One thing that really defines successful people is that they are significantly more productive than others. Productivity shouldn’t be confused with working harder. Yes, hard work can pay off but being productive is about making the most of the limited hours in a day – it’s about learning to be efficient, working smarter and getting the important things done.
Here are some ideas to help you become your most productive self:
- Develop a morning and/or evening routine –people who take advantage of the precious morning and evening hours get a lot more done and are a lot more prepared for the day ahead.
- Limit your screen time – we all know that one of the biggest contributors to procrastination is social media, TV and the Internet. There’s no need to deny yourself these indulgences but maybe schedule it in as a treat once you’ve finished some important tasks.
- Take some time off – sometimes it’s important to dedicate an afternoon or entire day to relax and recharge your batteries. You’ll find it much easier to run on all cylinders if you allow time for yourself now and then.
- Learn how to plan – planning is a great way to get organised in your mind. Grab yourself a notebook and pen and start writing down your weekly to-do lists, your monthly plans and your goals for the year. Having everything written down means your much more likely to achieve your goals.Why not apply the 80/20 Principle to super boost your productivity?
- Write a ‘to not do’ list – so many people write themselves to-do lists but some of the most successful people, including Steve Jobs, write themselves a not to do list. Identify the things that you would like to stop doing and write them down to remind yourself.
- Organise your space – with mess comes stress. One sure fire way to become more productive is to ensure you know where everything is when you need it. Not only that but a good sort out does wonders for clearing your mind!
- Stay hydrated – drinking enough water everyday stops you feeling tired, keeps your brain clear and enables you to concentrate better so when you have a huge list of things to do – you can face them head on!
- Tell yourself you can – so often a barrier to productivity is fear. Try repeating empowering affirmations to yourself each morning to get yourself in the right mind-set for the day
- Think small – some tasks just seem so huge they intimidate us. The easiest way to deal with the monster jobs and get them done is to break them down into smaller tasks and work through them one by one.
- Begin – it’s all well a good spending your time organising, planning and making lists but don’t let this be your way of procrastinating further. Use these methods to help you feel ready to get started and work through the things you want to achieve.
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