5 Tips for Increasing Your Productivity

It turns out, productivity is nothing more than a combination of intelligent planning and focused efforts and is something that everyone can improve. Staying productive at home or work can be a challenge. Every time the day ends, the odds are high that you aren't completely satisfied with what you've accomplished. Fortunately, you can continuously improve your productivity. Here are some valuable tips for increasing your productivity so you can get more done.

 

Tip #1 – Seek Help and Delegate Tasks Accordingly

 

Everybody needs help from time to time to complete tasks throughout their day. To get help to accomplish your larger tasks, you need to be able to trust those you are seeking help from to complete the work. To ensure that they take your request seriously, you want to be sure to let them know the deadline for the completion of the task.

 

Tip #2 – Create To-Do Lists

 

You will always have tasks that are simple and ones that are complex. To stay on top of your tasks, create to-do lists and track them using a task app, like Google Tasks. With the larger tasks, break them up into more manageable tasks. You may also want to consider putting a timer on your tasks so that you don't lose your focus in completing other items on your to-do list.

 

Tip #3 – Take Breaks

 

If you spend more than eight to ten hours at a desk, without moving around much, you'll find that you have much less energy. The number of hours you work doesn't measure productivity. It is measured, instead, by how much you get done without sacrificing your health. To keep your productivity levels up throughout the day, take small breaks and clear your mind.

 

Tip #4 – Eliminate Distractions

 

In the U.S. a recent study revealed that over 12.2 billion collective hours are being spent browsing social media every day. If you find that you are falling behind on your tasks, then you should consider getting rid of your social media apps on your smartphone. 

 

Tip #5 – Set Ambitious, Yet Realistic Goals

 

If you can cross everything off your to-do list in one day, then you need to create more ambitious goals. People that set higher goals tend to be more productive and more satisfied, than those with lower expectations. Your goals have to be very specific, and you should write them down to ensure you stay on track.

 

Incorporating these tips into your routine can help you to increase your productivity. When you are more productive throughout the day, you can inevitably get more done.

 

6 Surprising Things Productive People Do Differently

When it comes to productivity, everyone faces the same challenge; there are only 24 hours in a day. However, some people seem to have twice that amount of time and an uncanny ability to get things done. They can reach their goals without fail. Here are six surprising things that highly productive people do differently. 

 

They Never Touch Things Twice

 

People who are highly productive, never put anything in a holding pattern, because touching things more than once is a massive waste of time. Don't save a phone call or email to deal with later. As soon as something grabs your attention you need to either act on it, delegate it, or delete it.

 

They Plan for the Next Day Before They Leave

 

Highly productive people end their day by preparing for the next. This accomplishes two things. First, it helps you to solidify what you've accomplished, and then it ensures you'll have a productive tomorrow. It's the perfect way to end your workday and only takes a few minutes of your time.

 

They Say ‘No’

 

Ultra-productive people aren’t afraid to say ‘no’. When you can say no to a new commitment, you are honoring your existing obligations and giving yourself the opportunity to fulfill them successfully. Learning to say no will reduce stress, decrease burnout, and eliminate depression while increasing your productivity.

 

They Have a Designated Time to Check Email

 

People who are productive don’t allow their email to become a constant interruption. Along with only checking their email on a schedule, they take advantage of features that prioritize their messages by sender. They set alerts for their best customers and most important vendors, and they save the rest until they can reach a stopping point. 

 

They Avoid Multitasking

 

People who tend to multitask have more trouble organizing their thoughts and filtering out information that is irrelevant, making them slower at switching from one task to another. Highly productive people know that multitasking is a productivity killer and avoid doing it at all costs. 

 

They Put Technology to Work for Them

 

While technology catches a lot of flak for being a huge distraction, it can also help you focus. Productive people learn how to put technology to work for them. Along with setting up email filters to sort and prioritize messages, they also use productivity apps to set up alerts on their smartphones. 

 

Implementing these strategies into your daily activities will help you become more productive and find that extra edge in your life. 

