Power up your productivity…
If you wait for opportunities to come to you, or for things to sort themselves out, you’ll only be wasting time before you need to take action. Getting started is the first step to completion.
There are countless ways to be more productive. Making to-do lists and working in 30-minute increments are two common approaches. However, some productivity methods work better than others and can save you time in the process.
These days, we feel like we have less time than ever and in some very real ways, we do. Because of 24/7 technology and the barrage of to-dos that comes at us via email and text, it’s hard to keep our priorities straight.
The key is being more careful about what you want to pay attention to. Otherwise, we’re very likely to get sucked into the wrong — or most immediate — things. Start by asking yourself this one important question. Does your calendar reflect your values..? Here are some tips on how to be more productive and manage your time better.
Break down your tasks into smaller steps — Break down your goals into smaller, daily action steps. Say one of your objectives is to increase your sales by a certain amount in a year. Break that number down — into months, weeks and then days. Once you do that, you know exactly how much you need to make on a daily basis and you can plan your day accordingly.
Create a calendar system that works for you — Create a calendar system that works for you — then use it and check it several times a day. It’s impossible to stay organized and on top of your game if you’re unsure about that date, time and place of your deadlines, meetings and other work responsibilities. As the old saying goes “if you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.”
Plan the night before — Before going to bed, always take time to prepare for tomorrow. Look at your schedule and see what appointments you have or deadlines you need to meet. Prep the coffee maker and sometimes make your to-do list the night before. A little planning goes a long way.
Wake up earlier — When you wake up early, you have more time to plan and get organized for the day ahead. Completing tasks on your to-do list early on free up time later in your day. By the time you get to the office, you have already looked at your schedule, grabbed a coffee and attended a fitness class.
Figure out your main goal and objective — Decide what your main goal and objective is — think long term. The main reason people lose track of their time and day is because they don’t have a clear objective or goal. So, if something comes across your desk that doesn’t match with your goals, it’s a pretty firm and easy to say, no, not right now.
Set aside time to answer emails — Productivity requires staying focused, so have a set time to answer emails. If you answer an email every time it pops up, you will never get anything else done. Answering emails a few set times a day will make a huge difference in productivity.
Limit distractions — Limit distractions so you can stay focused on the task at hand. This means not just limiting your use of social media but also not having 15-mins conversations in the break room as a form of procrastination. Even close your door if people often just pop in to have a chat.
