With social media and technology, it is easier than ever to get distracted and be less productive. It takes practice and determination to get there. However, it is a lot easier than you think to set up your life for productivity. The secret to productivity is not more work but smarter work. The idea is to create impact, not merely create busy-work. Try these tactics to make your day more productive.
Make Smaller to Do Lists
Lists can be a wonderful way to organize your day and get you going. However, too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect. A long to-do list can be overwhelming and make you want to look away. Therefore, make smaller to-do lists or more throughout your day. Also, productivity does not mean you need to be busy all day long.
You can work for thirty minutes a day and still be a very productive person. Look at your list, be honest with yourself, and be sure each task you write down leads to something useful. If it does not, then simply put, you do not need to do it. Remember, being busy does not equal productivity. You can be busy all day long and still not get anything worthwhile done.
Avoid Multi-tasking
Unfortunately, humans, no matter how much they try, are not wired for multi-tasking. You may think you are getting a lot done, but your brain can only do one thing at a time, scientifically. Going in and out of tasks is only wasting time as your brain tries to adjust.
Use Positive and Productive Self-Talk
The more you tell yourself you cannot do something or feel overwhelmed about a specific task, the more likely you will fail or waste time. Use positive and productive self-talk as motivation to keep you going.
Create Organization Habits
Organization is key to being productive. Establish essential organization habits early to save time and frustration. Organization can make repetitive tasks turn automatic and others more straightforward and more comfortable to accomplish.
Follow The 80/20 Rule
An idea created by Vilfredo Pareto states that only twenty percent of the work you do creates eighty percent of the overall outcome, which means that most of what you do throughout your day has hardly any value to your overall goal. Identify what those tasks are and only focus your time and energy to save time and use your energy only where needed.
Add these tactics to your daily routine to increase your productivity. High productivity is about providing more value than doing more work.