Last Thursday was a big day – it was referendum day here in the UK and to steady my nerves and stay productive I headed over to The Nap Station powered by Eve Sleep in Shoreditch.
The day was kicked off with an amazing cup of coffee which jolted my brain into gear and focussing on editing and being productive. I sat at a communal work space which was full of natural day light, light wood and white table top which made the atmosphere feel light and uplifting. After around fifty minutes of email replying and video editing I was then feeling a bit exhausted – I’d had a grand total of 40 minutes sleep the night before – so as you can imagine I was not feeling my best. Funnily enough The Nap Station has power nap pods available for those who want to put their heads down for an hour or so and shut off from the rest of the world. Eve are a mattress company for those unaware and they specialise in one specific type of mattress which is both firm yet soft and really hugs the body. I had a little lie down in one of the nap pods and whilst I wasn’t able to actually nap it felt amazing just to rest and take my eyes away from both my phone and laptop screens for a little while.
After the rest I hopped back online and felt refreshed and more productive to tackle the rest of my inbox and final cut pro. I loved being in such an energetic neighbourhood – The Old Truman Brewery had a constant slew of young and cool people coming in for a cup of coffee and to work and rest. The vibe felt like a communal work space and somewhere I’d love to work from more often – having been so used to working from home it felt nice to have other faces around for a change – and just like being at home it was great to have somewhere comfy to regroup.
eve Sleep asked me how I remain productive in the midst of such a busy lifestyle, so here are my five productivity tips:
1. Capitalise on your time of the day: Everyone has different times of the day where they feel the most productive. For me that’s first thing in the morning – my brain feels particularly sharp and raring to go. I tend to not organise breakfast meetings or events first thing in the morning as that can interrupt my flow. Instead I choose to hold meetings in the afternoon when I’d rather be having a conversation then feeling that post lunch slump sat in front of my desk.
2. Work from a light bright space: Clutter and mess can do bad things for the brain when it’s trying to concentrate. As I have so many different roles to play within my work I need the space from which I work to be as tidy and organised as possible. This is a struggle for me as I just seem to be a magnet for clutter, but taking the time out of the day to tidy your workspace really pays off in the long term.
3. Eat Well: Don’t go for carbs as a mid day meal as they can make you incredibly sleepy. I prefer to have a salad with some chicken and maybe some Ombar chocolate for a sugar hit.
4. Write your to-do list down: Putting good old fashion pen to paper is sometimes the simplest solution to feeling unproductive. Whenever my to do list feels too long I simply jot it down and then tick things off as I go. It helps to start with the smaller things and then work your way up to the bigger tasks.
5. Rest is key: A good night’s sleep makes all the difference, but I for one know that sometimes that just isn’t possible no matter how much you crave it. Sometimes a 30 minute power nap or simple rest lying down can restore some productivity levels and keep things powered to stay mentally engaged with your tasks at hand
I’d highly recommend a visit to The Nap Station whether to rest or work it’s well worth checking out! What are your productivity tips?