One of the most important factors in a healthy, happy and successful life is productivity. No matter which industry you’re in, you’ll have to make sure your efforts are on parr with your expectations. If you can be more productive, you’ll be more driven, ambitious, and able to pursue your goals more efficiently.
Many people set goals in their lives and get frustrated because they haven’t achieved them quickly enough. It all comes down to wasting time. Many people are not aware of themselves, but deep down procrastination is what’s sabotaging them from achieving their goals.
Remember that your productivity can vary based on your situation as well as your attitude. What matters most is the work you get done within a 24 hour timeframe, not the number of hours taken to complete daily tasks.
Use these ten expert tips to improve your productivity, and get ready to get more done, today!
#1. Quality Sleep
Unfortunately, we live in a time where most people are deprived of quality sleep. Basic things like looking at your computer screen or staring at your phone at night before going to sleep can interfere with your sleep in a big way.
If you are an entrepreneur like me and have a lot of 5 AM nights, you can apply polyphasic sleep cycles to help you average out a full night’s rest. If you use this method to prioritize sleep and resting well at night, your productivity levels will increase by 40%. You can also simulate a good night’s rest by taking a short nap during your lunch break.
#2. Exposure to Natural Light
I know, it sounds weird, and you might be a little concerned but, as Ben Shapiro would say, facts don’t care about your feelings. Natural light is essential to how your brain depicts time. As soon as you get up in the morning, the glare of sunlight peeking out from behind your bedroom drapes will naturally mean it is morning. Even if you happen to still be asleep, your brain will naturally revert to normal functioning.
Therefore, the more you expose yourself to natural light and avoid artificial or digital light, the easier it will be for you to rest well and increase your productivity.
#3. Write Down Daily Tasks
You can call this your “productivity planner”. Think of it as a daily task journal that allows you to prioritize the important tasks of the day and week. You can either write down all your tasks or you can find some pre-made planners for productivity by simply searching online.
What I personally do is write down all the things I want to get done today and next to each task I put a little square box around it. Every time I complete a task, I put a checkmark in the square box. At the end of the day, I look over my paper and see if all the boxes have been checked. If not, I go back and complete any uncompleted tasks.
#4. Start With The Most Difficult Task
If you complete the most difficult task first, in the morning, there’s nothing else that can ruin your day since you’ll have already dealt with the most uncomfortable situation. By completing the most difficult task first, you’ll be left with easier tasks that will help you improve on your speed, allowing you to do more throughout the day.
#5. Focus On One Thing At A Time
Studies have proven that the human brain isn’t designed for multitasking. That isn’t to say you can’t do it – it is within your body’s capability, but can reduce productivity, big time. Multitasking is more likely to lower your attention and interfere with your active working memory, building up fatigue and mental stress over prolonged periods.
The best thing is to focus on each task individually, finishing one up before moving onto the next. This will help you finish much more work within a far shorter period of time than if you were to finish multiple tasks at once.
#6. The Two-Minute Rule
The great thing about any workload is that you can break it down into several parts to make it easier. Identify those smaller tasks that will probably not take more than two minutes to complete. These small tasks may include,doing daily chores, making your bed, replying to Emails, etc.
Doing these small tasks will encourage you to go after bigger tasks as you complete them ahead of time. That way you become more productive.
#7. Plan Your Days The Night Prior
As soon as the day comes to an end, don’t just rush to your bed and call it a day. You a to-do list that will guide you when you get to work tomorrow. This will keep you focused and help you improve your productivity since you’ll be able to complete more tasks.
#8. Stay Organized
Getting organized is easy to talk about. The truth is, however, that it can actually be very difficult to get organized in a way that really works for them. Which is a real shame, because simply becoming more organized actually goes a long way when it comes to improving your productivity.
Work on your organizational skills, and you’ll get what you’re looking for more efficiently. You’re welcome.
#9. Work While Commuting
It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, you need to keep in mind that everyone gets 24 hours in a day. Therefore, you have to take advantage of every minute of the day to get your work done. And there’s no bigger waste of valuable work time than your morning commute.
Take some time to make a few calls, plan out your day, and listen to industry podcasts and you can turn a forty minute drive into nearly an hour’s worth of business prep work.
#10 Eliminate All Distractions
Being able to focus while you work is the best way there is to engage with your project and work productively. Getting your tasks done efficiently means getting rid of any distractions that might take away from the work you’re doing. Most of the time, these distractions will originate with your digital devices, so putting your mobile phone on silent is a great first step.
Don’t underestimate how important a distraction-free workplace is. This can make all the difference.
In Conclusion
Knowing how to “work smart” can boost your productivity in real, measurable ways. It’s a step that not only improves your work ethic, but streamlines your output to make you a better performer overall.
Try to incorporate these techniques in your daily schedule, to experience an improvement in your work and creative output today!