Productivity at its best: 10 tips to get more done in less time
Whether you’re self-employed and work from home, or you work in an office for a business, being productive has never been more of a necessity. Many of us now have four-day weeks, which for some, means condensing 5 days into 4, and so can sometimes feel like we’re chasing our tails. And, as we can’t create more time in the day, what can we do? Basically, it’s about making the best use of the time we have, so keep reading for my top 10 productivity tips to help you make the most of your time.
1. Planning
It’s really important to plan your working week and day. Are there any big things that you need to accomplish this week? Spend ten minutes at the beginning of the week just thinking about your priorities. And spend five minutes at the end of each day planning for the next, so you start each day knowing exactly what you need to accomplish. Do you need to block out time in your calendar for specific tasks in the coming week? Time-blocking works for me - why not give it a go?
2. Don't multitask
Multitasking was drummed into us for a while but it seriously slows down your productivity. Switching tasks means your focus shifts and it takes longer to get back on track. People are far more productive when they focus solely on one task. So stop checking your phone, emails and news whilst trying to focus on your priorities. Your smartphone is likely to your biggest distraction so turn off notifications and get into the habit of checking emails and social media less often.
There’s even an app, RescueTime, which monitors how you spend/waste your time.
3. Tidy up
Mess equals stress. “Everything has a place and there’s a place for everything”, my mum used to say, and this is so true. Get organised and stop wasting time looking for things when you should know where they are in the first place. Tidy your workspace and do a desk audit at least once a month. Do you have enough staples, paper, printer ink, envelopes etc?
4. Say NO!
This can be hard to do, especially if you are a yes-person, but sometimes it’s ok to say no (in fact it's absolutely necessary for your mental wellbeing). You don't have to attend every meeting, call or event you're invited to. Your time is precious, so set clear boundaries with your clients or colleagues, friends and family, and use it wisely.
5. Drink more water
Dehydration can lead to a lack of energy and concentration and is a major cause of headaches and migraine, so it's no wonder that we're less productive if we don't stay hydrated. In fact, studies have shown that just a 3% to 4% drop in hydration could lead to a drop in productivity of between 25% and 50% (source). That's huge! Keep a bottle of water on your desk at all times and monitor how much you drink throughout the day. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
6. Use your time wisely
Do you commute to work? Or do you work from home and pop out for the school run twice a day? This time is a great opportunity to listen to podcasts, read relevant articles (not if you're driving obviously) and catch up with what’s going on in your business world. For example, I often listen to podcasts when I'm cooking dinner, cleaning the house or gardening. (Although sometimes just loud happy music is called for to boost my mood during such mundane tasks.) And I catch up on social media and read my favourite blogs and newsletters when taking a bath or chilling out in the evening.
Sometimes there are better ways to use your time than binge-watching Netflix (although sometimes you just need a good binge - especially when there's a new season of Stranger Things to watch)! I'm not suggesting for one minute that you have no downtime, but just think about how you're using your time and use it in the best way possible for YOU.
7. Create a morning routine
Lots of successful CEO’s have good early morning routines that involve exercise and a healthy breakfast (not me, I'm allergic to exercise, but hey, it works for some). Other people like to get up early and have an hour to themselves before the chaos of the morning school-run starts.
Whatever your routine, it’s important that it works for YOU and you stick to it, as this ensures that you start the day positively which makes is more productive.
8. Choose your tech
There's a wealth of tech and apps out there that can help with your productivity, but it can get overwhelming. I would first suggest thinking about what you would like the app to do; for example, you’re after an online to-do list. Have a chat with other people and find out what they use and recommend, and also do some online research.
9. Break tasks down
It doesn't matter if you're writing a blog post, creating a marketing strategy or planning an event, it’s helpful to break larger tasks down into smaller, bite-sized activities. For example, if you're writing a book it would be easier to manage the process if you break the task down and set deadlines for chapter one etc. Breaking big tasks down into more manageable bitesize chunks is less overwhelming, and you get to tick more off your to-do list which is soooo satisfying, and makes you feel super-productive!
10. Two-minute rule
In David Allen’s bestselling book, Getting Things Done, he talks about the two-minute rule. It's a simple piece of advice but one that works surprisingly well for increasing your productivity. If a task is going to take two minutes or less then do it straight away. The philosophy behind this advice is that it stops your to-do list becoming unmanageable because of all the little tasks and keeps you focused on the big stuff.
It's also great for procrastination. Having problems starting a blog, project or task? Set your timer for two minutes and start. You might be surprised at how easy the task has become after two minutes.
That’s it, my top 10 productivity tips to help you get the maximum out of your day.
