Ya’ll know I love my routines. Ever since I started working for myself, I’ve had to create structure in my day in order to get everything done on my to-do list. I’ve read tons of books and listened to endless Podcasts about the different ways in which you can be more efficient and productive. Seven of those lessons have really stuck with me so I wanted to share them with you! I hope you can incorporate a few of these into your day in order to enhance your productivity!
Work during natural [peak] productive time [morning/night] – John Maxwell
I love my mornings. I know my mind is the sharpest in the morning, so I plan my day around being productive early. Identify when you feel you are the most efficient and creative and try and knock out as much work as possible in those few hours.
Work from a list
When you know what you are doing, you are way more likely to get it done. I like to make my list the night before. If that isn’t possible, I sit down before my hustle work time & make the list for the day.
“One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not to be done at all.” ― Brian Tracy,
Task Batch
I’ve written about my love for task batching before. Group tasks together based on similarities and do them back to back. This minimizes the energy it requires to start and stop a task when you do these similar tasks spread out throughout the day. It’s also helpful for not getting bogged down by emails!
Eat that Frog – Brian Tracy & Mark Twain
Do the most important thing first. Whatever task will move you closer to your main priority goal – do that first. If you have a task that you dread doing, but know it will make a difference in whatever progress you’re striving for – instead of dreading it all day long, commit to tackling it first! This way, you know you’ve moved forward in the best way possible & everything else is a bonus! PLUS, if the unexpected happens and you are pulled from your focused work, you know you’ve gotten the critical task done already & your growth/deadline will not suffer.
“If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. This is another way of saying that if you have two important tasks before you, start with the biggest, hardest, and most important task first.” ― Brian Tracy
Don’t multitask
[one thing at a time & then move on, remembering perfection cannot be the goal]
When you choose to multitask – you are limiting your effectiveness in every single task you attempt. What will likely happen, you’ll feel frazzled & less accomplished. Now, when simple tasks are on the list like folding laundry while listening to a podcast – that’s a different story. The more complex & important the task – the higher the stakes. Do ONE task at a time. It’s more productive and more efficient.
‘Studies show that when our brain is constantly switching gears to bounce back and forth between tasks – especially when those tasks are complex and require our active attention – we become less efficient and more likely to make a mistake.’ – Cleveland Clinic
Minimize your goal list [top few]
First, make your full list of goals. If that list has more than 5, it’s time to narrow it down to your top few. You could choose 3-5, but my go-to number is actually 1-3 goals at a time. When we are trying to focus on too many goals – the reality is, we are asking our brains to focus too wide!
When we are focused on a few goals – we have the bandwidth to develop or change the habits, routines, and skills that are likely required for success. Asking ourselves to focus on too many is a sure setup for failure.
I know the other goals are important to you, too. This is just for now, this season. You will be more successful in the long run.
“Everyone procrastinates. The difference between high performers and low performers is largely determined by what they choose to procrastinate on.” ― Brian Tracy
Maintain a decluttered workspace
Have you noticed this about yourself? Somehow, you’re just a better human when your space is clean? Halfway kidding! Office space though, we can only go so long until the disorganization, chaos [life], or clutter starts to eat away at our productivity.
It’s either distracting – OR – unproductive because it takes you too long to find something.
Get rid of unnecessary paper. File the important things. Clean off your desktop [you know the 57 screenshot files on your computer that you can’t even remember]. Put books away, and bring all the miscellaneous items back to their home. Run the vacuum, wipe the desk, and finish all the Amazon returns that somehow make their home in your workspace.
It’s inevitable to accumulate random things or stacks of paperwork. What’s important is that we take the time to clear it out.
I hope some of these tips can help you be more productive! Let me know in the comments if you have any tips that you use. I would LOVE to hear them!
