Being as productive as possible is a goal of every developer. Why? Well, the list of benefits is long and includes your own well-being and work satisfaction. The tips I prepared for you today are well known, but people (myself included) tend to forget or disregard them as "too simple". And that's a mistake because as we all know, simple is often the best!
Work fewer hours
It may seem illogical, but working fewer hours per week can improve your productivity. Having less time makes you focus on the tasks you have to finish and makes you dedicate your entire attention to those specific tasks instead of wasting time on distractions. This leads us to the second point:
Minimize distractions
"Getting in the zone" is not easy, but once you do, doesn't it feel great? In order to achieve this state of mind as often as possible, you should try to avoid distractions in your workplace during working hours. Keep your environment clean and silent and the most important one - turn off Facebook and Instagram, they are the worst time eaters!
Take breaks
Step away from your computer every hour and move your body.
You don't have to incorporate a full fitness routine into your working day (although that's strongly recommended), even a short walk around the house or a few stretches can make all the difference. Don't forget to reset your mind too - while you're away from the keyboard think about something different than work - your brain will thank you for every break like this!
Get proper sleep
You should never sacrifice your nighttime rest - it is during the night when your brain and your body get time to regenerate (even if you're a night owl, try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every day). We all hate deadlines, but sometimes it makes much more sense to go to bed and resume work the next day rather than spend over 12 hours in front of the monitor - you rarely get productive doing so and the quality of your work probably won't be the best.
Cherish your weekends
Are you guilty of "bringing your work home" or dedicating a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon "to get things done?" While it may seem like a good temporary solution when you are overwhelmed with work in the long run it may cause a lot of damage. Not allowing yourself time off will sooner or later influence not only your work but other aspects of life as well. Use your weekends to spend time with your friends and family, practice a new hobby, read a book that's been waiting on a shelf forever or go hiking. You will definitely notice that on Monday morning you feel refreshed, full of energy and ready to rock!
I hope these 5 simple ways to become more productive will help you put an end to bad practices and remind you that good work work-life balance is a key to being productive and avoiding burnout.