 

Daily Habits to Increase Your Productivity

Everyone wants to get more done during their days and feel like they’ve accomplished something at the end of the day. There are a million tips out there to help you increase your productivity, but if you don’t have the right habits established, you might find that it is difficult to sustain your productivity in the long run. Here are five daily habits that you can develop to help increase your productivity. 

 

Arrive Early, Stay Later

 

Leaving before the morning rush and staying a bit later to beat traffic, can allow you to get started on your most important tasks. Sitting in traffic will only frustrate you and set a negative tone. Your ability to save these extra hours can only increase your productivity levels drastically. 

 

Plan Each Day the Night Before

 

Spending just 15 minutes before you go to bed the night before to create your to-do list, and prioritizing it, will give you a head start on the next day. To ensure that you are continually moving toward your goals throughout the day, pick essential tasks and place a small star next to them to remind you that these are the tasks that need to be done.

 

Go Out to Lunch

 

This is something that is so small, but something that can have a powerful effect on how you work for the rest of your day. Stepping outside your work environment for lunch can help to dramatically reduce your stress levels, refresh your creativity, and help you re-focus when it’s time for you to get back to work. 

 

Minimize Distractions

 

In today's 24/7 connected world, distractions are everywhere. If you use a computer for work, there are many temptations for you to surf the Internet, check your social media networks, and so others. When it's time to work, put your head down and work. Learn how to set boundaries. Being able to minimize distractions can dramatically increase your productivity.

 

Always Keep Your Goals in Sight

 

Once you set exciting goals for yourself, keep them in your sights at all times. You want to keep your goals in a place where you will see them numerous times throughout your day. Seeing your goals written down several times a day will provide you with the motivation to get things done. 

 

You always want to try and beat the person that you were the day before. Start to keep track of your results and work every single day to be a highly productive person and watch how it will start to transform your life. 

How to Be More Productive in Life – 5 Tips for Increasing Your Productivity

Being a productive person isn't a quality that you are born with, but rather something that you have to work hard to obtain. Fortunately, increasing your productivity is something that you can learn with a little hard work. Here are five tips for improving your productivity and becoming more productive in your life.

 

Eliminate Certain Tasks

 

Permit yourself to ignore specific tasks. Don't be afraid to say no to new duties and responsibilities. If your boss asks you to head up a committee at work, think long and hard about whether you have the extra hours to spend during the week working on it. If you don't, then politely explain why you can't help.

 

Automate

 

Take the time to set up a new system that allows you to save time in the future. It will be well worth it. Spend the time to set up automated bill-paying from your credit card or checking account, or consider investing in new technology at work to help you deal with some of the repetitive tasks. 

 

Delegate

 

Rather than spending your own precious time tackling repetitive and unnecessary tasks, like checking your email, delegate the responsibility to someone you trust will prioritize the work and let you know when something urgent comes up. For this, to work, you have to accept that some of the tasks will be performed in a less than perfect way, but you'll free up your time to work on more productive endeavors.

 

Procrastinate on Purpose

 

Permit yourself to put specific tasks aside, completing them only during your scheduled time. Trying to multitask will only cost you more time in the long run. Purposefully put off jobs that you know will be a distraction for those projects that you have to finish.

 

Protect Your Focus

 

Half the battle to becoming more productive is not feeling guilty when you say no, put off tasks, or delegate work to others. It is essential that you figure out a way to manage your guilt if you want to increase your productivity. Once you see how much more time you have to work on essential tasks and increase your productivity, the guilt will start to dissipate.

 

If you want to increase your productivity and get more done, then you have to start looking closely at the habits that might be holding your back. Start implementing these five tips and watch as your productivity dramatically increases. 

The Best Ways to Improve Productivity Through Time Management

If you've resolved to work smarter, stop procrastinating, and be more productive this year, your regular work routine may have already subverted your best intentions. When it comes to changing the way you do your work to improve your productivity, you may stumble with roadblocks because your current processes have become a habit. The biggest mistake you can make when it comes to time management and productivity is that you continue to use your time for activities that are no longer deserving. Here are some of the best time management tips to help boost productivity.

