Posted on October 04 2017
If we’re being honest, we’d all like to get to the end of a day and feel like we’ve made real progress: ticked 20-something tasks off our endless to-do lists, cleared our inboxes, and somehow managed to fit in a solid workout too. But have you ever had one of those days where you looked back and thought, “Yes, I got a lot done, but I still didn’t feel very productive”?
Time has a habit of running away from us. Before we know it the day is over and we can often feel like we’ve not achieved what we set out to. I know this has happened to me countless times and I wonder what I could have done differently. Sure, some days, there’s simply no wrangling in the bucking bronco of business ownership and decision making roles, but other times, perhaps there are ways to be more productive if we only knew how.
Here are six simple steps to increase your productivity and help you achieve more in a shorter space of time.
Wake Up Earlier
I was never a “morning person” by nature…in fact more of a night owl. There came a point and time, however, where I realized I was running out of hours in the day to be as productive as I wanted. The only logical answer for me was to suck it up and start setting the alarm for an earlier time. It’s a process at first, but now my body is conditioned to it!
Get up at 5 am and watch how your miracle morning transforms your life. It’s not that hard to manage once you get into a routine and think of all the things you’ll accomplish before you even get to the office.
Spend this precious time on all the things you struggle to usually fit into your day – journal, read a book, work on your side hustle or work out.
Eat A Nourishing Breakfast
I am notorious for skipping breakfast. I don’t want to eat processed breakfast bars, but at the same time never quite seem to find the time to whip up an omelette either. The solution I found was to meal prep for the week ahead of time. Here’s some great make-ahead breakfast recipes to try out.
When you’re hungry you’ll be unfocused, lacking energy and enthusiasm, you’ll have a shorter fuse and you’ll have a more negative outlook on everything.
Your body and mind need the right fuel in order to perform at their peak. Consuming a healthy breakfast like oats, fresh fruits or whole grains will boost your metabolism and set you up right for the day ahead.
Focus On One Thing At A Time
NEWSFLASH: Multi-tasking is so last year.
When we attempt to plow through multiple tasks at once, all we’re really doing is diluting our focus and energy and making it harder to successfully complete any of those individual tasks!
Your brain isn’t capable of working on more than one thing at any given time (not even if you’re a woman – sorry ladies), so pick a single task to concentrate on and run with it until it’s complete.
Last year I was introduced to the concept of agile. This is a great methodology for staying focused and although it doesn’t work for everyone, I found it an incredible way to be more productive and map out goals and accomplishments.
Move Your Body
Daily exercise increases productivity and will also raise your energy levels and keep you fit and healthy.
Wake up earlier and go for a run, hit the gym on your lunch break, or try and walk or cycle to work if you can. Move your body for a minimum of 30 minutes each day and you’ll quickly notice how much happier and healthier you feel, inside and out.
Eliminate Distractions
Put your phone in flight mode or leave it in your bag, block social media from your computer and put your headphones in if your office space allows it.
When your flow is interrupted, it takes precious time to get back into the zone and remember what you were thinking about or working on. Here are 6 apps that will help you to limit distractions right now.
Have One Main Goal For The Day
I hear stories time and time again where a designer had a great idea, but was unable to turn it into a business because they were unable to focus on what mattered most. At the beginning of your day, or even the day before, ask yourself, if you had to focus on just one task today, what would make the most significant impact? In other words, what is the one thing your business is depending on today?
Now make that task your main priority for the day. Limit yourself to three tasks on any given day – any more than that you’ll be overwhelmed and less likely to accomplish anything and that just doesn’t work when you’re climbing #ToTheTop.
Now that you are equipped with tips on kicking it into gear and making the most of each day, what will you focus on?
Share with us how you have best found to stay productive.
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