In a world that’s increasingly being filled with distractions, it is becoming harder and harder to be more productive. Not being able to get things done can create a lot of frustration, and lead you to work overtime and miss out on important things like taking care of your health, meeting friends, spending time with your family, or even worse – not meeting those important work deadlines.
What is Productivity?
Productivity is more than just being efficient and getting more things done in less time. You could fill your to-do list with a lot of tasks, tick them all off at the end of the day and still not be productive. You could actually do less and yet accomplish more, which results in greater satisfaction and growth. Being productive is being able to achieve small goals consistently to get closer to your biggest goals within the shortest amount of time possible. This is what they call working smart.
6 Tips to Improve Productivity
1. Identify your priorities
Improve your productivity by knowing what your priorities are. Identify what’s important to you right now in your life. Use your core values as a compass to determine your priorities and where you should put your focus, energy, and to stay motivated and on track of things.
2. Identify your psychological patterns and what holds you back or slows you down.
Assess your thought patterns and the things you tell yourself when faced with your day-to-day todos. Have you been habitually avoiding the most difficult tasks because you’re too busy to do them? Do you find yourself complaining about being overwhelmed with so many tasks? All these negative self-talk slow you down. Start thinking differently and approach with a can-do attitude. Look for what you can do instead of what you can’t do.
3. Visualize your tasks daily.
Write your long-term goals and short-term goals, then make a mental image of your desired outcome. Visualize yourself doing and finishing the task you have set out to do.
4. Get organized and structured.
Make a to-do list with tasks that get you closer to your goals. Prioritize tasks that have the greatest impact. Give time for each task and for rest. Remember to focus on accomplishing, not just doing. Getting organized also includes identifying all factors that steal your time. Something as harmless as drinking coffee could be distracting to you. Write down your time robbers and address them.
5. Meditate to improve your focus and attention span.
The average attention span is just 8 seconds, according to a study by Microsoft. Our attention span is narrowing, worsened by our digitalized lifestyle. But meditation has been found to help increase attention span and your ability to focus. Meditation can be as simple as finding a quiet place and paying attention to how your body moves when you inhale and exhale.
6. Make your bed in the morning, and don’t hit the snooze button.
Leaders schedule their most important tasks in the morning. Sleep early to wake up early. Your energy is naturally high in the morning because sleep, exercise, and a healthy breakfast recharge you. Learn to build better morning routines.
Summary:
Being productive is doing meaningful work that gives you joy and a sense of purpose.
- Know what’s important to you.
- Change negative thought patterns.
- Visualize your daily tasks.
- Organize and structure your tasks.
- Meditate to boost your ability to concentrate.
- Start your day early.
