These 6 Steps Will Boost Productivity and Let You Get Back to Free Time

Whether you work from home or go into work every day, productivity is a term that chases us no matter what. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend on something; what matters is how much you can get done. However, it’s easy to get distracted and procrastinate. Here we’ll go over how to be more productive and efficient so that you have more time for you!

How To Be More Productive

Let’s touch on a few things you can start doing immediately to streamline your schedule, increase productivity and decrease waste in your day.

Set Goals

Set goals, or deadlines, for each day, each week, and each month. You don’t have to plan for every minute of your time, but you should have something to work towards.

The more you can identify what needs to get done and in what time frame, the more likely you are to complete the task or achieve the goal you’re after.

How can you keep track of all of this? Write it down. Use planners, lists, online scheduling tools, and trackers, or try Google calendars/notes and reminders; I’ve seen some people who have sent emails to themselves with to-do lists. The advantage of writing everything down is that you can see it all at once, which will give you a better idea of how to divide your time.

Set a Routine

Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day and give yourself time to unwind and relieve stress every day.

The more consistent you are with your routine, the more you get into the habit of productivity at work and relaxation at home.

Schedule A Specific Time To Check Emails

In the same way, create a routine for your workday. Set the same time every day for checking emails. For instance, I only look through work emails in the morning and then don’t check again till right before leaving work.

With two set times, the rest of the hours in between can be dedicated to actual work activities. People who need to reach you for something urgent will find a way or call.

Stay Away From Personal Texting/Phone Calls

Like you schedule a time to check your emails, do the same with personal texting and phone calls. Only check your phone at pre-determined intervals during the day so you don’t get distracted from your tasks.

Minimize Distractions

Once you’ve set your to-do list, you must stick to the tasks at hand and say no to distractions.

Set Your Workspace

Find an area or a work environment that you know to be helpful to you in getting things done. Make sure that when you’re in that workspace, you are focused on productivity.

This is kind of like how you shouldn’t watch tv in bed. Your bedroom should only be for sleep. This way, you train your body to be triggered by your environment. I think the same holds for personal productivity.

Stay Off Of Social Media

This is a no-brainer to minimize distractions. If you must check, do so when you’re doing anything not work-related, for instance, during lunch.

Close The Door

Literally. Shut out the noise or isolate yourself in a room if you can. This is especially important when hammering something out or taking a work-related call.

Take Breaks

It’s not possible to keep working straight throughout the day. You’ll start to fade and lose focus.  Instead, you can be more productive by taking regular breaks.

Recharge by getting up and walking around. Stretch your legs, and grab a coffee. If it’s nice out, step outside and get some sun. Moving around can make you more relaxed and clear your head. Try it; you’ll realize how tired you are of staring at a computer screen and how refreshed you feel when you sit back down.

Group Similar Tasks Together

This is a great way to boost your efficiency and accomplish several things simultaneously. Tasks that are related or intertwined should be done together or in succession.

For instance, say you’re writing a research paper. You have to do the research and figure out how to translate what you find into succinct writing. Instead of doing research in the morning and then writing in the evening, combine these tasks. As you find relevant articles for your research, try to incorporate them immediately into your paper.

That is just one, maybe not so great example, but you can see the idea. By grouping similar tasks together, you also concentrate on them at once, which means you’ll likely get more done during that time frame.

List In Order Of Importance

You should always prioritize your more important, more pressing tasks first and leave your less important tasks for later.

Why Does Productivity Matter?

Knowing how to be productive is essential in any industry. The more productive you are, the more money you may make and the more influence you may have. Because it is what drives us, knowing how to do it well can make a big difference in how we can live our lives.

However, knowing how to be productive and changing your habits to be more focused is not complicated or difficult. If you’re struggling, then start small; make small changes, set small goals, and start to build good habits into your day-to-day routine.

Final Thoughts

Burnout is on the rise, and happiness is on the decline. Part of the issue is that we are overworked and tired, but also, a significant portion of our day is spent on tasks that have no real value or are not fruitful.

Learning good time management, prioritizing tasks appropriately, and increasing productivity can positively reinforce how you feel about your job, your day, and the value you provide as an employee.