 

Stick to the 15-Minute Rule

 

Jason Womack, a workplace performance expert, suggest you organize your workday into 15-minute chunks. If you work a typical eight hour work day, that gives you 32, 15-minute chunks. The reason why 15-minute pieces are so useful is that it's long enough to get something done and short enough to find in your day.

 

Know When You’re Done

 

Continuing to spend your effort working on something that is mostly complete is a significant waste of time that you probably aren't even aware that you are doing. When you are working on a task, you need to ask yourself the question, "When am I done?" For instance, if you are reading a non-fiction book, you're done once you've learned something from the author that you didn't know before.

 

Eliminate Distractions

 

While eliminating distractions isn't a new or novel idea when it comes to time management, but avoiding specific distractions is hugely useful. If your manager tends to stop by your desk and interrupt you with questions, consider preempting them by heading to their office a few minutes before the hour and find out if they need you for anything or if they have any questions. 

 

Identify Verbs that Need Attention

 

Organize your to-do list around verbs like, call, draft, prepare, schedule, review. These kinds of tasks are generally ones that you can complete in a single sitting, and that will help to move your larger projects forward. If you have big-picture verbs on your list, like plan, discuss, create, and implement, try to replace them with actionable steps that will break down your more massive project into more manageable tasks.

 

Becoming more productive means that you need to manage your time effectively. These simple tips can get you on the right path to better time management and ultimately a more productive future.

 

Top Tips for Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination is something that even the most well-organized and punctual experience at some point or another. While procrastination is a common problem, it can have a detrimental impact on your productivity and your life. Some of the most effective ways to overcome procrastination include developing a schedule and improving your time management skills. Here are some of the top tips you can implement in your life to help you overcome procrastination and increase your productivity. 

 

Deal with Your Fear

 

One factor that contributes to procrastination is fear. This can include a fear of making mistakes, a fear of failure, or even a fear of success. When it comes to overcoming procrastination, an essential factor is challenging your faulty beliefs. If you are afraid of success because you believe that you don't deserve it, you have to realize that this self-handicapping might be keeping you from achieving your goals.

 

Create To-Do Lists

 

Start by creating a list of the things that you want to accomplish, and make sure you put a deadline next to each task. Estimate how long it will take you to complete the task and then double the number. This will keep you from falling into the trap of underestimating how long each project will take. 

 

Break Down Projects Into More Manageable Segments

 

When you are faced with a substantial project, you might feel intimidated and daunted when you look at the amount of work involved to complete it, which can lead to your procrastination. To avoid this, you can break down the individual items into a series of smaller steps. Once you’ve completed this list and detailed the process that you need to take to accomplish the task, you can start working on the individual steps in the process. 

 

Recognize the Onset of Procrastination

 

As you begin to tackle the items on your to-do list, pay attention to when thoughts of procrastination start to appear. If you find yourself thinking that you don't want to do this right now, then you need to recognize this as a sign of impending procrastination. Rather than giving in to the urge, force yourself to spend a few minutes working on the task.

 

Reward Yourself

 

Once you’ve completed a task, it is important to reward yourself for your efforts. Give yourself the opportunity to do something that you find fun and enjoyable after you’ve completed a task on your to-do list. 

 

Breaking the habit of procrastination isn't easy. While you might not be able to avoid procrastination completely, you can take steps to decrease your procrastination tendencies and improve your productivity dramatically.

 

How To Increase Productivity Without Getting Burned Out

Many people want to increase their productivity, whether they are an employee, an employer, an entrepreneur, or even a homemaker. No matter what industry you are in or even if it’s outside of a work environment, people want to be more productive in their lives. For one thing, lifetimes are limited; no one lives forever. For another thing, if they are more productive, they will get noticed by their peers and by their superiors, which can lead to greater opportunities, profits, and success. The challenge with increasing productivity is to not get burned out in the process; learn how to not get burned out increasing your productivity below.

 

When many people think about increasing their productivity, they think that they have to “pull all-nighters” and work non-stop in order to get more done. While you can do that, chances are that you are going to get burned out pretty quickly by taking that approach, which can decrease your productivity and even your motivation over time. Fortunately, you can increase your productivity without having to work non-stop or “pulling all-nighters.”

