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With the year coming to an end, and the days getting dark so early, I'm genuinely finding it super hard to stay productive. As December aka the most eventful month of the year lurks, and the 2016 burnout begins to emerge - I'm trying my hardest to stay focused to achieve the remainder of the goals I put in place at the beginning of the year. So, I decided to put together a guide on how to be more productive with your time to keep the momentum going until the end of the year.

Put down your phone & invest in a watch
As much as your phone is great for organising, responding to emails and staying connected - my iPhone is my biggest distraction. From texts, tweets, Whatsapp, Instagram notifications - every time my phone flashes or buzzes I feel inclined to pick it up. This is why investing in a watch is important, so you're able to actually focus on your tasks at hand, and set yourself time limits.

And of course, picking a watch that's both practical and stylish is essential - which is why when Jord watches sent me a watch I couldn't help but say no. The chunky women's watch made from zebrawood and maple, is a unique take on a classic timepiece and the colour is perfect for fall. So, put down your phones, wear a watch, set yourself concrete time and feel yourself get more productive.
Know your peak times
We all have times in the day where we peak, and other times when we feel like a sloth. For me, I'm the most alert, focused and creative in the morning so I allocate tasks like writing and editing for this time. As the day goes on, around 3/4pm I hit a slump where I find it hard to focus so I make sure I respond to emails at that time, or do any admin stuff that needs to be done.

Peak times may vary from person to person so learn to understand how you work best and when you feel the most energised in the day.

Jord Watches

Set yourself goals
Now, this is a little obvious. But by this I mean set yourself realistic goals, and specify the time it'll take you to complete the task at hand. Telling yourself, say for example you'd like to get one paragraph done in 30 mins is better than saying you want to write 1500 words in an hour.

Not saying you should sell yourself short, as you'll never get anything complete or done,  but don't set yourself goals that are way too big or unrealistic to achieve in the time you've allocated. It will only make you frustrated, which will actually make you less productive.

Take a break
You're probably thinking "well that's counter productive". But no, trust me... when you can't concentrate any more, its best just to drop it all and go for a walk or take your mind off the task at hand for 10-30 minutes.

I'm guilty of this, as I sometimes try to work through a slump, thinking my lack of concentration will pass but it actually makes it worse. As a result, I end up spending longer not being focused whilst trying to fight through it, then if I was to just get up and take a break for 10-30 minutes.

Prioritise tasks
Most days, I have so much to do and a list of things to get done that more often than not I feel overwhelmed. To get past this, I write down everything that needs to be done and I rate each task on the level of importance, with 1 being the most urgent, 2 being fairly important, and 3 the least time sensitive. This helps me focus throughout the day and organise my mind. It also allows me to shift tasks to different days if needs be.

In the spirit of being more productive with your time, we collaborated with Jord Watches for a giveaway. For a chance of winning a $75 e-gift code to shop on Jord Watches, please fill out your name and email here to enter. The winner will automatically be selected and emailed. All entries will receive a $20 e-gift code, so even if you don't win - you'll get money off at Jord Watches just for entering. The competition ends on December 11th so get entering! Good luck.

*This post was sponsored by Jord Watches*

Shop the collection here: https://www.woodwatches.com/shop/women/

Malika I

Ladies Wooden Watches