5 Simple Ways To Develop An Effective Productivity Sprint (Examples Included)

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If you want to get a lot done in a short amount of time while still maintaining high quality then you NEED to use the productivity sprint method.

I swear by this technique!

As a Project Manager and Productivity Coach for perfectionists, I have seen firsthand the benefits of a structured productivity sprint when it comes to achieving big goals in the space of a few weeks.

The more prepared and organised you are the more you can do WITHOUT experiencing burnout.

Since burnout is something perfectionists often struggle with, I felt like it was important for me to explain in detail the process of creating a burnout-proof productivity sprint.

Open calendar or diary next to a laptop screen with the time on it to plan out a productivity sprint

Table of Contents

What is a productivity sprint?

A personal productivity sprint is inspired by the Scrum methodology that is used in Agile Project Management. It’s basically a set period of time where specific tasks are completed with intense focus and drive.

It can be broken down into one-week sprints two weeks or even longer but no matter what there is always one main goal with limited distractions.

It’s a technique that I use in my personal life when I know I have a task that I need to complete but I’ve been avoiding it for a while and I just need to get it DONE.

Its approach is highly structured and aims to deliver high-quality results in a short timeframe.

I found it it’s really great for some of my perfectionist clients who feel overwhelmed because it gives them permission to channel their energy in one direction without feeling guilty and trying to juggle a bunch of other activities.

Sprints are designed to be broken down into specific and achievable tasks so it’s a great way to get work done without falling into hustle culture.

5 reasons why you should try the productivity sprint method

Clear goals and priorities: to start a sprint you need to be really specific about the activities that you’re going to complete and have clear deadlines. It’s not something that you stumble into and then justify. Your objectives need to be clear and concise

Better focus and efficiency: sprints are designed to minimise distractions and maintain focus over a period of time which means multitasking is a no-no. This is great news for perfectionists who struggle with procrastination because now they only have one main task to focus on and even that is broken down into tiny achievable steps

Part of energy management: you can design your sprint to work WITH you rather than against you. For example, I tend to struggle with brain fog for two weeks of the month due to my period which means I like to plan for productivity sprints the remaining two weeks of the month when I am not struggling with confusion. You may have different reasons for wanting to balance productivity sprints with other things going on in your life.

Regular feedback and adaptation: at the end of each sprint you need to review your progress, identify obstacles and make adjustments based on the lessons you have learnt. It’s a great way to promote continuous improvement and also help you understand how you work best and adjust your expectations for future projects

Reduces overwhelm and burnout: it helps you manage your workload more effectively because you are forced to break down your projects into small focused sprints. this can help you feel less overwhelmed and support so much better work-life flow

Great for people with short attention spans: if you’re someone like me with multiple interests and hobbies then productivity sprints are a GAME-CHANGER because it allows you to flip between different interests.

How to do a productivity sprint in your personal life

1. Identify a clear goal

You need to create a well-defined values-driven goal to focus on for your sprint because without a clear go it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list.

You want to minimise the distractions you face daily so add all of your other non-relevant tasks and goals to your personal productivity backlog and then mentally detached from them for now.

I always recommend to my clients to set SMARTER goals as part of their mindful productivity system because it makes sure your goals are in alignment with your values and purpose.

How to do it:

Think about the 8 areas of your life and create simple goals for each of those areas
Identify one area that you would like to focus on and add more detail to your goal by ensuring it is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Empowering and Reflective (SMARTER)
Write down your goal in a journal or spreadsheet
Breakdown your goal into smaller milestones

2. Organise your tasks

I’m a big organisation nerd so this is my favourite part when it comes to designing a productivity sprint. You need to organise your tasks in a clear and simple format so that you don’t feel overwhelmed looking at the long list of things you need to do.

Remember a productivity sprint is NOT the same as a to-do list so it needs to be structured in an easily digestible way so that you can complete your tasks effectively.

How to do it:

For each milestone write down every single task that needs to be completed and try to break down each task into its smallest possible activity
Categorise your tasks by grouping similar tasks together
Rank your tasks based on the importance and urgency
Compile them into a logical workflow, for example, putting the tasks that are urgent and important first
Create a task timeline by adding realistic deadlines to each task
You can use task management tools like Trello, Asana, Notion or even a simple Google Sheets spreadsheet

3. Create time pressure

Creating positive time pressure is a great way to stop overthinking in its tracks and force you to focus on the task you need to do by giving you a sense of urgency. It also helps you prioritise the task making sure that you’re working on the things that are most important and not getting stuck on the less important details.

How to do it

Set realistic deadlines for each task and milestone with a strong emphasis on realism. If you are a perfectionist I recommend you add a bit more extra time to complete the task and milestone because you’re probably going to underestimate how long it takes and then beat yourself up about it
Allocate specific time blocks in your schedule so that you know when and where you’re going to be working on this project. For example, blocking off your evenings to work on your blog for the next two weeks
Within your time block, you might want to try different time management techniques such as the Pomodoro method e.g. working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break
Keep a timer to track how long each task takes and add that to your notes so that you can review your schedule and make necessary adjustments

4. Identify the best working times

An effective productivity sprint incorporates energy management techniques and helps you understand your peak productivity times. It ends up being a little bit of a feedback loop since sprints are an iterative process.