 

One way is to remain focused on the work you are currently doing. Too often, many of us will let our minds wander as we are working on something, often losing our train of thought. Then, we have to double-check our work to ensure we didn’t make a mistake while our mind was wandering. By staying focused throughout a task, you are likelier to finish the work quicker and do it a high level of quality.

 

A second way to increase your productivity is to get more rest. Your mind is more able to focus on work and complete complex tasks by getting enough rest at night. You’ll also remain calmer when challenges arise. People will notice that you get things done faster and that challenges don’t perplex or rattle you, which can lead to greater opportunities for you.

 

A third way to increase your productivity is by tracking how much you are doing each day. Set up a plan for each day on what you want to get done, then see how much of it you actually accomplish at the end of each day. See where you did well and where you fell short, then determine why you fell short. Make adjustments and changes to your work routine based on the reasons why you fell short of your work goals, then reassess yourself the following day. By doing this regularly, you’ll become more aware of how productive you are each day and want to keep striving to get more done each day. 

3 Key Distractions That Kill Productivity

In order to be the most productive we can be and achieve the greatest success we can achieve, we have to be focused and committed to our work at all times. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to remain focused and committed to our work each day due to distractions that occur. Each distraction that succeeds in diverting our attention away from our work causes us to be less productive than we should or expect to be. Learn about three key distractions that kill productivity below.

 

One key distraction that kills our productivity is email. Specifically, it’s the logging into our email accounts, getting a notification that we have an email, then our desire to check out what the email says. In truth, most emails are not THAT important to have to check out immediately. The few that are, those you can take a moment or so to review if needed, but the rest of them can wait until you complete the current task you are on, then taking a few minutes to go over email in between tasks, during lunch, or during a scheduled break.

 

A second key distraction that kills our productivity is social media. Like email, social media involves logging into our accounts, then getting a notification that we got a message or there’s new content that has been posted, and our innate desire to find out what that message or post says. This takes away our focus and time on the task we are currently working on, and, in most cases, the social media message or post can wait. Wait until a time when you are done with your current task or even after your workday is entirely over before you look at social media posts and messages.

 

A third key distraction that kills our productivity is worrying, especially about future tasks, family matters, etc. Worrying can cause us to lose focus and do lower-quality work because we are worrying about a future task and its difficulties that we are dreading to handle. Worrying can also be about issues away from work, such as at home with the family, etc. All types of worrying cause us to lose focus on our current task, which leads to us taking longer to complete it and becoming less productive in the process. This will only make our peers and superiors question our capability of doing high-quality work quickly and will only closed the door to greater opportunities and success we could have by being more productive.

5 Ways To Increase Production In Your Business

The more productive a business is, the more profitable it is. A business’ profitability and reputation is greatly enhanced by high production. Therefore, it makes sense (and “cents”) to make your business more productive; learn five ways to do this below.

 

First, eliminate or reduce distractions. This includes email and social media accounts; try to avoid logging into them at all while you are working. If you absolutely have to check on them during the day, do it during specific periods (such as break periods and/or lunch) and only during those times. Any loud noises such as from your smartphone should also be eliminated or reduced as much as possible to keep your focus on your work.

 

Second, have a set routine. The most productive people usually have a set, structured routine on tasks they complete and do; they don’t go about those tasks haphazardly. Try to keep the same schedule when it comes to doing specific tasks, such as checking email and social media, doing research, writing content, etc. as much as possible. This will help to make the work go more smoothly, which will enable you to be more productive.

 

Third, get plenty of rest. If you are sleep-deprived, you will have a greater lack of focus, which will require more concentration to get things done. This will slow you down and make you less productive.

 

Fourth, be sure to take breaks. Most experts suggest taking 15-minute breaks every hour. Therefore, you should be working for 45 minutes, resting for 15 minutes. Taking regular breaks keeps you focused and allows you to recharge so that you can complete the highest-quality work in the least amount of time possible.

 

Fifth, break down large tasks into smaller tasks. Write out the steps you need to complete a large project. Many people will look upon a large task and start to worry about it, slowing them down and decreasing their productivity. If you break down the large task into smaller tasks, you’ll be able to maintain your speed and productivity, thereby increasing the profitability and reputation of your business.

