What Strong Leaders Learned from Their ISO Journey

2025 in Review: What Strong Leaders Learned from Their ISO Journey

How Digital FSMS Solutions Improve Food Safety and Audit Readiness

How Digital FSMS Solutions Improve Food Safety and Audit Readiness

5 Signs Your Management System Needs a Digital Upgrade

5 Signs Your Management System Needs a Digital Upgrade

Top 10 GMP Premises Design Mistakes and How to Prevent Them

Top 10 GMP Premises Design Mistakes and How to Prevent Them

Building GMP-Compliant Facilities for FSMS, TMHS and Cosmetics

Building GMP-Compliant Facilities for FSMS, TMHS and Cosmetics