The importance of fully switching off, a super effective productivity tool, embracing discomfort and night time tea

Productivity tip!

If you want to improve your productivity – and have some control over the way you work – this is one of the most effective time management systems you can introduce.

It's called the Pomodoro Technique and involves working in 25 minute blocks with 5 minute breaks. Taking a longer break every 3 or 4 pomodorros.

When the 25 minutes is up, regardless of what point you're at in your work you get up and leave your desk. Going for a short walk, to get a drink or to the toilet.

Your instinct is to stay and finish the task or even the sentence. But leaving it unfinished actually makes it easier to pick it up again when you come back.

By working in these intense blocks of time you come to realise how much time you normally waste and you become way more productive.

I use an app on my Mac called Be Focused Pro where I can see the timer ticking down at the top of the page. Or you can use online timers like this one.

As well as being a brilliant time management tool it's also a great way staying active, fuelled and hydrated throughout the day.

Which are essential for both your productivity and your health.

Night time tea for the win!

This is an insight into my rock n roll life!

Every night around 8pm I have a cup of this night time tea and I love it! It's become a really calming ritual that signals that it's time to wind down for bed. Like dimming the lights but in drink form.

There are loads of these sleep teas available now, as well as good old camomile. The ingredients in them are all supposed to have calming properties and enhance sleep.

But it's also just about the ritual of making and drinking it.

Telling your brain it's time to start switching off and powering down which will also help you have a more restful sleep.