How to be More Productive: Easy Ways to Increase Your Productivity

What is productivity?

Being productive isn’t just for the ultra successful and high functioning CEOs. Finding easy ways on how to be more productive is just a matter of looking at how you are doing things today and making small changes that make things work better. 

Productivity is not about working yourself into the ground and finishing everything right now. It is about efficiency, making progress toward your goals, and consistency. Quality over quantity is what matters with productivity. It matters more that you make meaningful progress toward a goal than filling your time with tasks that don’t bring you any closer to completion. 

Why does it matter?

Being able to streamline your time and maximize your efficiency when working toward your goals is always going to be a useful skill. It takes time to develop and you will always have areas where you can improve, but it’s worth it. 

For me, going through school while working full time, commuting and making sure my wife was able to get to school with one car forced me to find ways to be more efficient with my time. Being as productive as possible was the only way I was going to get through schooling. 

The time management and ability to manage a large workload has served me well in my career and is something that I continue to develop. It allows me to manage what would otherwise be a very stressful amount of work and also keep a positive mindset when tackling large tasks. 

Whatever things you are tackling in life, being able to successfully manage your time will only make things better, less stressful, and more enjoyable. After all, time is valuable and we should all be striving to get more done in less time. 

So how do you be more productive?

There are many ways to be more productive. Below I’ll go into several relatively easy tips on how to better manage your time, how to maximize your focus, and ways to set yourself up for success. 

1. Visualize the future

Visualization is a powerful thing. Imagining yourself accomplishing your goals and completing tasks makes the work seem much more bearable and is incredibly motivating. Opposite of positive visualization are negative thoughts. Avoid these at all costs as they are very good at undermining your efforts. 

Imagine yourself running. Most people don’t enjoy running but even if you do, this example will resonate. When you are running, imagine that feeling you get when things really start to feel difficult and the thought of quitting creeps into your mind. You don’t have to run, right? Is it really worth it? 

The answer to these questions, of course, is “yes!” However, at that moment, it won’t really feel like it and it’s all too easy to stop but if you imagine yourself completing your task it will feel more possible and less daunting. 

2. Set Goals Daily Or Weekly

Creating specific and attainable goals is necessary to being more productive. After all, if you don’t know what you are working toward, how do you know what steps you need to take to do it?

There are a few key points to keep in mind when setting up your goals:

Make your goals short term

Breaking down long term goals into shorter term goals will help set goal posts for you as you progress toward the bigger goal. Making your larger goals more manageable will help you mentally tackle large tasks and give you that feeling of accomplishment as you check off each smaller goal.

Write your goals down

Writing your goals down makes them real. The act of recording them will help give a sense of importance and will help hold you accountable. 

Track your progress

Tracking progress reminds you that you are making progress. Breaking down large goals into smaller goals is helpful and lets you track your progress toward the big goal but you can do this with the smaller goals too. Try breaking down your smaller goals into even smaller steps. 

3. Have a planner

Having a planner is really a must when it comes to increasing productivity, whether it be analog or digital it’s important to have a place to write things down, like your goals. Tracking progress is going to be difficult without a dedicated place to record everything. 

At work, we all use Microsoft OneNote to keep track of projects, tasks, and deadlines but anything that allows you to write a list will work. It can be OneNote or it can be a notebook. Choose whatever feels most usable for you. 

4. Plan for each week

Whether your typical “work” week is Monday through Friday or Thursday through Monday, planning out each block of dedicated work days will help give structure to your week and keep you on track. 

The more projects and goals you have to manage, the more essential a planner and task lists become. There have been many mornings before coffee has kicked in where I have no idea what I need to be doing for that day. Having a detailed list of goals, tasks, etc. with priorities assigned to them is a life saver and gives you something to lean on when things get overwhelming. 

5. Create a to do list

Creating a to do list is essential to getting everything that you need to get done completed. The first thing that it does is help you not forget. Believe me, if it’s not on that list, it’s almost a guarantee that it will be forgotten, at best temporarily, at worst permanently. 

The second thing having a to do list does for you is to give you a nice visual of what needs to be done and allows you to prioritize. I find that a list of things to do feels more daunting when it isn’t written down. 

The third thing that it does is allow you to cross things off of your to do list. This is very satisfying and gives a real sense of accomplishment. Whatever you don’t finish can be put on the following day’s to do list.  

6. Get a morning routine started

Just like most things, starting off well really gives you an advantage. In this case, starting your day with the right mindset, and as few mishaps as possible, will give you the best chance of having a productive and enjoyable day. 

This can actually be a lot of fun. Make a game plan and figure out what gets you out of bed. For those of you who are not morning people, like me, getting out of bed can be a struggle. There are a few things that I’ve found help quite a bit. These are getting a good night’s sleep, having something to look forward to when waking up (for me this is my breakfast and coffee), and consistency. Find what works for you and stay consistent. Over time it will get easier. 

Here are a few examples of things to include in your morning routine:

• Wake up early
• Shower
• Listen to radio or music
• Exercise
• Make breakfast
• Make coffee or tea
• Walk your dog
• Take a morning walk
• Meditate

7. Try to get sleep!

I think almost everyone struggles with this one but a good night’s sleep can make all the difference. This doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of sleep. Quality trumps quantity in this case. 

