It’s a question we all want answered. How to be more productive. I used to find it easy to fire through work. But that was before the constant myriad distractions of the modern world. Emails, mobile gaming, Facebook, smartphones, video on demand. There is so many options pulling us away from what we need to get done.
So let’s put some rules in place to help you get back your productivity groove. No matter if it’s work deadlines, studying for a test or just learning to procrastinate less, there will be something to help you.
How To Be More Productive
Rule 1: Hardest first. Yep, this is it. The task you have been dreading the most. But think of it this way. How much better are you going to feel about the rest of your tasks once you no longer have to worry about this one? While ever you have that one thing hanging over you, you won’t be at your productive best. So schedule it as the first to be done.
Rule 2: Have a plan. First thing in a morning, sit down and work out what you need to do today. Write it all down (hardest first!). Once you have them all down, go through the list and cull any that are not critical.
Rule 3: Limit distractions. While working, if you can, mute your phone and place it away from you. You can also turn off the wi-fi on your laptop to further distance yourself from distractions. Some people go even further, using apps such as FocusWriter or WriteMonkey to give them completely distraction free writing time. These free, slimmed down writing applications give you a full screen app with no distractions, just text on a page.
Rule 4: Batch tasks. Have loads of small tasks that need to be done? Group them together and do them in batches. Doing this allows you to not get distracted in between each task and you can always give yourself a reward at the end. Maybe a nice cup of coffee or a treat.
Rule 5: Peak productivity times. Figure out the times when you are most productive and get your work done during those times. Personally I find that I am most productive first thing in a morning. So each day I wake at 5.30am and start work. It means most of my work is done before others even get up and allows me the rest of the day to get less pressing tasks accomplished.
Rule 6: Organise your workspace. This should not need saying, but it does, so here goes. Clean your damn work area! Nobody wants to work in a cluttered messy area. By not having an organised, clean work area you are already starting on the back foot. You will be stressed, irritable and less motivated before you even begin.
Rule 7: No changing tasks halfway through. So you began that task, but now you can’t be bothered with it. It’s boring. Well, tough luck. Stick it out and get to the end. Not only are you down one task, you can feel proud that you managed to get through it. Building that determination to finish will help you going forward. Eventually, you won’t even think of jumping from task to task, never getting anything done.
Rule 8: Don’t worry about perfection. This is a big one for lots of people. Develop the mindset of good enough. Not everything has to be perfect, indeed most things never will be. The time you spent tweaking and re-writing for the 15 time could have been spent on another project.
Rule 9: Delegation. If you are in a role with others working for you, don’t forget to delegate tasks. This is something that can be lost on younger members of management. Remember, you don’t have to do everything yourself.
Rule 10: Optimize your workflow. Most people work in inefficient ways. What do I mean by this? Well, usually your day consists of very similar tasks. Is there a way to optimize doing them? A semi automated process that will allow you to do each step a little faster? A template you can make, a script to run. Make sure you take a step back and look at what you’re doing, because, chances are there are ways to make your life a lot easier!