 

By boosting the production of your business, you can gain greater profitability and reputation from it. It’s often challenging for many to boost their productivity, but it can be done, and it only takes a few simple steps and some committed effort. By following the steps above, you can increase the productivity of your business and enjoy the profitability and reputation that comes from it. 

3 Ways To Be A More Productive Entrepreneur

More productivity leads to more profitability and a better reputation- this is virtually true in all businesses. This is especially true when it comes to entrepreneurs, especially when it comes to those who have online and/or home-based businesses. Oftentimes, these entrepreneurs have to motivate themselves to be productive, as there is no boss to tell them to pick up the pace and the productivity, as the entrepreneur IS the boss in such as business. Learn three ways to become a more productive entrepreneur below.

 

One way to become a more productive entrepreneur is to eliminate or reduce distractions. This is especially true when it comes to email, social media, and smartphones. As online entrepreneurs, we know we have to monitor email and social media for any customers who contact us. However, there is a time and place to do that, and it’s NOT when we are working on important tasks. Designate a few time periods when you will check email and social media, and stick to those time periods as much as possible. In addition, if you are easily distracted by your smartphone, put it in another room and out of reach; this way, you can remain productive with your work.

 

Another way to become a more productive entrepreneur is to get more rest. Too often, many entrepreneurs will subtract hours of sleep to ensure a product launch or other project launches on time. While you certainly want to remain punctual and true to your word, subtracting hours of sleep will detract from your focus and your ability to make smart, rational decisions regarding your business. Additionally, any other projects you are working on will likely take longer because of your lack of focus- you will have to double-check your work constantly to ensure you don’t make mistakes in it because you’ll have trouble focusing due to lack of sleep.

 

A third way to become a more productive entrepreneur is to take regular breaks. This may seem counter-intuitive at first, but most experts suggest taking 15-minute breaks every hour; thus, you should work 45 minutes, rest for 15 minutes. Especially when it comes to online entrepreneurs, they are often in front of a computer screen or mobile device. Over time, their attention span is going to wane and their focus is going to drop. As a result, their work quality will drop, and it will take longer to complete the tasks they need. Therefore, in order to keep the work quality high and achieve maximum productivity, take regular breaks (i.e. 15 minutes every hour). 

How To Improve Productivity Using A Strategic Plan

Improving productivity is key to raising profitability and reputation, especially for businesses. However, improving productivity isn’t that easy if you don’t know where you are faltering in terms of productivity. Therefore, you need to determine where you are being less productive, knowing why you are being less productive, and taking steps to improve your productivity. Learn how to boost your productivity using a strategic plan via the information below.

 

In order to improve productivity, you need to know when you are being most productive and when you are being less productive. Therefore, it makes sense to set up a plan that outlines what tasks and goals you want to achieve for the day. Outline your day much like a teacher outlines a lesson plan for his/her students. Plot out time periods of when you will be doing one task versus another task. Then, monitor your progress. 

 

At the end of the day, review what tasks you completed for the day and what tasks you didn’t. Also determine how long it took you to complete the tasks you completed. See if you completed the tasks on time, faster than you expected, or slower than you expected. Determine why you didn’t complete those tasks as quickly as you expected. Was it a lack of focus and being distracted? Was it some distraction that you didn’t expect or you didn’t account for, etc.? Determine whether you could have avoided or prevented the distraction, then take steps to ensure that distraction doesn’t keep you from achieving the tasks and goals you set out to achieve again.

 

For the tasks that you didn’t complete, again, determine why you didn’t complete them. Was it due to the fact that other tasks took longer than expected, and if so, why? Were you worried about these future tasks and the challenges they posed, which led to you slowing down your work on your earlier tasks because you lost focus? Evaluate what tasks you didn’t complete and/or get to and make adjustments to your work schedule to ensure you can get the tasks you want to complete in one day completed in one day.

 

By setting up a daily plan and analyzing it at the end of each day, you can see where you are being most productive and where you are falling short. You can also determine why you are falling short and take steps to improve your productivity. By doing this regularly, you will become more productive, profitable, and successful in your business.