31: 5 Peaceful Ways To Fight Procrastination And Focus Your Mind

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This mini-episode is part of a series I’m creating this month to help you add more structure to your work.

Today, we talk about creating your ideal workspace to get things done with less stress and fewer distractions.
Decluttering your space helps improve your productivity and helps you fight procrastination.

When people talk about productivity, they often mention productivity apps.

However, where you work and how easy it is to setup that place also affect your resistance to getting started on your projects.

These 5 tips will help you get in the zone and fight procrastination.Click To Tweet

Setup your ideal workspace

I find that my ideal work environment for focus work is a clean empty desk. It’s not perfect yet because I still have some paper on my desk.

I love to have space around me so that when I move my chair, it doesn’t hit a wall or a drawer. I also like it when it’s sunny outside because it makes the office brighter. This is my preference for getting into my work mode. Yours might be a little different.

And it’s not necessary to just have one way of working.

For other types of work, I also like to sit on my couch with a laptop pad or stand up. I like to work in coffee shops too, as it allows me to go for a walk simultaneously.

If you work at home, decluttering your space will help your mind focus on your work. You can still personalize your desk to feel happy when you sit there.

If you prefer sitting at another place such as on a couch or at your kitchen table, make sure that it doesn’t require some time to set up your workspace.

Make it as smooth as possible to tackle your work and to feel comfortable in front of your computer.

Beat procrastination by decluttering your workspace. Click To Tweet

Declutter your digital space

Same thing for your desktop, avoid clutter and distractions on your screen.

If you have too many icons covering your desktop, it might be time to do some digital spring cleaning and remove all the icons you rarely use.

Avoid having too many windows opened simultaneously. I doubt you need 10 applications opened when you work on a specific task. Mainly your mailbox: close it.

Check your emails at specific times of the day and once it’s done, close the application.

Decluttering your digital space will increase your productivity.Click To Tweet

Create work rituals

For recurring activities that require your full attention, create a routine so you need not think about what to prepare before starting your work.

For example, I have the same ritual when I create my podcast episodes.

I close all the doors and windows to make sure it’s quiet around me. I connect my laptop to a large screen so I can see everything at once. I move my keyboard on a side, so it doesn’t bother me and I place my microphone there instead.

I can then focus on creating my episode with only a microphone and a screen in front of me.

Create routines to work more efficiently and to free your mind.Click To Tweet

Tidy up your files

To continue decluttering your digital environment, create a simple system to organize your files and folders.

The goal is to avoid wondering where to save or to find the files you need.

At some point, you will systematically save your files without thinking about where they should be.

I also add a prefix to my files using the creation date: I use the American format which is year/month/day so the files are visually sorted in chronological order. For example, a filename would look like this: 20170411-Filename.txt.

Create simple systems to tidy up your digital life. Click To Tweet

Manage your passwords

Use a tool to manage your passwords.

I worked for many years on IT projects, so I’m a little bit of a maniac with passwords and security.

Don’t save your passwords on a piece of paper or don’t try keep them only in your head.

Also make sure you change your password regularly.

The tool I use is 1Password. I purchased it years ago because it was one of the rare applications that would allow me to synchronize my data between devices without having to use the cloud, to avoid saving secured data online. 1Password is now based on a subscription model and they have added a family plan, which makes the application cheaper per person.

You can download their apps on your laptop and mobile devices, so you need not be online when you need to retrieve a password.

There are plenty of other password management tools; simply pick the one you like. Some have a free plan, which is unfortunately not the case for 1Password.

Don’t use the same password for your email and other applications.

For example, if you enroll in an online course, create a specific password for it. Some learning management systems send back your account information with the password clearly displayed in the email. So if it’s the same password as for your email address, it’s easy for someone else to access your email account.

Protect your business with a password management tool.Click To Tweet

Your Turn

For today, your action item is to see where you enjoy working.

Create a nice environment to get in a flow when you work on your projects. You will know when you find your ideal space because it will make you feel happy when you look at it.

And last but not least, secure your passwords if it’s not already done.

Until next time, have fun personalizing your workspace and keep moving forward.

Show Notes

• Password management tool: 1Password
• A free alternative to 1Password: LastPass
• Connect with Thuy on Facebook
• Follow Thuy on Twitter

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