How to be more productive, my favorite tips

How to be more productive? Well, I’ve been working on that for a few years now and I’ve found some really nice tricks. The reason why being very product is important to me, is because I have a lot to do in a short amount of time. This means I have to productive in order to get all my tasks done. I actually really love working on productivity because it allows me to have more free time. It also helps me to actually relax, because there’s nothing left for me to worry about. Simply because I’ve done everything I needed to do, so let’s go!

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Fun things first or not? 

My mother always told me to do the hard tasks first. Her theory was that it would clear the way for the fun things, for which you then actually have the time for. I find this way very helpful, especially when I’m not looking forward to a certain task. It often means I just keep pushing it forward, which gets me into trouble later. In order to be more productive, it could be a good thing to get the hard and less fun tasks out of the way first. This is the best way for me personally, because it makes me feel very relieved when I get those things out of the way.

You could also do the fun things first, especially when you run better on creativity. Some people lose their inspiration, motivation and/or creativity very fast. If you’re one of those people, it might be better to start with the tasks that make you feel happy. This starts you off with a good and happy flow, which can make the less fun tasks much easier to do. This is often a good thing for people who work in a creative field, where they need to take advantage of those creative waves.

Use a planner

I love using a planner and I’ve told you how I plan my week a while ago. A planner helps you with being more productive because it gives you an overview. People who try to remember everything and never write things down, often tend to be less productive. Mainly because a clear head lets you work faster, which is hard to achieve when your brain is occupied by all kinds of things you’re trying to remember. Therefor being more productive does need some planning on your part.

Create a to do list for the entire week and give every day a certain set of tasks. This helps you feel more in control and it also gives you the time to actually achieve your goals. If you would try to do everything in one day, you’d probably feel very overwhelmed. And yes, that would leave you less productive. It doesn’t matter how and when you plan your tasks, just make sure you make a planning and stick to it. Productive people are often more efficient because they know exactly what needs to happen. So, give planning a try!

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Set the timer

This might not work for everyone, but setting a timer or a time block can make you more productive. For instance: Work on answering emails from 09.00 to 10.00. Or cleaning the house between 16.00 and 17.00. Having to finish a task within an hour gives you a sense of urgency. It makes you work faster and more efficient since that deadline is calling you. Setting up a timer or a time block also helps you plan your day better. Since most people work for eight hours a day, it means you have at least eight or more time blocks to set.

You can use every time block for one task, or maybe two or more. It’s up to you, but when you’re working with deadlines it often makes you more productive. It also helps you understand how fast you can actually work. So when you get better at, let’s say writing emails, you can set less time for that. Which means you just got more productive when it comes to emailing. And that leaves you with more time for other tasks or downtime for yourself.

No more Netflix, more music!

There are many people who are less productive because they watch Netflix or Youtube videos during work. I’d say I was one of those people, Youtube would suck me right in! In order to be more productive, it is a good idea to shut down entertainment sites and phones. It’s a good thing to truly focus on the task in front of you. Just think about the amount of time you waste by constantly checking your phone or Youtube, while you could be working on that very important task.

Now I’m not saying you can’t have any entertainment. It’s just a matter of planning it in, so you have enough space and time to focus on what you need to do. Therefor I often take a small break every hour, where I get to watch a short Youtube video. This gives my brain a break and enough energy to carry on with my planning. I also listen to music a lot as it makes me more productive. Some people work better in utter silence, some need background noise. Figure out what works for you and use it to your advantage.

These are my four favorite tricks to be more productive. What are your go to tools?

Kaya-Quintana

P.S. Follow me on Bloglovin for more lifestyle tips.

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