Looking for ways to increase your productivity? Whether you’re trying to accomplish more at work or stop procrastinating those home improvement projects, here are a few productivity tips to help you.
Work on a Project for 5 Minutes to Beat Procrastination
Have a task you’ve been putting off? Spend five minutes on it. No matter how unpleasant the task, we can all commit to spending five minutes on something.
By dedicating this small amount of time, you overcome one of the biggest hurdles to getting things done – procrastination. More than likely, once you start doing the task, you’ll have the motivation to keep working on it, even after your five minutes are up. But even if you don’t and you only spend five minutes on a task, you’ve still made progress.
Small increments of time will add up and move you closer to your goals than you were before.
Avoid Multi-Tasking
With so many things on our plate, it can be tempting to multi-task and try to handle multiple action items at once.
But this approach will actually hurt your productivity.
When our attention is divided in multiple directions, we’re not nearly as efficient or productive, and tasks will take longer to complete.
With this in mind, choose a certain interval of time – perhaps 15 or 20 minutes – to give dedicated, focused attention to a specific project or work task. During this time, don’t allow yourself to get distracted by anything, even another work-related task.
By staying focused on a single task for a small block of time, you create momentum and keep your brain from having to “shift gears” each time you switch tasks.
Clear Your Mind by Creating a Schedule
Even if you’re not a “schedule person”, creating a simple daily agenda can have several noticeable benefits. By writing your commitments, appointments, and action items down (along with any relevant details like dates, deadlines, and times), it frees your brain from having to keep track of everything.
Write everything down – even the small things. Need to remember to return your kid’s library books tomorrow? Write it down. Want to pick up milk from the store this afternoon? Add it to the list. Clearing your mind in this way frees up space in your brain so it can work more effectively and efficiently.
A schedule doesn’t have to be complicated or incredibly detailed. It doesn’t even have to be on a physical piece of paper. However you choose to make a schedule (whether it’s a physical copy or on your phone), make sure it’s easy for you to access and use.
Work With Others to Keep Yourself Focused (and Accountable!)
One of the virtual networking groups I’m a part of has a weekly session where members of the group join a video call for an hour and work on their individual tasks in the company of others. At the beginning of the session, we each tell the group what we’ll be working on (so we’re held accountable and can celebrate the progress we each make).
By working with others in this manner (whether it’s in a networking group or with a friend or co-worker), we hold ourselves accountable, beat procrastination, and increase motivation.
Reward Yourself for Doing A Hard Task
Have a task you’ve been dreading? Motivate yourself to get it done by giving yourself a small reward only after you’ve accomplished the task. Do you love reading? Reward yourself for completing a difficult task by reading a chapter of your favorite book during your lunch break. Do you like to cook? Reward yourself for accomplishing a hard chore by trying a new and exciting recipe for dinner. Whatever you find to be personally motivating, use it as an incentive to get the hard tasks done and behind you.
Take Breaks
While this tip might seem counterproductive at first, it’s important that we take breaks and allow ourselves time to “recharge”. If we continue to “run on empty”, our work productivity and the quality of our work will suffer.
We’re far more efficient and effective if we give ourselves time to rest. So, take short breaks throughout the day. Take off the weekend. Give yourself time to do the things you enjoy doing, and see how your productivity improves.
Wrap Up
These are just a few tips to help you increase your productivity during the day. What about you? What strategies are you using to help you get more done? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!