Your productivity is low, you feel more tired and unmotivated each day and you can’t help but slack or put off work that needs to be done. We hear you! Here are a few ways to be more productive and take control of your day!
By Mariam Elhamy
- Start by setting small goals or tasks, by easily finishing these tasks quickly and successfully it will not only help you feel accomplished and energetic but also less overwhelmed than if you start with the longer more complicated tasks.
- Finish boring tasks that need to be done first. After getting warmed up by the small tasks, finish the boring ones because after they’re finished, you’ll look forward to doing the things you actually enjoy and not feel weighed down.
- Measure your productivity by checking off your to-do list. It should be like your personal KPIs, the more tasks you get done the more productive you get.
- Reward yourself. At the end of the day, if you finish everything you set out to do in the morning, reward yourself for it. Celebrating achievements, even by simply telling someone about them, is important for your self-esteem and productivity.
- Work on similar tasks together. For example, Don’t respond to just one email and then move on. Respond to all of them and then don’t check your inbox until you’ve finished other tasks.
- Time your tasks. By timing your daily tasks you’ll be able to understand what takes more time from you and what doesn’t so that you can actively work on improving your timing on each task.
- Find out your most productive hours. Everyone has different levels of energy at different timings. If you’re an early bird like me then focus on spending those glorious morning hours doing the things that require the most energy and vice versa.
- Manage your time. Group similar tasks together and place each activity in a slot that can accommodate it. Divide your day into time slots, by doing the things that are in the same area together or multitasking when your hands are free, you save time and energy, start doing time slots each day then you can fill them in a week ahead.
- Keep a distraction list. While working on one task that needs all your focus, whenever anything distracting pops up write it down on a list and check these later.
- Declutter. Did you know your physical environment impacts your productivity? Organizing and decluttering not only saves time when you’re looking for something but helps your mind feel more organized and decluttered.
- Walk. Yep walking really helps. It increases your alertness, blood flow and cardiovascular health, so you’ll be less anxious, more focused and more capable of dealing with stress.
- Ask for help! Being stubborn and trying to do everything yourself wastes time. When you don’t know how to do something just ask for guidance.
- Eliminate inefficient communication. Communication might be redundant, prolonged and inefficient. If someone is wasting your time because they refuse to understand, hand them over to someone else.
- Always have a plan B. For when things go wrong, stay on your toes and seize the day by always having something else in your pipeline.
- Work before feeling motivated. Which comes first, motivation or action? You need to take action in order to feel motivated, that’s just the way it is. So don’t wait around till you feel motivated and go out there and do instead!
- Don’t make decisions. Sounds weird right? Decisions are time and energy-consuming. Limit your decision-making process to only the important things. Deciding what to wear and eat should not be worth wasting your time.
There is no sure way to increase productivity. Increasing productivity is highly personalized and not all these tips will work for everyone; however, you can still choose the ones that do and make the combo that works best for you.
