Stop setting yourself up for failure! During my years of productivity coaching, I have seen my clients come in one after the other, lamenting that they don’t have enough time to finish everything. I hate to tell you, but we all have the same 1,440 minutes daily. One of the first tools I implement is affirmations to establish new ways of speaking and support desired changes. Positive affirmations are a great way to make a personal commitment to managing your time more effectively, achieving your goals, and amplifying your productivity. “Productivity refers to the ability of an individual, team, or organization to work efficiently within that time to maximize output,” Psychology Today.
Facts: Your mental energy has a lot to do with your level of productivity and motivation to get things done. A lack of mental energy can also translate to a drop in physical energy. Even with careful scheduled planning and time management strategies, sometimes you can’t escape the grip of procrastination.
What Are Affirmations?
An affirmation is a short, powerful statement that allows you to take control of your thoughts. An affirmation is carefully constructed to have a positive and uplifting impact. When you say or think about them, they become the thoughts that shape your reality.
Affirmations make you aware of your thoughts. When you think positively, it is easier to control negative self-talk that threatens to take over your professional and personal life.
Are You Repeating Negative Affirmations?
Negative thoughts can block our minds and create hindrances in the way of our success. Thinking that way can also affect your self-confidence and motivation. Below are some negative affirmations I’ve said before and heard from many clients.
“I can’t do all of this.”
“I just don’t have the time.”
“How will I get there?”
“This sounds like a lot.”
“I am always so tired.”
Repeated negative statements make you miserable, unmotivated, unworthy, and unhappy, and you can not change your thoughts, viewpoint, or life. Imagine complete control of your thoughts and actions, starting tasks smoothly and moving on to another. We crave a life where we are at our best. Put positive affirmations to work for you!
The Benefits Of Affirmations For Productivity
Adding these short, powerful statements to your day has many benefits. When you repeat these statements and believe in them, you can:
Build confidence
Shift your mindset
Improve your self-esteem
Reduce your stress levels
And, of course, improve your productivity
But, Do Affirmations Really Work?!
Not the answer you want to hear but, Yes AND No! Affirmations are a self-help strategy used to promote self-confidence and belief in your abilities. These simple statements help shift your focus away from perceived failures or inadequacies and direct your focus toward your strengths — those you already have and want to develop.
It’s not magic; it’s science. Positive affirmations have been proven to be effective according to a study published in Social and Cognitive Effective Neuroscience , affirmations activate the parts of your brain associated with rewards. (and who doesn’t like rewards?!)
How Can Affirmations Help You Get Things Done?
There are many ways to use affirmations to ensure maximum productivity. Daily affirmations help you stay focused and empowered to achieve what’s on your list. When you start adding positive affirmations for productivity, notice how your resistance to starting or completing tasks changes.
Regular repetition of affirming statements about yourself can encourage your brain to take these positive affirmations as fact.
Visualizing a mental image of yourself completing a new task or accomplishing a goal creates new neural pathways and activates the brain training process. Simply imagining and believing that productivity is within reach can begin to deliver physical and mental benefits.
Let’s take a look at some affirmations to jumpstart your productivity.
Choose a few affirmations that align with your core values; begin to incorporate them into your day and repeat them often:
I move past doubt and take action when a new idea comes to me.
I give myself permission to try and fail and try again.
I am a doer. I will take action and get things accomplished.
I take daily steps toward my ideal life.
I control my time and how I use it.
I am calm. I have a plan and I am safe.
I know my purpose in this life.
I will protect time in my schedule to rest each day.
I put action behind my goals every single day.
I will complete as many tasks as I can without feeling overwhelmed.
I am successful at managing the time I put towards achieving my goals.
My actions reflect my intentions.
I am where I need to be.
Completing small tasks will help me achieve my bigger goals.
Done is better than perfect.
I will not overexert myself or allow my workload to induce overwhelm.
I run my home like a business; everyone has a role to fill and routines to follow.
My daily goals will ensure I reach my long-term goals.
I am a productivity ninja.
My to-do list is achievable.
Challenges bring opportunities.
I will not overbook or spread myself too thin.
Distractions will not steal my time.
I am taking each task as it comes, one at a time.
There’s more than one right answer. Each problem has a solution.
One task at a time is enough.
I embrace mistakes as learning opportunities.
I know where I can make changes to be a better time manager.
I am capable of doing everything I need to do.
My results are proof of my ability.
My words and my actions are the same.
I know that the time to act is now.
I am a proactive person.
I make the most out of my situation despite my circumstances.
I enjoy the feeling of being productive.
Tomorrow isn’t promised; therefore, I’ll produce and deliver like every day is my last.
I am selective about who and to what I give my time and energy.
The mistakes I make are just learning curves.
I practice working hard and playing hard.
Every day I am more and more productive.
I no longer allow unsupportive habits to influence my life.
Affirmations are just one self-help tool. Like other strategies, they can offer some measure of relief, but their benefits usually depend on how you use them.
Creating your own can help ensure you choose affirmations that will help you the most. Try these to start developing and using
affirmations more effectively.
How To Use Affirmations
There’s more than one right answer! Life can get pretty chaotic from time to time. As a result, you might feel overwhelmed and unable to get everything done. Some people prefer to write their affirmations on sticky notes and place them around their office or home. This way, you are constantly reminded of your goals, no matter what. Simply saying, “I will get things done,” can be enough to push you over the hump and jumpstart your future actions.
Others like to say them out loud while driving, in the morning in the mirror, or record them and listen while you are sleeping. Feel free to repeat affirmations 3 to 5 times a day to reinforce your beliefs.
In many cases, increasing your productivity is mind over matter, and affirmations are just ONE way to bring awareness to opportunities for personal productivity in your day.
What Does This All Mean?
If you are used to saying affirmations, this will be a piece of cake. If you are not, it may seem a little strange at first. Trust me when I say the words we put into the universe will manifest.
It’s time to apply new techniques to get stuff done and take control! If you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or stuck, I can help you set goals and create affirmations that align with your values. There are several options for working together, but before we get ahead of ourselves, let's chat!