Tips for prodcutivity

Tips for Productivity

For my discussion, I will connect the topic of improving productivity to three writings that I found. The two essays I’ll comment on include “Self-Improvement Project: Weight Control” by Honey Ong-Licudine and “Quitting a Bad Habit” by Nathaniel Cruz which I found in Module 2. I will also discuss and focus on the article “6 Tips to Improve Your Personal Productivity” by Macgill Davis. All of these papers have helped me plan my self-improvement project on increasing efficiency by providing insight into general aspects of the topic.

For one, Ong-Licudine’s essay enlightens the reader on how difficult self-improvement can be and provides tips for starting. From the first paragraph, it's shown that the writer of the account attempted to improve himself but was usually too lazy and stubborn to do so. As stated in the same section, the author exclaims, “In April 2017, my brother passed away due to health complications from being extremely overweight. …He became my inspiration to do my self-improvement project”(Ong-Licudine).  These lines show a significant attempt to change due to a strong motivator. This is because the writer decided to work harder to lower her weight after a personal loss reminded her of the consequences of not doing so. Her essay also shows that without a strong motivator, self-improvement is more difficult as Ong-Licudine continuously delayed attempts to lose weight by bargaining before her brother’s death. Also, according to the third paragraph, “My friend, Emily, lent me her recipe book, The Healthy Smoothie Bible, which really helped me as a beginner. .... She said it was only hard in the beginning, but once I got used to it, it would be a lot easier. She also said that I will eventually fall in love with those smoothie recipes, and she was actually right. She is such a great support to me”(Ong-Licudine). The prior citation reveals that friends can be crucial for personal growth since Ong-Licudine was given vital assistance by her friend, Emily, who gave her the needed resources and guidance for weight loss. In the final paragraph, Ong-Licudine gained a great start in weight loss by losing 12 pounds and is proud of her change and commitment. Overall, Ong-Licudine's account shows the difficulty of personal development since it is tempting to stop without a proper drive and can be challenging without the needed help.

Also, anyone with the proper support can develop themselves. In the opening lines, it is shown that the creator, Cruz, was struggling with an addiction to chewing tobacco. He then states that the first step to quitting was understanding the addiction which he could do with the help of other accounts and research on smoking. Cruz later gained a stronger drive to quiet when reading about the symptoms of his habit like cancer and harm to the mouth. In the fourth paragraph, he states “Mark Srack was a smoker for well over thirty years, so he well understood the addiction to nicotine. It was him who made me realize chewing was more than just an addiction to nicotine; it was part of a mindless routine”(Cruz). The excerpt shows how important professional help is as Cruz could fully understand how terrible chewing is from Srack, a former smoker. As a result of Srack’s assistance, Cruz could quit dipping tobacco, especially since he realized that he could choose to quit. In the second to last paragraph, Cruz states “For most, programs, support and special techniques are needed. Donald Fosio’s, How to Quit Chewing Tobacco for Good, suggests using the PILT method…The plan itself is simple; it’s dealing with the craving that’s hardest of all”(Cruz). The statement shows how much help people might need to deal with addiction as Cruz understands that quitting can require vast resources like institutions and unique methods. To summarize, Cruz's writing shows how much help can be needed for proper development since he and other people required various types of support to quit their addiction.

Finally, Davis’s account shows there are many things one can do to increase productivity. In the first two paragraphs, Davis acknowledges the difficulty in improving capacity but also states that there are general tips to help with such a task. In the first section of the article, Davis explains that personal productivity is not just completing tasks but the time, energy, and methods used to complete those tasks. Furthermore, According to the first tip, “Managing your energy is a great way to prevent burnout and ...plan your work around new habits that help you recharge while getting things done”(Davis). From the following advice, it is shown that actions like taking occasional breaks or recreational tasks during work can improve overall efficiency since they can help manage energy just like Davis advised. The article encourages lowering social media consumption since it can waste time and energy as a third tip. During the next segment, the report encourages decluttering and organizing the workplace since the clutter would distract you from working at your full potential. According to the sixth and final tip, “Tracking your time and focus throughout the workday is our favorite tip for increasing productivity, as this helps you assess your current way of working and note ways to improve on it”(Davis). From the citation, it is clear that time management is essential to improve productivity since it can directly improve your way of working massively. In conclusion, Davis's article shows that productivity is improved with specific tips as it gives advice and also an explanation of that advice.

To conclude, all three sources helped me plan my self-improvement research essay on productivity. First, Ong-Licudine’s essay made me understand the difficulty of self-improvement, enabling me to understand the effort I needed to put in for my goal. Second, Cruz’s summary taught me the importance of external help. Finally, Davis’s article gave me direct advice which is easily applied. Thus, all of these will help me decide how to improve my efficiency at work.

     Works Cited

Cruz, Nathaniel. Hutcheon. 17 September, 2019. “Quitting a Bad Habit”. 22 June, 2023.

Davis, Macgill. Hutcheon. 22 February, 2022. “6 Tips to Improve Your Personal Productivity”. 22 June, 2023. Rize, https://rize.io/blog/personal-productivity

Ong-Licudine. Honey. Hutcheon. 26 November, 2019. “Self-Improvement Project: Weight Control”. 22 June, 2023.