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We live in a world where constant hustle is encouraged, even admired. We want to do more, always, and don’t feel accomplished unless we are busy. But did you know that being busy doesn’t mean success? Nor does it mean being productive. In this blog post, learn 7 tips to help you become more productive and increase the quality of your life.
First, what does being productive even mean? Productivity is defined as the effectiveness of productive efforts while the word productive is defined as yielding results. Therefore, being productive could be explained by achieving a lot of results through effort.
We should always strive for efficiency in addition to productivity. Efficiency is the ability to achieve maximum productivity with the less amount of effort possible. It is also important to remember that the quality of the results cannot be offset by efficiency. Doing more if it is not done correctly doesn’t matter. The key to success is finding the perfect balance between productivity, efficiency, and quality.
7 tips to become more productive
1. Implement a system
Calendar system
Productive people write things down and prioritize their tasks all the time. You are much less likely to forget things if you write them down. When writing things down you allow your brain to relax because it isn’t trying to remember hundreds of little things. Implement a system where you track all appointments and commitments into a calendar. This calendar should be something you can access at all times. It can be online, accessible via your phone or physical paper calendar. Pick something that works for you and that you are willing to carry with you everywhere you go.
I prefer an online calendar because your entire family can use it and it is easy to see all the commitments and appointments at a glance. I use google calendar which allows us to have multiple calendars but then combine them into a single view. The icing on the cake is that we can access it from our phones, tablets, and even work computers. If you are unsure where to start but find yourself interested to implement a google calendar for you and your family you can find great tutorials online.
To-do system
In addition to the calendar system for appointments and commitments, you need a system for your daily to-dos. Each evening, write down your to-dos for the next day. Identify the top 3 priorities that need to get done. Researchers have studied and found that focusing on only the top 3 items helps you stay focus and accomplish more.
When setting the priorities, it can be helpful to keep in mind the concept of “The ONE thing“. I learned about this concept in the book The ONE thing by authors Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. At a very high level, the principle is to chose the one task that when completed will provide the most benefit and make everything else easier. Once that task is completed select the next most impactful task.
Let’s take an example. You have to clean the kitchen but also need to grocery shop. By using this principle, you might want to choose taken care of the grocery shopping first. If you don’t, you might end up needing to go out to eat or order food ultimately spending more money and time.
2. Make time for rest and self-care
Your state of mind and happiness has a direct impact on your ability to become more productive. If you overwork yourself, you will eventually crash and not have enough energy or even motivation to get things done. Make sure you get an adequate amount of sleep but also have time for self-care.
To ensure you create space in your calendar for yourself, you might need to practice saying “no” more often. Be mindful when choosing what to take on. If it won’t advance your goals or won’t add to your enjoyment, don’t do it. You do not have to explain yourself to anyone. You are the CEO of your own life. And remember that “No” is a complete sentence as said by author Megan LeBoutillier in her 1995 book.
It is critical to include activities every day that gives you pleasure or that you want to include as part of your self-care routine. You can see this as a way to reward yourself for all of your hard work. Life is meant for living fully and experiencing joy. Nobody will regret not having cleaned the bathroom at the end of their life.
3. Stop comparing yourself to others
Our society is filled with people trying to better themselves but also trying to be better than others. It is easy to become down on yourself when scrolling through social media. All these people doing all the things and being so happy. This isn’t reality. This is only the best version of themself that they chose to share. If social media makes you question your goals and life dreams, unsubscribe now. Highly productive and successful people don’t worry about what others are doing.
Self comparison isn’t just an internet phenomenon. It can happen at work, when talking with neighbors or while hanging out with friends. The need to measure our success or life quality by comparing it to someone else’s is difficult to stop. It can be hard to quiet this voice in your head but true happiness and productivity can only be achieved when you can successfully ignore it.
Have your own goals, determine what you need to do to achieve them, and put all of your focus and energy toward accomplishing what is on your own to-do list.
4. Batch tasks and use time blocks
When you look at your list of to-dos, you will notice that many activities are similar or have something in common. Try combining these when setting your priorities. You will be able to get in the zone and execute these tasks more and more efficiently as you go. For example consider batching together:
- Several phone calls you need to make
- A few errands in the same area
- Prepping food for dinner, emptying the dishwasher, and cleaning the micro-wave
Put time blocks on your calendar now that you have batched your tasks together. Reserve the amount of time you have for a certain category of tasks and just complete as many as you can during the time you have allocated toward it. This strategy will allow you to knock tons of things off of your to-do list and help you become more productive.
Extra tip: create procrastination blocks
Consider adding a procrastination time block on your calendar every day. Set a timer for 30 or 60 minutes and do as many small (5 ish minutes) tasks as possible. Here are some examples of those tiny tasks we tend to push off until later: sort the mail, pay bills, empty or refill dishwasher, start a load of laundry, take things from one area of your house to the next, wipe down counters, etc.
5. Do the most difficult tasks when most productive
Your body is regulated by an “internal clock” referred to as the circadian rhythm. In very basic terms, your body receives signals from its environment and activates certain hormones that make you more or less alert. It is important to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm for several reasons including avoiding memory loss and lack of energy.
We are all unique individuals. Many factors can affect your circadian rhythm such as your age, work schedule, where you live, etc. Therefore, we each have a time during the day when our motivation and productivity are at their peak. Schedule the most difficult or disliked tasks during that prime productivity window. If you do not know when you prime window is, observe your habits, energy level and results over a few days or weeks to discover it.
Once you implement this tip, you will be amazed to see your productive spike.
6. Ask for help
This is a hard one for so many people. There is a feeling that success is only real if you do it all on your own. This preconceived idea could not be more wrong. Successful people do not achieve their dream on their own. Let that sink in. They ask and receive help along the way.
While it may be true that all tasks on your to-do list need to be completed, they do not all need to be completed by you. Let’s be honest, you might not even be the best person to do the job. Look at your list and see where you can ask for help from a spouse, a child, a parent, a co-worker, or even a neighbor. You can consider hiring additional help if this is an option financially for you. For example, you can get a house cleaner, order meal kits for dinners, or pay a landscaper to take care of outdoor chores.
Look at your list and be honest with yourself on whether or not each to-do must be performed by you. Productive people don’t do it all by themselves, they make sure it all gets done.
7. Remove distraction and go
- Commit to what is on your schedule at any given time.
- Remove distractions by putting your phone on silent, turning off the TV, or telling your spouse to take care of the kids for the next hour.
- Get it done.
Do what you said you would do when you said you would do it. If you created a schedule with your top priorities, you delegated what could be delegated to others and you kept time to rest and enjoy your life, there is no reason you cannot be the productive and accomplished person you’ve always admired. Do not make excuses and watch your to-do list shrink, your goals become a reality and your life become the dream life you’ve always wanted.
In conclusion, being productive is achievable by everyone. When you implement these proven and successful strategies into your life, you can and will become a highly productive and efficient individual.
Cat xx