“Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite.” — Paul Gauguin, French Post-Impressionist painter.

Feeling off track lately? Have you fallen into an unproductive rut you just can’t escape? Well, then—you could use a productivity booster shot! By adopting just a few generalized tactics, you can clear up those cloudy productivity skies and let the sunlight of your hard-earned time management skills shine through.

Include in your vaccine these four multi-positive strategies—good habits that boost productivity in a number of ways.

Get healthy. Admit it: your productivity takes a nosedive when you feel poorly—whether you’ve got a touch of the flu, didn’t sleep well the night before, or simply don’t have enough energy. If you’re suffering from a physical illness, go to the doctor and have it addressed, so it stops dragging you down. Otherwise, try this recipe for good general health: thoroughly mix a decent quantity of exercise, a balanced diet, a healthy chunk of sleep, and an extract of humor and happiness. Drink it down every day, and the elixir will soon have your engine revving, helping you stay productive on all levels.

Change your posture. I doubt I have to remind you to take ergonomic precautions to avoid repetitive motion injuries (like carpal tunnel syndrome) that can cripple your workplace productivity. You should also sit up straight at your desk rather than hunch over as you work, in order to avoid back pain (see, Mom was right!). But you may be surprised to learn that certain “power poses” can improve your attitude. Putting your hands behind your head, elbows out, encourages you to sit up straight and aids the flow of ideas. Loose, open postures where you take up more space restrict your body less, making you feel more powerful and positive.

Adjust your attitude. Remember: busy doesn’t equal productive. Yes, hard work matters; but what really matters is the results of your hard work, not just how active you’ve been. You’re better off when you decide to delegate some matters to others who can handle them better and/or more cheaply; trim the fat from your schedule; and let the little things go. Meanwhile, start reframing challenges as opportunities and move forward with a positive, can-do outlook.

Polish your self-esteem. What you want out of life matters; in fact, with rare exceptions, nothing matters more in your work/life equation than YOU. Do everything possible to shore up your self-esteem whenever you’re feeling blue and work seems pointless. When you feel better about yourself and what you accomplish, you can’t help but improve your overall performance.

Get Inoculated

All of the above represent symptoms that crosscut the entire productivity process, affecting it at all levels. Some may be more challenging and harder to pin down than specific checklist pointers, but ultimately they shore up all the little cracks in your personal productivity foundation. If you find yourself lacking in any of these departments, write yourself a prescription and invest the time necessary to determine what to do about it. Then get your immunizations to ward off flagging productivity!