How to Make Every Day a Productive Day
Being more productive means you’ll get more done and make better use of your time. Businesses are hyper-focused on productivity, and our culture is obsessed with cramming more and more tasks into each day. Here are a few things you can do to improve your productivity without totally burning yourself out.
Start the day right
Your morning routine will set you up for the day, so make sure it’s a good one. Almost all of us check our phones as soon as we open our eyes, and get bombarded with a whole bunch of emails, notifications from social media, and news of terrible things happening around the world. Instead of starting your day in such a jarring, overwhelming way, try leaving your phone alone for a while.
Instead, give yourself time to get up and prepare for the day. If you can, allow yourself to work out or meditate before you start your work day, and always eat a healthy breakfast – at least a piece of fruit if you’re in a rush! With a calm morning routine, you’re creating a positive outlook to carry you through the rest of your day. Make yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and listen to your favourite music or podcast while you get ready.
Identify your priorities
With so many competing demands in your life, how do you know what to start first? Look at your entire to-do list and identify which tasks are the non-negotiable ones. The ones that need to be completed at all costs. Those are your priorities, everything else can be slotted in around them (if time permits). This will help you know exactly where you need to start, and what your deadlines are.
Going through your to-do list from top to bottom may seem logical, but you could be left with important tasks and too little time to do them if you fail to prioritize correctly.
Use technology to improve efficiency
There is an almost endless selection of programs and apps to help you be more productive, so make sure you use them. With a split screen app, for example, you can have more than one app open on your Mac, and view both of them at the same time. By customizing your split screen, you can create the perfect on-screen environment for any task.
There are also things like to-do list apps that will help you to streamline your day and keep track of everything you need and want to accomplish.
Take a break
When you’ve got a lot to do, powering through until it’s all done may seem the most productive solution. However, working for hours on end simply isn’t realistic. If you avoid taking breaks, you’ll quickly lose focus and the quality of your work will be affected. By taking regular breaks, you can recharge your batteries, get out from behind your desk and come back with a renewed sense of motivation.
Monitor your downtime
You may feel like you’re not getting enough free time, but you may get more than you realize. If you’re frequently checking personal emails, scrolling through social media or checking the news throughout the day, the time spent doing this can quickly add up. Unless it’s necessary for work, ban yourself from social media, and browse only during your breaks.
By scheduling your free time, you’ll soon see how much downtime you get and be able to increase it, if necessary. Furthermore, once you know how much free time you can slot into your schedule, you’ll feel less overworked and be far more productive.
Thanks for reading!
– Sara
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