Boost Your Productivity:5 Simple Essential Tips for Accomplishing More

Prioritize and Set Clear Goals

To maximize your productivity, it's crucial to identify and prioritize your tasks effectively. Start by setting clear and specific goals for what you want to achieve. This will provide you with a roadmap to follow, ensuring that you stay focused on what truly matters. I like to use the SMART technique. Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound.

Practice Effective Planning and Organization

To truly optimize your productivity, it is imperative that you plan ahead. You know the saying, those who fail to plan, plan to fail? It's 100% true. At the beginning of every month, I make a to-do list of a few bigger goals I want to accomplish. I prefer to use a paper planner to keep me organized, but use what will work best for you. At the start of the week, usually Sunday evenings, I review the monthly goal list, and assign myself smaller daily tasks. Undoubtedly, unexpected things will pop up that require my attention, but having this running task list really helps me stay focused on the bigger picture. I also really love the feeling of physically crossing off the tasks as I accomplish them.

Wake up An Hour Earlier

By getting up an hour earlier, you will be able to get in an extra hour of uninterrupted, peaceful work time. There are typically fewer distractions and interruptions early in the morning, which will allow you to be completely focused on what you are needing to accomplish. Don't worry if you aren't naturally a morning person! Waking up earlier is something you can gradually improve over time. Refer back to an earlier blog post where I outline the process of becoming an earlier riser.

Do the Hardest Task First

I used to put off the hardest or most overwhelming things on my to-do list. Often, they ended up getting pushed to the next day. This would happen on a regular basis, and became pretty stressful. Now, I make sure I get the hardest task done first thing. Getting the most dreadful item crossed off right away frees up my day to get everything else done. And it feels pretty good too!

Take Regular Breaks

I know this might seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks is imperative for maintaining mental clarity and improving productivity. A small break in the middle of your day allows you the opportunity to rest and recharge. I set a timer for 60 minutes, and for 60 minutes I am laser focused on the tasks I am working on. When the timer goes off, I allow myself 10 minutes of "free time." Use this time however you wish. Stand up and stretch, call a friend, take a power nap...use your break time in a way that is most relaxing for you and try to stay off social media. I also make sure to take a lunch break. Even though I am able to work from home, I still give myself a lunch hour. Part of my lunch break is to eat, and then the other part of my break is to take a walk. I find incorporating short walks into my day, gives me more energy.

Remember productivity is something that you will need to work on everyday, and it will improve over time. Find the strategies that work best for you and adapt them to fit your life/work style. By prioritizing goal setting, planning, waking up earlier, getting the hard stuff done first and taking regular breaks, you will be well on your way to a more productive life.

Have you ever had ones of those days where you are always on the go and constantly doing things, but at the end of the day you feel like you've accomplished NOTHING? Ugh. It's not a great feeling, and I know it all too well. For far too long, I would work and work and never feel like I was making any forward progress. Since life doesn't have a pause button, and it's impossible to add more hours to my day, I had to learn to manage my time better so I could accomplish more and finally start achieving my goals. If you are someone who wishes they could improve their productivity, then keep reading, I am going to share five tips that will help you make the most out of your day.