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Free yourself from the past and future -

The first step in your journey towards mindful productivity is to free yourself from past and future work-related worries.

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Free yourself from the past and future -

Of course, moving on from a particularly unpleasant experience at work, such as failing on a big project, can be easier said than done.

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Free yourself from the past and future -

If you are struggling to forget a particular event, take some time to explore exactly how it made you feel, compare it to how you’d like to feel, and make a plan to bridge the gap.

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Watch your thoughts and emotions -

The next step towards mindful productivity is watching your thoughts and emotions while at work.

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Watch your thoughts and emotions -

Observing thoughts and feelings is a classic mindfulness technique, but it is not about judging your emotional or mental states.

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Watch your thoughts and emotions -

Rather, it is about observing those states as they grow and change, accepting them for what they are, and then returning your focus to the task at hand.

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Get in the flow -

The next one is perhaps a little obvious–get in the flow. Bear in mind that in order to achieve a flow state, you need to find the right balance between the challenge and your skill set.

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Get in the flow -

Admittedly, getting in the flow can be more difficult than it sounds. So to maximize your chances, be sure to define your goal and cut out distractions.

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Get in the flow -

Once you are ready to start work, take a deep breath and aim to keep your mind fully attentive so that you can remain focused and relaxed.

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Limit multi-tasking -

The next top tip is to limit multi-tasking. With our busy daily schedules, it can be tempting to try and work on multiple things at the same time.

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Limit multi-tasking -

Indeed, although humans are notoriously bad at multi-tasking, the hard truth is that most people cannot afford to stay on just one task until it’s finished.

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Limit multi-tasking -

In order to strike the right balance between productivity and responsiveness, try and use mindful context switching techniques.

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Question your procrastination -

Another important skill to develop in your quest to achieve mindful productivity is questioning your procrastination.

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Question your procrastination -

Procrastination is a very common problem, but many people are not aware that they must understand the emotions behind it in order to overcome it.

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Question your procrastination -

It is important, therefore, that you take some time to sit down and analyze the reasons you are struggling to motivate yourself.

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Cultivate your curiosity -

One of the most important aspects of productivity, which many adults so often forget, is creativity.

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Cultivate your curiosity -

Adults are generally much less creative than children, and this disparity has been linked to different levels of curiosity.

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Cultivate your curiosity -

In order to maximize your creative output, aim to cultivate your curiosity. Take time to observe the world around you and ask plenty of questions.

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Work on your growth mindset -

In order to achieve mindful productivity, it is also important that you work on your growth mindset.

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Work on your growth mindset -

Having a growth mindset means that you believe you can improve your intelligence and skillset by putting in the hard work.

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Work on your growth mindset -

To improve your growth mindset, trying adding the word "yet" to the end of negative sentences, such as "I don’t know how to code... yet."

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Use metacognitive strategies -

Another good way to improve your mindful productivity is to employ metacognitive strategies.

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Use metacognitive strategies -

Metacognition, in a nutshell, is learning about learning. It involves taking time to plan, monitor, and evaluate your learning experiences.

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Use metacognitive strategies -

If you are not sure where to start with metacognition, do a quick online search. There are plenty of tools out there that can help get you started.

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Be mindful of your environment -

Another important factor that influences your productivity, and which many people tend to forget, is your environment.

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Be mindful of your environment -

Try to be mindful of where you work and how it affects your productivity, bearing in mind that no sort of environment is inherently bad.

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Be mindful of your environment -

Instead, being mindful of your work environment is about observing what works for you and adapting your workspace according to your findings.

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Take mindful breaks -

Finally, and this is one that you can put into practice today, don’t forget to take mindful breaks.

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Take mindful breaks -

Taking a mindful break is about much more than simply leaving your desk and grabbing a coffee.

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Take mindful breaks -

Rather, it is about using your time between tasks to remind yourself that it’s important to be mindful of your thoughts, emotions, and environment.

Sources: (Ness Labs)

See also: How to practice mindfulness while commuting

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