The advent of the global pandemic had significantly disrupted how each individual went about their daily routines. It harmed various aspects of life, including physical, intellectual, emotional, financial, social, vocational, environmental, and spiritual, causing people to experience negative emotions, think irrational thoughts, and act confused and uncertainly.
Fresh graduates of this generation should be scouring their way to every company they dream of working with, but since the pandemic hit, virtual opportunities have skyrocketed.
To equip you with full armor, consider these life hacks the mods you require to stay ahead of the competition.
1. Leverage the Power of your Mornings
This is especially true for those seeking work or who work part-time. Getting motivated to get up early for another day of job applications is challenging. It would be best that you exercise immediately after waking up daily. Your body will naturally fall into a routine, allowing you to wake up when needed.
2. Be Grateful Always
Be grateful for what you have while also acknowledging what you lack. Even if it isn't the most recent model, it is still a laptop compared to none! Even if the phone isn't particularly high-tech, the fact that one can read materials and communicate is still beneficial. Even if the data isn't always reliable, having the opportunity to enroll is a gift that should never be overlooked.
Do not use technological gaps as an excuse to avoid learning. Laptops, cellphones, and internet access are not the only ways to gain knowledge. Remember that they are only a medium, not a last resort.
3. Enroll in Online Courses
Employers are always complaining about graduate skill gaps, so beefing up your CV with a coding or SEO marketing course gives you a significant advantage when looking for a job or angling for a promotion.
Do you think it's a pain? What if you could do it whenever you wanted, from the comfort of your own home, and for free?
Coursera and edX are learning platforms backed by some of the world's top universities, so you can be confident that the content is of the highest quality. Numerous options are available, and you can obtain certifications and credits for completed courses.
4. Try the Pomodoro Technique
This well-known technique can help anyone who wants to increase productivity by turning tasks into games with short bursts of focused time. The strategy is named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer (Pomodoro in Italian) that its creator, Francesco Cirillo, used to help him finish his work.
The following steps are included in the time-management tool:
- Set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on a single task.
- When the "Pomodoro" (25-minute work session) is finished, place a check next to the task on paper.
- Take a five-minute break before continuing or starting a new task.
- Take a more extended 15-to-30-minute break after four pomodoros.
If a task requires more than four 25-minute chunks, it should be broken into smaller, actionable steps. Each task that can be completed in under 25 minutes, such as working on your portfolio or meditating, should be grouped.
This technique also requires you to keep track of your distractions and interruptions and devise strategies to avoid them in the future.
5. Make a To-Do List That You Can Handle
When their to-do lists are excessively long, many people feel overwhelmed or lose motivation to complete tasks. Therefore, it's best to keep your daily errands to a maximum of 3-5.
It's also crucial that you know the difference between tasks and objectives.
A task can be completed in a single day, such as grocery shopping or reviewing lecture notes for an English class. A goal, such as learning a new language or purchasing a new car, is more significant and usually takes more time.
6. Perform the Most Difficult Tasks During Your Peak Performance Period
To get the most out of your productivity, figure out when you're most productive: in the morning, mid-afternoon, evening, or late at night.
To figure out when you're at your best, consider the following questions:
- When do you have the most energy and concentration?
- When do you feel most creative?
- When you'll also have the fewest distractions.
You must finish your most difficult tasks when you're at your most energized. If you know you're not great at math and have a big exam coming up, for example, you should study during your peak performance period to stay motivated and focused.
7. Preventing Decision Fatigue
Decision fatigue occurs when people are bombarded with too many options on too many topics, making it nearly impossible to make an informed or logical decision. This can lead to exhaustion, avoiding the problem altogether, or overthinking to the point of inaction.
Here are some strategies for reducing decision fatigue:
- Reduce Your Options
This is why people meal prep: limiting their options has fewer options. Consider taking a similar approach to deciding what to wear. You'll save time and stress by taking a more uniform approach to your wardrobe and limiting your options.
- Set a Time Limit
Setting a time limit provides you with a deadline to work with. Set a timer for 15 minutes if the duration is 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, you must decide.
- Make Crucial Decisions During Peak Performance Hours
You should avoid making important decisions when you're tired or lacking creativity. This can leave you exhausted and less likely to make a rational decision.
8. Make your mental health a priority
Staying motivated can be difficult when your mind is preoccupied with worries. When stress becomes uncontrollable, no work technique will keep you motivated, and there is a lot to be stressed about right now. Taking care of yourself can help you manage your mental health better during this time, so don't overlook the basics:
- Every day, try to get some exercise, whether it's a walk around the block or an online yoga class.
- Take time to eat well-balanced meals and avoid working through lunch by taking a break from your computer.
- It is not a good idea to stay up until two a.m. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, aiming for at least eight hours per night.
- Allow yourself time to enjoy television and social media but try to keep pandemic news to a minimum. Limit yourself to reading pandemic-related information for a brief period in the morning before shutting down your computer.
- Stay informed through reputable sources, but avoid constant news coverage as it only increases your anxiety.
9. It's OK not to be productive sometimes
It's natural to have days when you can't seem to concentrate. No one's life is routine right now.
You may experience good days when you are highly motivated to finish your work and bad days when your motivation is non-existent. When work seems impossible, prioritize what you need to get done that day — what deadlines do you have tomorrow, and what emails do you need to send before the evening?
Prioritize high-priority tasks first, then relax for the rest of the day. Please don't beat yourself up if you did not finish your entire to-do list. It is OK to set lower goals for yourself right now.
As the new normal begins to take hold, everyone is adjusting to working from home and away from friends and family. Staying motivated can be difficult, but you can make it easier by creating realistic schedules and scheduling time for self-care.
This pandemic may appear to last indefinitely, but it will pass. Keeping ourselves motivated can assist us in shifting our focus away from the stressful changes and toward a more hopeful future.
10. Accept the change
Acceptance is the key to a successful career. One has no control over the situation. As a result, concentrate on what you can only control.
Change is unavoidable, so one must accept it. Career life on an online platform may be challenging, but one can become accustomed to it with practice. Carry on with the procedure.
One day, this current situation will be a thing of the past, and you will be able to say to yourself, "I was able to conquer it, not just simply, but incredibly!"
Make the unusual a natural part of your life! Turn your apprehension into an opportunity!
