Want to know how to increase your productivity? If you are like most people, then your to-do list keeps on getting longer yet you only have the same hours in the day. Keep on reading to find out 9 different ways to increase your productivity.
9 WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY
1 – Plan your day in advance
Planning might feel counterproductive, but taking a few minutes to plan your day (either at the end of the day before or first thing in the morning) will help you to have a much more productive day. When you plan you can understand what needs to be done and ensure that you have planned your day to be as productive as possible.
2 – Turn your phone off (or at least notifications)
This is the productivity tip that most people already know but just can’t face applying. Mobile phones are a massive distraction so if you are serious about increasing your productivity turn them off or at least turn your notifications off.
3 – Prioritise your tasks
If you are looking to increase your productivity then the likelihood is right now you aren’t getting through the whole of your to-do list. Now chances are that your to-do list is just too long. So take a good hard look at your list and prioritise what needs to be done. Focusing on important tasks will mean even if you are only getting through the same amount in a day you are being more productive with your time, rather than completing tasks that aren’t really adding to your life.
4 – Batch the same tasks
If you aren’t already batching then you need to start doing so. Batching simply means doing the same thing over and over again. The reason why this helps maximise your productivity is because it reduces the amount of time you lose on a daily basis due to context switching.
5 – Stop multitasking
If you think you are a multi-tasking pro then I’m here to tell you otherwise. On the whole, there are very few tasks that you can multitask. If you are able to multitask then it usually means that you are actively doing one thing, whilst able to passively do the other. However, on the whole, to maximise your productivity you are best to 100% concentrate on one thing and you’ll do it in less time and then be able to move on to the next task.
6 – Use a timer
Now if you followed tip 1 you’ll have planned your day out in advance and a good plan would mean that you have allocated specific times in the day to work on certain tasks. It is easy for those timings to slip (especially if you’ve turned your phone off and don’t have a clock). That is why you should consider using a timer. When you start a new task set the timer for the designated amount of time. Hopefully knowing you have a timer will help you to stay motivated to finished within the timeframe. And if you don’t finish something in the timeframe make a note to help you allocate timings to tasks better in the future.
7 – Make sure you get enough sleep
Very often when the work mounts up the first thing people do it concentrate on getting everything done no matter what. With only 24 hours in the day it often means the one area that is cut is sleep. Now whilst it might feel like a good thing to do to get everything done it ultimately will make you less productive the next day. So don’t do it. Work out how many hours your body needs to function properly and do everything you can to ensure you get that much sleep.
8 – Take regular breaks
In the same way that staying up late isn’t the answer. Continuing to push through and be at your desk for hours on end isn’t the answer too. You need to be taking regular breaks. In fact, if you are using the timer during your working day then you should include time for a break after every task. During this break, you should stand up if you are sitting at a desk and look away from a screen if you are working on a screen. Taking breaks may feel counterintuitive, but productivity isn’t about working non-stop it is about making sure when you are working you are able to be as effective and efficient as possible, and breaks will help you with that.
9 – Understand when you are the most productive
We are all different and getting to know your body is important. It may be that you work best in the morning or late at night. Now you might not be able to entirely change your schedule, but if you know when you are the most productive it makes sense to try and schedule the tasks that are the most challenging at that time of day.
That’s it! You now know 9 different ways to increase your productivity.
Increase your productivity is totally within your capabilities and hopefully, by following these steps you’ll start to see your productivity improve.
In the comments, I would love to hear what tip you are going to try out for yourself.
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