Consultants, Here Are the Top 10 Productivity Tips for 2022!
If you clicked on this article, then it’s likely that you are a consultant who wants to be more productive.
Welcome on board, you have landed on the right article.
The past couple of years has tested us all. We learned how to work in our shorts, how to buy groceries during office hours or take care of the kids while working. We did a lot of things we didn’t know we could do and managed to stay productive during these unprecedented times.
Now, for this article, we have compiled a list of the top 10 productivity hacks that are relevant to 2022.
You won’t find generic advice like “manage your time” or “wake up early” in this post. It’s safe to assume that you’re a competent consultant who already knows how to organize time well and get up in the morning.
In this article, you will find advice that you may not find elsewhere. It’s unique, it’s special, and it’s tailored for a busy consultant like yourself.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into it.
Productivity Tip #1: Delegate Tasks That Aren’t Related to Consulting to Someone Else
Consulting is one of those industries in which the saying ‘Time is money' is absolutely relevant. If you’re a freelance consultant, your hourly rate and the number of billable hours you work determine your income. This means that you have got to make every minute count in your independent business consulting career. But remember that you’re a consultant—not an admin, accountant, or graphic designer. For this reason, whenever possible, hire a helping hand to get you through the distracting tasks so that you can put your entire focus on what actually matters.
Productivity Tip #2: Put On Some Background Music That Doesn’t Contain Vocals
Music is one of the best productivity hacks that professionals have been using for a while. Feel free to put on some music when you’re collecting or analyzing data, or maybe even when you’re adding insights in consulting slides. But wait—it’s not as straightforward as it sounds. Music can surely help you focus, but it can also be a major distraction.
That is why the genre of music that you listen to while working is really crucial. First of all, avoid anything that contains vocals. You don’t want to hear lyrics about narcotics, partying, breakups, romance, or any other subject for that matter, while you’re engaged in a task. Words can divert your attention. Even though you can explore all genres of music during your free time, it’s best to only listen to cheerful instrumental music while working. This will help you maintain a rhythm and keep you relaxed during potentially stressful situations in your business consulting career.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Use your billable hours wisely by delegating small tasks to someone else and focusing only on consulting-related work
- If you listen to music while working, stick to instrumental tracks only and avoid vocals
- Make sure you get some exercise because it’s been scientifically proven that physical movement improves productivity
- Buy a separate phone for work and only check notifications during specific hours
- Avoid junk food and carbonated drinks, and get micronutrients through healthy food to improve brain function
- Learn how to meditate because it can improve your decision-making abilities and self-discipline
- Make the most of your commuting time by listening to audiobooks or podcasts
Productivity Tip #3: Move Your Body
Alright, so this one has nothing to do with your consulting tasks directly. However, moving your body, whether by brisk walking or hitting the gym, can have tremendous positive effects on your productivity. According to a study by Leeds Metropolitan University, people who exercised during work hours were more productive and had a higher level of satisfaction.
Fact is, our bodies are not designed to be desk-bound for long hours. Physical movement is really necessary to be healthy and productive. If you’re a consultant who has to perform high-quality intellectual work while being in a sedentary position for lengthy periods this is essential.
Productivity Tip #4: Don’t Open Emails While You’re Engaged in a Task
Emails are the necessary lifelines for modern-day professionals. However, they could also deflect your focus if you keep attending to them every few minutes. Throughout your business consulting career, you will receive dozens of emails every week. If you keep the email tab open in your web browser and turn the notifications on, then a task that should take you 1 hour will probably take 1.5 hours. Not to mention the stress and anxiety that running late will bring you. So, it’s better to set a specific time to check emails. For instance, you could check them once every three hours or so.
Productivity Tip #5: Find and Eliminate Productivity Killers
You can always find a list of the best productivity hacks on the internet. However, you should also watch out for factors that kill your productivity. Every consultant is different and each one of you may have a specific issue that’s holding you back. So, you should dig deep into your own psyche and detect the productivity killers. Is it social media, a personal issue, or maybe a lack of exercise? Whatever it is, only you can find the aspects of your life that are making you less productive and work to fix them.
Productivity Tip #6: Watch What You Consume
Look up the negative effects of fast food and sugary carbonated drinks on productivity, you’ll be amazed. According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), frequent consumption of fast food resulted in a lower micronutrient intake. Your brain needs these nutrients to function at its best, and without them, you may feel stressed or depressed.
Another study by NCBI found that a lack of micronutrients such as magnesium and zinc have been confirmed in individuals who are suffering from depression. So, remember that you are what you eat. And if you don’t eat a healthy balanced diet, then it will affect your productivity and mental health and thus your business consulting career.
Productivity Tip #7: Try Working From Different Places
Sometimes, monotony and a predictable routine may be the reason why you feel unmotivated. Fortunately, nowadays employers and clients are open to letting consultants work remotely. As a consultant, you should leverage this new trend and switch between working from an office, home, cafe, or any other place of your choice. Even if it’s not possible to change work locations every day, you should do it for one or two days a week. Try to examine whether or not it has a positive impact on your productivity.
Productivity Tip #8: Get a Different Phone for Work
Imagine this: You’re engaged in a Slack chat with your client on your smartphone. Then, your best friend or partner sends you a funny text or tells you something that’s going on in their life. Will you be able to resist clicking on their message? Well, it’s unlikely, especially if you’re the type of person who responds immediately. Although it’s great to have strong relationships with people in your personal life, you should know how to create a proper balance between your personal and professional life. When you have different phones for work and personal use, you can put the latter on Airplane mode. This way the only calls and messages you receive while working are those from clients and work colleagues.
Productivity Tip #9: Make the Most of Your Commute
Whether you travel in a bus or in your own car, the commute to work will consume hundreds of hours throughout your business consulting career. But you have two options: You can either waste those hours or use them to do something productive. When you’re moving back and forth, you can turn on an audiobook, a podcast, or maybe even listen to stand-up comedy to lighten the mood. All of these options are far better than just sitting on a seat and moving towards your work location while cutting through the traffic.
Productivity Tip #10: Meditate
Back in the day, meditation was just a fad from the East. Then entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs made it famous throughout the business world. And now, several scientific studies have proven that meditation actually makes us more productive. Research suggests that meditation makes the prefrontal cortex (the advanced brain) stronger. So, if you meditate regularly, you may develop better decision-making abilities and self-discipline. Not too shabby!
So, these were the top 10 productivity tips for 2022. Hope that there is at least one tip in this article that will make you far more productive and bring your business consulting career to a new level. May this year be your most productive one so far. All the best.
