Do you find yourself struggling to do all the tasks that you need to do every day? Do you want to learn simple, effective methods to increase your productivity in ways you never thought possible? It’s time that you learn how to properly double or triple your productivity! Here are 7 tips that can get you started on the right track:
Work at your energy peaks
We all have our own time of the day where we feel at our very best. Some people are more energized in the morning, while others in the evening. Figure out what part of the day you are at your very best mentally and physically, and this is the time that you should be doing your most important and demanding task. Also, by keeping a healthy lifestyle, you will make your energy peak periods last longer, which is to your advantage in becoming more productive.
Prioritize your to-do list
Separate your to-do list into different parts, depending on their level of importance. For example, break down your list in parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. In part 1, list all your most important tasks. Then in 2, list the second most important tasks, and so on. Then, ONLY work on part 2 items when ALL part 1 items are completed. This will not only help you organize your to-do list into a more practical manner, it will also make you focus only on the most important tasks at hand. Imagine how productive you get if you always work on the most crucial task at any given moment!
Do worst thing first
Stop procrastinating the task that you don’t want to do. Get it done, and get it out of the way as soon as possible. You will feel better, trust me! If you linger around, doing other things, you will never get that harder task done. Usually, the harder tasks are the more important tasks, so if you can master this rule, you will witness your productivity skyrocket. Take the habit of doing the things you feel less like doing first, as this is the key to self discipline, which will boost your efficiency.
Organize your work area
Many people tend to work in a cluttered environment, with all kinds of papers and documents lying all over their desk. They claim that they can “find themselves” throughout all that mess. This is a common occurrence. Truth is, a clean desk equals clean work. So stop telling yourself that “this is how I work”, because you are fooling yourself into accepting less than optimal conditions to increase your productivity and success. Develop the habit of always filing away what you don’t need right away, and throw away things that you do not use. Keep your desk and work area clean, and in order. Your productivity can only be maximized within such an environment. You might want to read 10 Tips For Productive Desk Work for more information on this.
Use commute time effectively
Most people spend over an hour per day commuting to work and back home. Think of the most effective way that you can use this hour of your day to enhance your productivity. You can take that time to read a book, or go over important documents or notes. If you are driving, you can listen to motivational audiotapes, or audiobooks. In any event, there are many ways that you can use this commute time more appropriately so that you can benefit as much as possible from it.
Optimize your work processes
In many of our tasks, there are steps that can be fixed, skipped, or optimized. This can save us a tremendous amount of time, as research has shown that up to 30% of processes can be optimized. Take a look at the processes involved in your tasks, and see if you can optimize them as much as possible. Work requiring less steps is also more likely to be of better quality, as well as a huge time saver. See if you can do your work in batches for example. Remember that there is always a more efficient way of doing what you do, so keep that in mind and let it motivate you to improve your work processes.
Balance out your life
Keep in mind that while we live in a success and achievement driven society, most of our happiness comes from our relationships with one another. So make it your duty to spend time with your loved ones and cultivate your friendships. Happier people work better and more efficiently. This leads to more success and more free time for your relationships, so you can see how this comes full circle. Boosting your productivity will end up making you a happier, more successful person as a whole!