For example, you might schedule your first sprint based on assumptions of your energy peaks and dips and then tweak it based on your actual energy patterns. This is why I’m always pushing my clients to take note of their energy levels and become more self-aware in general.

Knowledge is power and the more you know about yourself the more likely you will be able to be the best version of yourself.

Everyone has different times of the day when you are most alert and focused so you want to schedule your most demanding tasks at that time so you’re working with yourself instead of against yourself.

How to do it:

Track your energy levels by noting down when you feel most energetic and focused throughout the week
Look for common patterns in your energy levels e.g. feeling more energetic in the morning or evening
Plan your most important and mentally taxing tasks during your peak times
Try to work at these times regularly to build a habit and routine
Evaluate and make changes depending on your energy levels

5. Gather your resources

Before officially starting your productivity sprint you want to gather all of your resources to make sure that you have everything you need and can work without distraction.

This is a really helpful step for perfectionists who struggle with overthinking and procrastination because your attention won’t be pulled in different directions during your sprint.

How to do it:

Make a list of all of the materials tools and information you need for each of your tasks
Prepare in advance by gathering all of your resources ahead of time
Organise your workspace so that everything is easily accessible
Try to find alternative resources if you can’t find what you need. There’s no point using a lack of resources as an excuse to procrastinate. Just identify a backup and move on

What to do afterwards

After you’ve completed your productivity sprint make sure you leave some time to review what went well and what didn’t go so well. For example, did you manage to accomplish what you set out to achieve or are there still tasks uncompleted? If so, what is the reason behind that?

Try not to be judgmental and approach it as a learning opportunity rather than a shaming activity.

In the project management world, we would often hold lessons learnt meetings to identify areas for improvement and discuss any obstacles that hindered the process of completing the project.

It’s something that I recommend you do in your personal life as a self-development activity.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What went well?
What didn’t go so well?
What was the main challenge of this sprint?
Did you behave in alignment with your values? How or how not?
What lessons can you learn from this most recent sprint?
Did any task take longer or shorter than you expected?
Was the breakdown of your tasks realistic and achievable?
What new goals should be added to the next sprint?
How will you maintain momentum towards your goal?

Things perfectionists need to be careful about

Overcommitment and burnout: I recommend you OVERESTIMATE how long each task is going to take rather than underestimate it. Perfectionists often struggle with setting overly ambitious goals for a productivity sprint which then leads to more stress and burnout so the key to a successful sprint is to be realistic

Micromanagement: Try to avoid the urge to control every single detail. Just focus on completing the task and trusting the process. Remember the goal of this sprint is progress, not perfection

Fear of failure: Don’t let your fear of not meeting your high standards hold you back. Productivity sprints are designed to be iterative and you can always go back to tasks and make some more improvements after the sprint. Try to use each sprint as a learning experience

Inflexibility: Be open to making changes to your plan if needed because let’s be real sometimes unexpected obstacles appear and life gets hard through no fault of your own. So flexibility is key to staying productive and avoiding frustration

Negative self-talk: During your productivity sprint you’re probably gonna have feelings of self-doubt so my one piece would advice is to accept that those feelings will come up and then reframe them. Focus on the effort that you’re putting in and speak to yourself as if you’re speaking to a friend. It’s a great thing that you’re trying a new productivity method because it means you have a growth mindset.

Examples of productivity sprints

1. Writing Blog Posts:

Sprint Goal: Draft, edit, and publish three blog posts.
Time Frame: 2 weeks.
Tasks: Research topics, create outlines, write drafts, review and edit, format for publishing, and promote posts.

High-Level Schedule:

Week 1:

Days 1-2: Identify goals, organise tasks, and gather resources.
Days 3-5: Research topics (2 hours per day).
Days 6-7: Create outlines (2 hours per day).

Week 2:

Days 8-10: Write drafts (3 hours per day).
Days 11-12: Review and edit (2 hours per day).
Days 13-14: Format for publishing and promotion (2 hours per day).

2. Exam Revision:

Sprint Goal: Review and master key topics for an upcoming exam.
Time Frame: 1 week.
Tasks: Gather study materials, create a study schedule, summarise notes, practice with past papers, and self-assess

High-Level Schedule:

Week 1:
- Day 1: Identify goals, organise tasks, and gather resources.
- Days 2-4: Summarise notes (3 hours per day).
- Days 5-6: Practice past papers (3 hours per day).
- Day 7: Self-assess and review weak areas (4 hours)

Are you going to try a productivity sprint?

I hope you feel empowered to go out and create productivity sprints to help you achieve your goals. You might surprise yourself and achieve more than you thought was ever possible.

Who knows?

All I know is that when I started incorporating productivity sprints into my personal life I was able to tick more off and have more fulfilling breaks in between.

No more burnout or overwhelm.

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Spread the love

5 Simple Ways To Develop An Effective Productivity Sprint (Examples Included)

What is a productivity sprint?

5 reasons why you should try the productivity sprint method

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