Every single person on earth has the same 24 hours in a day. But no matter what’s on your list of things to do for the day, week, or months ahead, it’s still easy to feel overwhelmed! When it’s time to buckle down and get serious about accomplishing a task or project, it’s best to have a plan in place.
Find a comfy spot to work, take a seat, and ask yourself what’s most important, what will take you the longest to complete, and how much time you should allocate to each task. Check out these 8 additional productivity tips to feel more accomplished!
#1 Prep the Night Before
Regardless of what’s going on, you have to sleep to be ready for your day. Jumpstart your productivity for each day by answering these questions the night before.
First, what will you work on first thing tomorrow? Second, what do you hope to accomplish during the day? And third, what must get completed tomorrow, in order of importance?
The answers to these questions can then shape your to-do list, and will save you time in the morning. This will also keep you from tossing and turning in bed thinking about everything you need to accomplish, because you’ll already have a roadmap!
#2 Tackle One Task at a Time
Slow and steady wins the race, so stop trying to multitask! When you learn to take control of your time on a daily basis, you’ll improve your ability to get things done, make better decisions, and, most importantly, gain control of your key priorities.
When you’re multitasking, it might feel like you’re getting more done, but you are most often slowing your performance down. When you multitask, you wind up making errors and having to do twice the work. Tackling one task a time means you’ll only have to do each thing once to do it well!
#3 Get Away to Recharge
People are stressed, they’re tired, and they’re worried about the state of the world. If you ask us, a break is a necessity! A break to recharge always helps.
Whether you prefer the beach, the mountains, the desert, or the city, there’s something out there for everyone. Sometimes all you need to get yourself back on track is a few days away from your normal routine. Take the time to rest and recharge, and you’ll be amazed at how productive you are!
#4 Say No
Every time you say “no” to something, you’re also saying “yes” to yourself! It’s important to say no in a way that makes you feel empowered while still maintaining your relationships with others.
You might be eager to help people out with their requests, but sometimes you have to decline to get your own work done in a timely manner or maintain your well-being.
Saying no helps you establish healthy boundaries and gives others clarity about what they can expect from you. You’ll gain conference when you stand firm and honor your boundaries—and people will respect you for it!
#5 Make Meetings Count
Your time should be respected, just as you should respect other people’s time. Every meeting must include an agenda with clear objectives. It can also help to schedule less important meetings in the second half of the day so you have more time in the morning to complete key tasks.
Whether a meeting is virtual, in person, or over the phone, do your part to be sure they’re efficient. If you realize a meeting is no longer needed, let your colleagues and counterparts know. Give them and yourself that time back!
When scheduling a meeting, give participants ample notice, and make sure they have all the information they need to participate.
#6 Always Be Goal-Oriented
When you have a specific goal in mind, you’ll be more drive to accomplish it. Being goal-oriented is a valuable personal quality that can produce huge results in your career!
No matter your title, position, or industry, having goals matters. Keeping your goals at the forefront of your mind will increase your drive to reach them. It’s helpful to learn how to navigate goal-setting, reviewing your progress, and revising your strategy.
As an alternative, you can integrate your yearly objectives into all your meetings and activities. This will prepare you to cut unnecessary activities and keep your teams (and yourself) focused.
#7 Organize Your Workspace
An orderly workspace can help you fine-tune your processes and accomplish your daily goals, moving you closer to your long-term professional goals. Nothing is more aggravating than constantly having to search for office supplies, working files, or your phone when you’re in a hurry.
Constantly working around clutter can seriously impede your productivity. Organize your workspace and watch your thinking get more organized too!
Great time managers set up and organize their workspaces to cut down on the amount of time each task takes. The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” is a helpful guideline, since visual cues can help you remember and prioritize important tasks. A clean and orderly desk can help you deal with one task at a time.
#8 Avoid Distractions
Experts have studied how distractions affect people, and they’ve found that when you’re constantly interrupted, your attention span suffers and the time you need to carry out tasks increases.
If you can avoid distractions, you are more likely to feel accomplished at the end of the day. At the very least, minimize distractions from your computer screen so you won’t get the urge to click elsewhere.
Distractions can come in the form of emails, texts, social media alerts, phone calls, a work colleague or student popping by for a chat, or a quick look online to check the news website you’ve been following. Set aside specific times for these activities rather than allowing them to disrupt your productive work!
We all know Beyoncé is the queen of productivity—and if she can do it, we can at least try! How do you handle productivity?
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