At the end of the day, the most valuable thing we have is our time. Time cannot be bought and it cannot be replaced. Once you waste time, it is wasted forever. We are currently seeing a trend in people wanting to boost their productivity and with so many distractions in our lives, we struggle to ever devote ourselves to a task and work on it the way we would like. We’re typically interrupted by our phones, computers, meetings, and the thoughts about everything else we need to get done. Being able to be productive isn’t just a good thing, it’s a necessity. So here are my top 5 productivity tips that will maximize your day.
Productivity Tips 1. Get up early
There is no better feeling than getting a jump start on your day. Being able to wake up and either workout or even sort through emails before your day starts will make you feel more productive and better prepared to handle the rest of the day. I find that getting up early and doing some of the more mindless tasks that need to be done is my favorite way to start my day and increase my productivity.
Productivity Tips 2. Use airplane mode
Some people suggest turning off alerts, but I find that having a phone in general to be distracting. I suggest putting your phone in airplane mode when you need a solid chunk of time where you are not distracted. This way, your smartphone doesn’t even tempt you as a distraction.
Productivity Tips 3. Don’t be afraid to say no
This is a powerful rule not just in productivity, but in life. Knowing when to say no can help you really maximize your time and your priorities. Many times, our schedules are overloaded simply because we couldn’t say no. Saying no is not rude, it’s simply knowing the value of your time.
Productivity Tips 4. Prioritize and schedule priorities first
Prioritizing will help you accomplish the things that mean the most to you. When we don’t prioritize, we find ourselves never really accomplishing the things we want to and instead accomplishing things that other people asked us to do. When setting up your calendar for the week, prioritize your to-do list and fill in your calendar starting with the top priority to the bottom. This way, pesky tasks that don’t contribute to your goals don’t infiltrate your calendar and your productivity.
Productivity Tips 5. Compartmentalize and focus on one thing at a time
This is Jack Dorsey’s number one tip. He works a half day at Twitter and then a half day at Square. When he is at one company he is not thinking about the other. When we fail to compartmentalize we typically find ourselves too overwhelmed to even start working simply because we don’t even know where to begin.
Productivity Tips Bonus- Measure your results
Measuring your results can offer loads of insight and help you decide what works best for you. Measure how much time you’re spending on each task, then ask yourself whether that could have been done in a shorter amount of time or should you have spent longer? The more you measure the more productive you will become. Take the food journal as an example. People who keep food journals are far more likely to stick to their diet than others who don’t. The same goes for productivity.
Also, don’t be afraid to try new things. Maybe you find you can work really well late at night? Try adjusting your schedule to accommodate that. Just remember that everyone finds themselves being their most productive in different ways, find the things that suit you best and capitalize on them.
Have any productive tips that work best for you? Let me know in the comments below!
