Everyone wants to have a productive and organized day, but they don’t have the productivity tips to pull it off. Here are the productivity tips that, if followed, guarantee you an extremely well-organized, super efficient workday.
1. Have A Relaxing Start To Your Day
Whether you commute or work at home, give yourself a chance to get zen after you wake up. That means not checking emails right when you wake up, and just in general avoiding work talk and and work thoughts for at least half an hour. Take the time to read something that makes you think but isn’t too challenging, either; the paper or your favorite online media outlet are great options. Eat a healthy and hearty breakfast that makes you glad that you woke up after only a certain number of hours of sleep, and pour yourself your favorite form of caffeine to jump-start your day.
2. Look Over Your To-Do List
One of the best productivity tips I can give you is to have a to-do list, ideally one that was at least partly prepared the day before. Ask yourself what the most important thing is that you have get done today. You don’t have to do that thing first, but you shouldn’t save it for the end of the day, either. Also see what you can add to your list based on any new information you have about what you’ll be doing today.
3. Make Goals/Make A Checklist
Finalize your list. Know what you’re going to do today, and preferably when you’re going to do it. You’ll feel obligated to your timetable and, best of all, you lower the chance dramatically of missing an important task.
4. Get Started
Now is the hard part, and if you approach it the right way it’s really not that hard. My favorite approach is, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities, to just work on your first task for ten minutes. Anyone can do ten minutes, and that’s all it takes to get the wheels spinning. Once you into the groove you won’t want to get out of the groove.
5. Take Breaks!
A list of productivity tips isn’t complete if it doesn’t recognize the need for downtime. Don’t risk overexerting yourself; that would lose you more time than you’d gain by working straight through the day. When you’re starting to feel weary, give yourself a few minutes to find your center again. Whether it be reading your Twitter feed or stepping away from the desk, do something that helps you recharge your batteries.
6. Don’t Give In To The Mid Day Slump
There’s a time in the workday, usually around the middle, that your productivity seems to slow to almost a standstill. Push past it. Marathon runners have a “wall” they have to overcome, and then the rest of the run is relatively smooth sailing. The same is true about work. Break down your wall.
7. Don’t Let The Missteps Slow You Down
Just because you trip doesn’t mean you have to fall over. There will be things that take longer than you thought or don’t go as planned; what you need to do is roll with the punches. Getting over a mistake faster is one of the best productivity tips you can work on improving.
8. Keep A Record Of Your Accomplishments
Even the tiny ones. Not only should you check items off of your to-do list; you should add unexpected things you get done during the day to it to check off, too. By doing that you can fairly analyze how productive you were that day, and either take pride in it or learn what to do differently next time.
9. Have A Productivity Sprint
Even if you jog most of the way, you always want to race to the finish line. When you’re on your last hour or so of the workday, put pen to pad or fingers to keyboard and make the most out of that hour that you can. If you’re lacking motivation, just remember what’s waiting for you once you run through that checkered tape.
Featured photo credit: Thomas R. Stegelmann via flickr.com
