4 Tactics To Increase Your Productivity Today
In this day and age, there are many distractions that can prevent us from being productive. We have unread messages, unsent tweets, and random thoughts all competing for our attention. To add, many of us have so many things to do that even the thought of these pending tasks lower our productivity.
So with all this going on, how then do we move past the distractions and be more productive?
Good question. Unfortunately there is no one easy answer. However there are tactics that you can employ starting today that will have an instant impact on your productivity.
- Stick to a Schedule
This tip may seem simple but many of us are still trusting ourselves to manage our time wisely. Can you believe that? To be fair, some people are really good at managing their time. As for the rest of us, schedules are helpful tools that lay a literal roadmap to success.
While sticking to a schedule can help you be more productive, remember to be realistic when planning your schedule. Make sure you allot appropriate time to complete tasks.
2. Remove the Distractions With Purposeful Planning
You know the old saying, “if you can’t beat them, don’t give them the opportunity to beat you.” You’ve never heard of that? Guess it’s just me. Anyhow, it’s true nevertheless when it comes to distractions.
Try putting your phone on airplane mode or in a different room. This way, you are not distracted by the notifications that work so hard to entice you. Try working in a room without a television.
Designate time to important tasks and do your best to not get distracted. If you know you’re particularly vulnerable to certain distractions, find clever ways to avoid them before they distract you.
3. Take Breaks
This may seem counterproductive but I guarantee you it is not. Everyone needs breaks. By planning your breaks, you give yourself the time that you need and you can keep yourself motivated until your next break. In this way, your break acts as a reward that you’ll get once you have been productive for a set period of time.
Say it slowly: everyone needs breaks but that doesn’t mean that you can’t control when and how often you take them.
4. Set Micro-goals
Lastly, you can try to be more productive by setting micro-goals. These bite-sized pieces of success give you both an attainable aim as well as a demonstrable achievement. In other words, it gives you a way to say “look mom, I’m doing it” while at the same time, you have something to point to when you say, “look mom, I did it!”
These micro-goals should be small and actionable but important tasks. As long as they point towards your larger goal, you can’t go wrong by setting and achieving micro-goals. They will keep you focused on the task at hand.
Now go forth and be productive.
