Productivity is about getting more done in less time. When you boost your productivity, you increase your free time, and quite often, you’ll increase your success and sense of satisfaction, and let’s not forget, the opportunity to increase your financial well-being. Unfortunately, however, being more productive isn’t always as intuitive as we’d like to believe. If it were, many of us wouldn’t fall into the trap of procrastination or analysis paralysis as we do.
When it comes to getting the most done possibly in a given day and boost your productivity, it's often important to think carefully about the sequence in which you list out your tasks. Doing the right task first and the right task last can potentially save you hours, especially if they rely on other external factors.
Let’s look at some of the strategies the most successful leaders and entrepreneurs use.
Read More: 3 Effective planning tips to make you more productive
1. Plan Your Day the Night Before
Before you go to bed each night, make sure to sit down with your planner or calendar and write out your to-do list for the next day. Identify the goals you want to achieve, the tasks you need to finish, and schedule your time. I strongly advise that you focus on no more than three things.
Meaning, don’t create a list of 15 things that need to get done, that you know is impossible to get through on a given day. Instead, identify up to three larger tasks, and then list out the individual action items associated with those specific tasks. Anything outside or unrelated to those main three tasks will need to wait until the next day or reevaluated.
This tactic is effective for several reasons. First, it’s much easier to leave the day’s stress behind you when you have your day planned. It also helps clear your mind so you can relax and supports you in getting a good night’s sleep.
Additionally, when you take time at night to plan your upcoming day, you’re able to start the day with a clear itinerary. You can hit the ground running so to speak and start to boost your productivity as soon as you wake up.
Read More: 2 Techniques To De-Stress Through Breathing
2. Leverage Planning Systems
You can use many planning systems. Find one that works for you. It doesn’t matter if you use a notebook and embrace bullet journaling, or if you love technology and use a mobile app to keep you on track. I personally use several different systems, a physical planner for daily tasks, a Trello Board for weekly or longer-term tasks, and my Google calendar for blocking off time to get things done. It might sound like overkill, but I know myself and have come to learn that I need multiple tools to stay on track and hold myself accountable.
After all, these goals aren’t going to achieve themselves. There are plenty of systems and resources out there to choose from, so find a system that supports you to schedule your time and create task lists and finally helps to boost your productivity.
3. Know Your Productivity Personality
Speaking of knowing yourself…it’s so important to do a self-audit to determine your personal strengths and weaknesses. Now, this is not an invitation to beat yourself up, but rather an opportunity to uncover and maximize your unique ability. Take some time to assess when
you’re most energized, productive, and able to focus. For many, the answer is “first thing in the morning,” but that isn’t always the case. Some people don’t really hit full stride until after lunch and night owls are more productive when it’s dark. And depending on the season (if you happen to live in a part of the world with multiple seasons), you may find that your peak productive times change as the seasons change. The point is to find your time and schedule your priority tasks during this time.
In setting your priorities for your day, you’ll want to focus on the tasks that will have the biggest impact on your day’s success and will help you achieve your goals. Work on those tasks during your most productive time of day.
- Sabine Gedeon
4. Boost your productivity by Setting the Clock
Set a specific amount of time to accomplish important tasks. For example, if your first task of the day is to plan your content for the next month, give yourself an hour, or less, to get the job done. Set a timer or use the alarm on your phone. Setting a timer helps you stay focused. And if you set the timer for less time, it forces you to move through the task with speed.
For example, if you would like to block an hour for content planning, give yourself 45 minutes instead. You will boost your productivity by working quickly and effectively to complete the task within the given timeframe.
And guess what, if you schedule something for right after, you won’t have the luxury of running over, so you’ll have to get it done in your allotted time.
Read More: Why focusing on one task at a time is helpful?
5. Schedule Admin Tasks for Down Time
In setting your priorities for your day, you’ll want to focus on the tasks that will have the biggest impact on your day’s success and will help you achieve your goals. Work on those tasks during your most productive time of day. And just like you have a most productive time of day, you also have a time of day where you have less energy, are easily distracted, and don’t feel
as productive. For many, this is right after lunch, or mid-day. This is when you should schedule administrative tasks, which aren’t directly connected to profits or a goal.
6. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Perfectionism seems like a good thing, doesn’t it? Taking pride in your work and wanting to do a good job seems like something to strive for. However, perfectionism is a productivity killer. It puts pressure on you to achieve a standard that is not attainable, and this can be quite damaging. Embracing mistakes can even improve your productivity.
Let’s face it, you’re not getting much done when you’re frozen in a cycle of perfectionism. Allowing yourself to accept good enough releases you from perfection and lets you move forward to your goals. Getting something done is always more productive than accomplishing nothing. Taking small steps consistently will take you far. Once you learn from a mistake, you’ll save time in your next venture because you will have learned important lessons to avoid making it again. It’s good to consider each new opportunity a chance to learn and grow, rather than a performance in which you must be perfect.
Read More: 5 Practical Ways To Get More Done This Week
At the end of the day, being more productive is about setting goals and priorities. It’s also about recognizing your personal productivity style and needs and then creating systems that support you to succeed, including technology. As you embrace these tips to be more productive, please remember to take good care of yourself. This includes regular exercise,
decent amounts of sleep, and fueling your body with nutritious foods. Focusing on these critical needs as well will give you the mental and physical energy you need to achieve the things you want.
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