Life lessons are the most valuable when passed down from your parents or grandparents. “Sit up straight,” and “don’t put your elbows on the table” seemed simple at the time, but now echo in your ear during interviews and meetings.
For Demian Farnworth, author of 10 Productivity Tips from a Blue-Collar Genius, the lessons in productivity taught to him in the early 80’s from his grit and grind grandfather are still relevant to this very day.
Let’s take a look at 6 productivity tips that have held strong over the course of time.
1. Never Stop Learning
Demien’s grandfather knew how to, “operate a boiler, roof a house, frame a room, run plumbing, [and] rebuild cars.” Demien’s grandfather learned each new trade to always be able to provide for his 12 children, under any circumstance.
In 2014, the resources you can harness to learn new skills are endless, affordable, and can be done from the comfort of your own home. From the same computer (or mobile device) you’re reading this post on, you can open a new tab and learn to code, register for online courses, build a website, and more.
Continuous learning grants you the luxury of flexibility. Skills you learn in your free time can set you apart from the candidates during job interviews, present avenues for additional income, and make you more knowledgeable overall.
2. Rise Early
Wake up early to maximize the amount of time you have to get things done. Take the early hours of silence in your house or office to get tedious activities out of the way, such as replying to emails and working on assignments, or do what we discussed in the first point and take time in the morning to learn a new craft.
Instead of focusing on the end goal, set milestones for yourself. Work on small portion everyday and after a few days you’ll hit your first milestone.
3. Keep a Refined “To-Do” List.
At any given moment, you’re juggling a list that may include work responsibilities, volunteering, school, hobbies, and maintaining personal and professional relationships. It’s a lot to handle.
Being too ambitious with your daily or weekly goals will cause burnout. With a lot to manage, you’ll wear yourself thin – finishing all you wanted, but at a level not up to par if you had the time you really needed.
Stay focused and keep a short, concise to-do list. A simple to-do list means you can wake up and get started instantly, no decisions to make or worries about overworking yourself.
4. Belong to a Community
While nobody has ever been at fault for walking the solo path, being part of a like-minded community can be a great way to meet and learn from individuals that share your common personal or professional interests.
Sites like Meetup.com have made it easier than ever to join, or even build, a community, so there are no excuses for this one. You can even be part of an online community by registering at an online forum, which have been built for even the most targeted of interests.
The benefits of being part of a community are endless. You get to meet new people, create friendships, network with professionals, share your skills while learning new ones, and more. Whether you’re a budding artist or a CEO of a technology firm, there’s a community out there waiting for you to join.
5. Chip Away at a Larger Goal
With 12 children in the house, personal time was an afterthought for Demian’s grandfather. But this didn’t stop Demian’s grandfather from building two houses from the ground up.
Working on a small bit of a large project everyday can help bring your grand ideas to fruition. Even if it was just a few minutes a day, that’s all Demian’s grandfather needed. “Installing a window here, pouring concrete there,” Demian says, “[and] over time a house rose out of the earth.”
Instead of focusing on the end goal, set milestones for yourself. Work on small portion everyday and after a few days you’ll hit your first milestone. After a few months you’ll have crossed off every milestone and finished your project. Don’t try to crack the boulder immediately – chip away piece by piece until you’ve carved a sculpture.
6. Always Have Fun.
It’s good to stay focused and productive on hitting your career goals, but you need to make sure you take the time to let loose and have fun along the way.
Staying social helps rejuvenate your spirits by momentarily removing the pressures you’ve put on your shoulders. It’s like a splash of cold water on a hot summer day, momentarily giving you an instant of relief while lifting your spirits in the process.