How to Improve Your Productivity

Whether it is at home or at work, if you are always swamped with too many things to do, you will be perpetually stressed out. This stress will hamper your productivity further, trapping you in a vicious circle that can be hard to get out of. Here are some simple tips for you to improve your productivity and get your work done faster and better.

Visualize your day

Every morning, take a few minutes to visualize the rest of your day. Go over all the things that you have to do and visualize how to sort them. You will be able to fit a lot more tasks in your day.

Develop a routine

If you develop a routine, your daily tasks will become habit, making them much easier to execute than if you try to start over with a different schedule every day. Your day will go much smoother and you will be able to get much more work done if you follow a routine.

Make a to-do list

Make a to-do list and write down any additional notes or thoughts that you have for each item on the list. Putting things down on paper will help you articulate them and you will have a good grip on what exactly you need to do and how much time it will take you. Accomplishing a task and ticking it off your to-do list will give you an immense amount of satisfaction.

Prioritize your tasks

Prioritize your tasks in order of importance and do the important ones first. This way, if something comes up and you are unable to complete your tasks, you will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you have finished your urgent work and only the less important tasks are pending.

Ask for help

If you are at work, rather than trying to do everything yourself, delegate tasks to others who are capable of doing the work. Similarly, at home, get household help or ask your kids to pitch in if you can’t manage all the work.

Focus on a single task

Focus on one task at a time and do it properly, rather than trying to do multiple tasks. Studies have shown that your brain has difficulty concentrating on more than one thing at a time, and lower concentration equals lower productivity.

Don’t waste time

Figure out what exactly you need to do and get to it. Don’t waste time doing things you don’t need to do, since it will just decrease your efficiency. The way to do this is to constantly ask yourself if what you are currently doing is productive or necessary. Unnecessary tasks are not to be confused with breaks, since those are necessary to help you relax and eventually concentrate better.

Take breaks

Productivity is not measured by how many hours you spend doing something, it is measured by how much you get done in all the time you spend doing it. Sacrifice a little time now and then to take breaks, so that you can return to your task refreshed and better able to concentrate, thereby increasing your productivity.

Be proactive

If you have something to do, just do it. Don’t spend a lot of time dithering over whether or not you should do things. Over thinking every little thing you do is a futile exercise that will seriously harm your productivity.

Don’t get distracted

Most people are constantly attending to phone calls, texts and emails. Rather than checking and responding to these throughout the day, set limits for them as they can distract you from your work. Either attend to them at certain times of the day, like once in the morning and once in the afternoon, or then check them only after you complete the task you are doing, before you begin the next one.

Work during your prime time

By now you have probably figured which time of day is your prime time, when you can concentrate the most and be the most productive. Schedule your important tasks for your prime time, so that you can do them speedily and efficiently.

Create chunks of time

Rather than trying to do one task intermittently over several different sessions, create a chunk of time where you can tackle the task and complete it. Spreading your work out will only disrupt your momentum, so figure out how much time your task will need and allocate enough time to complete it.

Set goals for yourself

You can write these down if you want, or you can just spend some time thinking about them and keep them at the back of your mind. Reflect on what you are doing with your life and what your plans are, and accordingly set short term and long term goals for yourself.

Reward yourself

When you meet your goals, whether they are big ones or small ones, reward yourself for a job well done. These rewards will motivate you and keep you going through the rest of the work that you have to do. A reward could be as simple as eating your favorite meal or spending some time with your friends, or as elaborate as treating yourself to some shopping or going on an exotic holiday.

Hold yourself accountable

Hold yourself accountable to yourself and to others, in terms of the work you planned to do and the work you actually accomplished. This will instill a sense of responsibility in you, and motivate you to complete the tasks you set out to do.

Stay healthy

Eat a balanced diet and make time to work out every day. Staying healthy will do wonders for your productivity, while falling sick will compromise it considerably.

Source: healthmeup.com

Image Credit: Healthmeup