Want to supercharge your productivity? Today I’m sharing FIVE ways to increase productivity so that you can do more without the overwhelm.
Let me break it up to you: your success largely depends on how productive you are.
But the secret to being more productive is not just working harder or longer hours; it’s also about making smarter choices.
Here are the five ways to increase your productivity:
1. You have limited high mental output per day – so use it wisely!
The truth is, the human brain runs in a limited capacity each day. In fact, according to most studies, the brain can only accommodate up to 4 hours of high mental output each day!
That means that if you’re trying to accomplish too much in one day, you will do less as the day goes along.
It’s a simple concept, but many people don’t seem to mind it because society conditioned us to think that more time spent on work equals better results. But in reality, the exact opposite is true.
So, what does this mean for you? This means that you need to schedule activities and work ahead as needed. That way, you can avoid cramming everything into one long day.
Focus on accomplishing tasks that are important and urgent first thing in the morning. Then, set aside some time later in the day to tackle less-urgent yet still important projects.
2. Set defined goals.
Goals form the foundation of our success because they provide direction and clarity. Above all, they allow us to focus on getting things done.
By knowing your destination, you can easily plan out your path to get there. And when you see what you need to do to achieve those goals, you can plan and execute your actions at the right time.
That’s why, before starting a project, it’s best to set specific, attainable, and measurable goals. Doing so will give you direction and more focus on which tasks to tackle first than work on just about anything and achieve less.
3. Create a productive routine.
Have you heard of decision fatigue?
Most of us feel overwhelmed with too many decisions to make. We’re constantly juggling between different priorities and commitments. As a result, it’s easy to become confused and lose focus.
Busywork can come in many forms. Sometimes, it’s the indecisiveness over trivial matters, such as what to wear today or what to eat for breakfast. These small things may sound harmless, but if you have to tackle them daily, you’ll have less brain power to allot to more important decisions later in the day.
But you can deal with decision fatigue head-on by creating and sticking to a productive routine. An effective routine helps you simplify your life by eliminating unnecessary busy work.
When you do something repeatedly, it eliminates the need to make conscious decisions for simple, low-impact tasks. And that’s a good thing because the process of making too many decisions in a day contributes to decision fatigue and eventually stress.
4. Use time management tools.
Time management tools assist you in managing your time effectively. They tell you how much time you spend on specific tasks so that you can prioritize accordingly.
For example, you might find yourself spending far too much time scrolling mindlessly on social media. Or perhaps, you watch too much TV.
The thing is, it’s difficult to know when too much is “too much” unless we pay close attention to how we’re spending our time.
With time management tools, you can easily track time wasters and minimize (even eliminate) them from your day. That way, you can free up more time to focus on what matters most.
Some of the few time management tools I love include calendar blocking, Pomodoro timers, and to-do lists. Apps like Asana are also worth considering if you’re going to keep track of multiple projects at once.
5. Minimize distractions.
Distractions take us away from productivity, the don’t increase it. When we’re distracted, we have a hard time concentrating. And if this continues, we end up procrastinating and losing focus.
That’s why, as entrepreneurs, we need uninterrupted time to think and get things done.
The first thing you need to do is to create a list of all your distractions. This could include surfing mindlessly on the web or social media, playing video games, or interacting with your spouse during work hours, and so on.
Then, figure out how you can reduce such behavior. For example, you might want to ask your spouse not to interrupt you during specific hours in a day, or you can use apps to block distracting websites on your phone during work hours.
By identifying your distractions and reducing them, you’ll be able to reclaim some of your time. This will also put you in a position that allows you to concentrate on what truly matters.
In Summary
There you have it! These are the five ways to increase productivity. Hopefully, they’ve helped you gain some new insights into boosting your own productivity.
I hope you found this post useful. If you did, please share it with others by clicking any of the social media sharing icons below!
