Have you ever found yourself checking emails, sitting in meetings, or scrolling social media even though your to-do list is a mile long? If so, you should try work sprints!
What is a work sprint?
A work sprint is a dedicated period of time where you put aside all distractions and focus on a particular task. Get ready to put your phone in a drawer, mute your email notifications, and resist the urge to check social media. No distractions are welcome here!
How do work sprints work?
-Identify a task that you want to complete – write a blog post, update your website, finish your accounting for last month…whatever it is, be sure to spell it out clearly.
-Get to it – put your head down and work for the prescribed period of time (45 minutes to an hour and a half).
-Check in at the end of the sprint and evaluate your progress.
Why are sprints effective?
-They help you start (and finish) projects you have been putting off! Setting a dedicated amount of time and committing to work on something helps to get the ball rolling. Often getting a project started is the hardest part. Work sprints help you build and maintain momentum.
-They take advantage of our natural productivity rhythms. Science tells us that the human brain focuses best for periods of 90 minutes or less…and if we keep working past that 90 minute mark, performance decreases and we are more likely to experience burnout.
-They allow us (or force us to) focus on a single task. Despite what we might want to believe, multitasking decreases productivity. By laying out a defined task and focusing on it for a set amount of time, we are able to complete more work.
Tips for your first attempt at work sprints
- Set specific goals for each sprint
- Set a timer and stop exactly when the timer goes off
- Don’t watch the clock – it can be distracting
- Get up and move around during your break
- Personalize your sprints – some people do better with a 25 minute sprint and a 5 minute break while others work best with a 90 minute sprint and a 20 minute break. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and figure out what works best for you!
Sound like your cup of tea? Join us for Cotivation Sprints and get the added bonus of community while you get stuff done. We will start in the morning with sharing our goals for the day then get to it. Register here.