The title alone drew me in. Ten Scientifically Proven Ways to be Incredibly Productive by Jeff Haden. Wow. You can’t get much better than that! The article in Inc! magazine sounds promising, right? Well, before you get too excited, I didn’t see any link to scientific studies that would back up the author’s claim. It looks to me like it is someone’s good ideas…but scientifically proven? I don’t see it.

However, as I looked over the list of 10 items suggested, I found a few that seemed to make sense and were worth passing on. So, even without the science to back it up, here are some ideas that may help you be more productive.

One tip was to put fewer things on your To-Do list. And be sure to hit them the first thing in the day. You are fresher then. (Note: I am writing this at 6:45am this morning.) And, you won’t get sidetracked by the other events of the day.

Another thought is to build habits to help you start working. Have that cup of coffee in the morning, but when the coffee is finished, the work begins. Or find some other trigger and use it to launch into the first item on that To-Do list. Does that sound too strict a routine? The author of the article says:

“Routines aren’t a sign of boring, regimented people. Routines are a sign of people who have goals and have found the best way–for them–to actually accomplish their goals.”

I’ll lump a couple of the ideas together. Take more breaks and take more naps! (I know…the naps are not always easy in every situation.) Haden takes a cue from Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey relates the story of a woodcutter whose saw gets duller as he works. If he would take a break, sharpen his saw, and get back at the work, he would accomplish more in shorter amount of time.

Sometimes we need to refresh our minds and sharpen our saw. Taking a break is more than just standing around the water cooler and chatting with friends. It is time to look away from a task for a moment and get a fresh look at your project. When I was a video editor, I found that I needed to take breaks from the tedious editing process, walk around a bit, and refocus my mind. Then I would come back and look at what I had edited to that point. It was amazing how clearly I saw some problems I had previously overlooked.

Now the part about taking a nap? Again, the author’s words:

“Research shows naps lead to improvement in cognitive function, creative thinking, and memory performance. In particular, napping benefits the learning process by helping you take in and retain information better.”

The final idea I will mention is “spend more time in nature.” There is something that refreshes the mind and soul about God’s nature that “…allows your mind to fully relax and unwind and helps you focus longer when you return to work.” Good point. I am writing this sitting on my patio in these early morning hours listening to the birds as they awaken. Refreshing even in the midst of work.

Whether these are “scientifically proven” or not, I think they are good suggestions. Make your list, start your day, take breaks, sharpen your saw, and be refreshed and reminded of all the Lord has created for us to enjoy. And then get after the work. As Timothy wrote:

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

Well, time for me to take a break…or maybe a nap.