Five Ways to be More Productive (Without Inducing a Panic Attack)

Although we don’t realize it, whenever we worry about something, we’re not only causing ourselves unnecessary stress, but distracting ourselves from tasks that we should be doing as well. By eliminating superfluous worrying from our minds, we not only reduce our stress levels, but free up our attention to be devoted to more productive tasks.

1. Drink less caffeine
No, that wasn’t a typo. Although powering down on your caffeine intake may seem like blasphemy when the goal is to be more productive, the anxiety it causes will only distract you from getting any work done. If you need a boost in the morning, try drinking green tea, which gives you energy without the ensuing anxiousness that coffee and energy drinks offer.

2. Use a planner
Not only is this a good idea in the event that you forget something, but its real value lies in its ability to force you to concentrate on each task individually. Most people tend to multi task, which more often than not results in a lot of stress and not that much getting accomplished. Attacking each problem one at a time makes for a more efficient and stress free work day.

3. Meditate
I’m not asking you to sit in the lotus position at your desk, because in that case you’ll find yourself with no more work to do since you’ll be fired. Take fifteen minutes aside each morning to clear your mind, and reorganize your thoughts. Use it as a type of hard drive “defragging” for your mind – push the gratuitous and anxiety inducing thoughts to the back of your mind and bring the ones that you need to focus on during the day to the forefront.

4. Stop thinking “happy thoughts”
This may seem counter-intuitive, but lets face it – the things you need to do to be productive aren’t going to be “happy thoughts.” Fantasizing about things that make you happy can very easily turn into daydreaming, which is a very great way to end up getting zero work done. Concentrate on focusing on the task at hand, not what you're going to do as soon as you're off work.

5. Secure your home
And no, I don’t mean remember to lock your doors. The thought of leaving your assets unattended for more than eight hours every day can be a little disconcerting, especially if you live in a neighborhood with a questionable record when it comes to safety. By investing in a home security system, you’ll be able to lay any anxious thoughts about a burglary to rest.