10 Simple Ways To Maximize Productivity And Stop Working Long Hours

You don't get a gold star for working more hours than everyone else in your office. The amount of time you spend at work says nothing about the quality of your work, so why not maximize productivity? You will get more done in less hours, saving time for the important things that really make you happy!

1. Focus on the Most Important Things.

You cannot do every single thing, every single day. Write down the three most important things that must get done and focus on that. If you knock those tasks out with plenty of time to spare, then you can add the next three important things. Before you begin any task, ask yourself, "Am I doing this for a good reason or am I just passing time?" Answer honestly and adjust as necessary.

2. Wake Up Early.

We all have the same number of hours per day, but we all don't make the most out of those available hours. There are a few strategies you can use to start your day right. Choose the one that sounds most beneficial to you:

Option A: Eliminate the biggest source of stress.

If you would stop thinking about how much you don't want to do the thing AND JUST DO THE THING ALREADY, you'll be a lot less stressed. Due to this reality, let's just isolate the thing that stresses you out the most and get it over with ASAP. No excuses. No complaining. Get it done!

Option B: Start with the most important task.

If one thing HAS to get done today, what is it? Do that. You'll feel happy and accomplished, giving you energy to get through the rest of the day.

Option C: Feed your brain with words.

Not everyone can wake up and start working right away. Sound like you? Grab a book and read a few chapters with a cup of coffee or hot tea (bonus points if you do it outside with the sun rising and birds singing). Your brain will be ready to go after it gets a healthy dose of inspiration.

3. Close the Door.

This is especially important for writers: if the door is shut, that means you are working and no one shall enter. It can take a little while to get your creative juices flowing, so being faced with constant distractions will take a toll on your productivity by the time you start-and-stop-and-start-again-and-stop-again-and-(you get the idea). If you are an office worker, the same rule applies: if you need to focus, tell your co-workers you need some quiet to finish (insert incredibly important thing here) and would appreciate it if they left you alone unless it's an emergency.

4. Do One Thing at a Time.

Multi-tasking is just a slightly more productive version of procrastination. Stop kidding yourself.

5. Silence Your Phone.

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time focusing on writing articles like this when I am interrupted by buzzing, chirping, or ringing from my cell phone every few minutes. There is no text that requires an immediate answer. It can wait.

6. Re-charge Your Batteries.

While focus is the key that unlocks your productivity, there comes a time when the best thing to do is walk away. We are not meant to work for hours-on-end without a break from the grind. Working beyond your limits will only result in sub-par work that takes much longer to complete than it should.

7. Ask for Help.

It is more efficient to ask for help when it is needed than it is to stubbornly plow forward. I don't know the first thing about design, but I know a whole lot of people who do (so I seek their input when I need it). Even if you don't know a person with the answer to your question, you could get help VIA a simple Google search. You cannot be the expert of everything, so seek outside help to save your time (and sanity).

8. Group Similar Tasks Together.

Different tasks require different mind-sets for effective completion. For example: writing a helpful article, crafting a thoughtful e-mail, studying for an exam, and making a sales call are very different tasks that require very different executions. Why not set one or two times where you send every e-mail, make every phone-call, or write every letter? Surely you have noticed that it typically takes longer to start a chore than it does to actually complete it. Knocking out similar tasks, all in a group, will eliminate the time it takes to set-up for each task, so you'll have more time to enjoy your day.

9. Exercise for 30 Minutes Each Day.

A quick bout of exercise will boost your energy, helping you carry yourself with ease. A sedentary lifestyle, on the other hand, will leave you feeling lethargic and unmotivated. Your body is the vessel that carries you throughout this world, so treat it accordingly.

10. Know Your Limits.

Getting more done in less time is great, but as time goes on it becomes harder and harder to make a task any more productive than it is. If you can't take your productivity any further, shift your focus to the quality of your work (because isn't that the point anyway?). Also, if seeking ever-growing productivity starts to drain the joy out of your work, let it go. Just because we can do something faster doesn't mean we really need to. As Gandhi said, "There is more to life than increasing its speed."