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If you’re looking for productivity habits to stop procrastinating and start getting more done efficiently, this is the list of hacks for you.
Between navigating through all of our various roles in life working and as daughters, sisters, friends, and partners there is always a long list of things to do, you just can’t seem to make enough time.
But what if you want to increase your productivity with the most basic things you can do first? Then this list is for you.
While the truth is that there is no single path to being productive, there are a lot of productivity hacks we can incorporate into our daily routine in order to make our days easier.
What Is Productivity?
Productivity is more than doing more things or ticking tasks off your to-do list.
Productivity means focusing on accomplishing important things. The road to being more productive can be long, so do not panic – these hacks will help you along.
Best Productivity Hacks for a Successful Day
Here are some great productivity habits that will set your day up for success.
1. Plan Your Day Ahead of Time To Be More Productive
The first step to being productive is scheduling your days ahead.
Plan out tasks that need to be done, and any appointments you have, and know what you’re doing every day to have a purpose. Without a schedule, you’re likely to miss out on important tasks.
Write down a detailed daily plan each morning.
Write everything you need to do so that you have a sense of direction and know what to focus on next. This eliminates all guesswork, and there’s less chance of you procrastinating and wasting time because you do not know what to do with your time.
2. Prioritize Your Tasks To Work Efficiently
Prioritization sounds easy, but it isn’t always that simple.
To prioritize your tasks, think ahead and look at your goals. The most important tasks that directly impact your goals should be what you prioritize.
Ask yourself what needs to be done first to make the rest of the day or week move along more smoothly and reach your weekly goals.
3. Wake Up Early To Get More Done
You can achieve a lot by simply waking up early.
An early start to your days will give you time to eat a good breakfast, work out or go on a walk, take a shower, and get ready for the day, and just give you an overall head start.
You may even complete your tasks earlier, allowing more free time in the evenings to unwind and relax.
If you’re not used to waking up early, try easing yourself into the habit, as you should do with all habits. Try going to bed and waking up 20 minutes earlier each day until you’ve reached your desired goal time.
4. Work In Short Bursts To Avoid Burnout
It’s hard to stay focused on the same thing for a long time, so make things easier on yourself by working in short time bursts.
The Pomodoro method is a popular technique for boosting productivity and time management. The Pomodoro method consists of working in 25-minute increments with 5-minute breaks in between each session.
This method is a fan favorite for a reason!
It’s proven that our brain feels more refreshed and focused when we can work in bursts. Set a timer, pick a task to focus on, and then give yourself short breaks to recharge and reenergize and come back to it.
If this method doesn’t seem to quite work for you, try adjusting the time increments and breaks to best suit you and your needs.
5. Maximise Your Energy
Mornings are the most productive time of the day. Getting a head start each day is the best way to maximize your energy to be productive and complete more tasks faster and more efficiently.
Tackle your most daunting tasks first and work your way downwards from there.
Without setting yourself up properly, there’s no way you can reach maximum productivity. Getting those 6 to 8 hours of sleep is just as important as waking up early. You cant have your most productive time if you haven’t had a good night’s rest.
6. Have An Accountability Buddy
One of the best productivity hacks is to have an accountability buddy.
It could be your colleague, your supervisor, or anyone who can be brutal and hold you accountable to completing your tasks.
You can do the same for them and be each other’s support systems.
7. Learn To Say No
Setting boundaries is important to being productive.
Understandably, you may want to be helpful whenever you can, but you won’t be able to get things done if you’re constantly taking on requests from others and stopping your days to complete other people’s tasks.
So learn to say ‘no’ to last-minute requests so you can stay on track.
8. Avoid multitasking
There’s a misconception that multitasking is a great way to finish multiple tasks quickly because you’re working on various things at once.
In reality, not many people can multitask effectively. That’s because the human brain can focus on one task at a time and be efficient.
When we try to multitask, our brains are just bouncing back and forth between different tasks, which can slow down our performance and result in more mistakes.
Batch similar tasks so you can complete them with the same frame of mind. This will make your work process flow smoothly and help you do more in less time and be more productive.
9. Understand Your Work Zones
Matching the type of work that needs to be done with where you do it is a huge way to be more productive.
Find out where you do your work best, maybe your best creative ideas come to you when you’re on a walk and can let your mind reset, or maybe you like to sit at a desk in your home office and have a more structured work system.
Either way, knowing when and where you are at your best for all of your various tasks can be a real productivity boost and help with your work-life balance.
10. Schedule Time for Self-Care
Schedule self-care activities to recharge yourself and prevent burnout from the pressure of work.
It could be anything that helps you relax and unwind, reading for self-care, a relaxing shower routine, a 10-minute walk, giving yourself a manicure and pedicure, painting, or meditating.
When all else fails, the most significant hack to productivity is being patient with yourself.
There will be days when things don’t go as planned, and you don’t achieve everything on your to-do list. On those days, be patient with yourself and remember that tomorrow is another opportunity to be more productive.
Natalie Perry
This is exactly what I needed. I definitely spend a lot of time making lists of tasks to accomplish and it helps keep me on task and know what I’m doing next instead of wondering
Deanna | Life By Deanna
These are helpful tips! Love the one about an accountability partner. It honestly makes such a big difference having someone on your side!
Fransic verso
I’m trying to work on these things. Especially, the tasks to prioritize which most important to me.