Have you ever felt overwhelmed at the amount of work that characterizes your average day? Do you sometimes struggle with procrastination simply because you have so many things you’d like to accomplish?
Not surprisingly, many people report feeling exactly this way. The key to enjoying more productive days is not to alter your whole routine at one time. Instead, zero in on tasks that you’d most like to streamline. Then, devise a focused approach and practice until it becomes a habit.
The seven suggestions that follow can easily become your new productivity hacks. Utilizing these tips can lead to an optimized, more successful day.
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1. Get ready for your day the night before. Being prepared to jump right into daily duties can put you at a big advantage when it comes to productivity. Lay out tomorrow’s clothing and breakfast necessities. Collect the work supplies you’ll be needing. Think about the jobs you plan to tackle and how you can best fit everything in.
2. Prioritize your responsibilities. Each morning, decide on two important undertakings that, if accomplished, would make your day feel like a success. Tackle these tasks early before giving yourself over to less important things. If you're looking for the perfect way to keep track of everything, our collection of printable daily planners makes it easy to start each day with a clean slate, and you can feel a small sense of accomplishment every time you cross something off the list!
3. Utilize a task list and the “one-minute rule.” A visual reminder can help keep you organized, and there’s a lot to be said for crossing off completed jobs! If your list contains duties that can be done in less than a minute, group them together and tackle them one after another. Removing multiple jobs from that to-do list at once can be extra satisfying.
4. Eliminate distractors. Doing this can be a big productivity hack. You can encourage better focus by silencing your personal phone, ensuring that the people you live with are happily occupied, and clearing your workspace of everything not needed for the job at hand. Remind yourself that snacking, scrolling, and similar idle pursuits can wait.
5. Divide larger duties into smaller pieces. For example, turn “catch up on laundry” into “collect everyones’ hampers, then separate things so I can wash whites and towels before dark clothing.” For the most distasteful tasks, conquer avoidance by telling yourself that you only need to work at it for ten minutes. Bigger jobs can feel less overwhelming when you think in terms of steps. Plus, getting started is often the biggest hurdle.
6. Assign time periods to things. Schedule specific times for daily responsibilities and group related tasks together. For instance, tackle phone calls and emails first thing in the morning. Do paperwork next, then follow with something that entails movement. Build in a fixed break or two to stretch and grab water or a snack. Earned breaks mark the passage of time and clearly signal progress through your day.
7. Become less critical of yourself and your efforts. Perfect completion of a task isn’t always possible, and the expectation to do so adds stress to life that can really get in the way of productivity. Remind yourself that finishing a job can be a more important goal than finishing it flawlessly.
“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” — Henry David Thoreau
In the end, the best way to achieve productivity is not to stuff more to-do items into your day, nor is it about changing your routine entirely.
Instead, aim to streamline your schedule and utilize productivity hacks to make the most important tasks easier to complete. When you resolve to preview each day, eliminate distractions, work in scheduled time blocks, and build in breaks, you’ll likely feel more effective and efficient overall.
Cheer to a more productive day, week and month ahead!