I typically get between five to six hours of sleep on an average weeknight with weekends being my time to sleep in. This works well with the amount of stuff that I am attempting to fit in each day but it only works when I am able to get quality sleep. 

Quality sleep can be difficult to get but implementing a few strategies can go a long way in helping get those good hours in. My number one tip which is covered next is to have a bedtime routine. A consistent bedtime routine will help signal to your brain that it’s time for sleep. Aside from this, make sure to avoid a lot of stimulus before bed from phones, computers, television, etc. as this will really ramp up your mental activity right before you want to wind things down.  

8. Get a bedtime routine started

A good bedtime routine is going to put you in sleep mode before bedtime and should help you fall asleep more consistently and quickly at night. The key to a good bedtime routine is going to be consistency as you are trying to train your body to get tired and be ready for sleep at a set time each night. 

What are some bedtime routine essentials? I like to have a clean, made bed ready for me and will typically make some tea and step away from any work that I’ve been working on. I really try to disengage my brain otherwise my mind will be racing while laying in bed trying to fall asleep. I also like to have a set bedtime and prepare for it in advance. You don’t want to rush to bed all of sudden. It should be more of a process, just like your morning routine shouldn’t have you going from asleep to productive work immediately. You want to facilitate a smooth transition. 

9. Exercise 

Exercising is like taking a magic pill each day. It doesn’t really matter what you do, so long as you are working hard at it, and your body and mind will reward you for your efforts. 

Incorporating an exercise routine into your weekly schedule will give you more energy (after the first week or two of getting used to it), help you sleep better, help your focus, inspire confidence, keep you healthy, and generally make you feel your best. 

When I workout in the morning, it helps me start my day off on a good foot because I’ve already accomplished something before I even really start my day, I feel more calm and focused, I have more energy throughout the day, and it is easier for me to fall asleep at the end of the day because my body is ready to rest. 

Again, consistency is key with exercise and the more you do it the better it will feel and the better the benefits will be. 

10. Make sure you have time

This may seem odd as a way to be more productive because aren’t we trying to elevate ourselves above time constraints to get more done? The answer is “yes” but overestimating how much you can do in a given amount of time can lead to frustration and goals that don’t get met. 

Managing expectations for your productivity is just as important as pushing yourself to do more. It’s a fine line but understanding that you won’t always get everything done that you want in a day is a powerful tool. You’ll feel more productive because you won’t feel like you’ve failed if you weren’t able to get to something and you’ll be more productive because you will better be able to maintain a positive mindset day to day. 

11. Organize your workspace

Having a workspace that works with you rather than against you is one of the best things you can do to boost your productivity. Just like trying to cook in a dirty and cluttered kitchen, trying to work in a cluttered and unorganized work space is only going to hurt your productivity. 

Try to keep only what you need at your desk and make your work space your own. In the end, it is your area and what works best for you is what you need to go with. 

10. Organize your closet

Just like your work area, keeping your closet organized is an easy way to boost productivity. Having a place for everything will help you know where everything is which will make for easier mornings and less stress. 

11. Meditate (take a mind break)

Taking breaks is important. Even the most successful and hard working people you know or have heard about take breaks because giving your mind a rest is a necessary part of a productive day. 

Some people in my office take walks, others will take a few minutes to search Google Earth, and others will get some coffee. Whichever way you decide to clear your head is fine, just make sure to do it. Rest your eyes, stretch, and relax. The work isn’t going anywhere. 

12. Try to knock out similar tasks at once

Being strategic with how you tackle tasks is going to boost your efficiency and allow you to get more done, quicker. One way to do this is to complete similar tasks together. If you need to drop something off at the post office and you also need to buy stamps, do them on the same trip. If you have several emails to send, get them all done at one time. 

Try to figure out how to group similar tasks to streamline your to-do list each day. Take a moment to strategize and plan your day each morning or whenever the productive part of your day starts. This can potentially save a surprising amount of time and can help you get ahead. 

13. Make tasks bite size

Just like with your goals, breaking down tasks into smaller size actions can make things seem a bit more manageable. If something takes three steps to complete, outline each step as an item on your to-do list. If these steps require steps, you can break those down as well. Crossing off these items as you complete them will help you better track your progress toward completing the task and will make it feel a lot more manageable.  

14. Avoid distractions

I cannot work with distractions around me. Even if there aren’t any, I will create them if I have the opportunity. For me, avoiding distractions is absolutely crucial to me following through and completing what I need to get done. I’m willing to bet that I am not alone. 

I understand that this is not always possible but to the extent that you can, creating a dedicated work space that eliminates distractions will provide you with the ideal productive environment. This is one reason a dirty work space is so problematic; you are surrounded by something that needs to be done. In your work space, you don’t want to have unrelated to-do items surrounding you. You want to have only what you need to be working on in your space. 

15. Time your tasks

Keeping track of the time you are spending on tasks will help you better manage your time and give you an idea of how you are progressing on whatever it is that you are working on. This can help with efficiency too. 

Having an expectation set for how long something should take is a good way to keep yourself accountable for the work that you are doing. If you are taking much longer than you expected, ask yourself why. Are you wasting time? Are you struggling with something, and if so, what? Do you need to readjust your expectations? These check ins are an important part of the process when developing efficiency and productivity. 

As you do this more and develop a better understanding of how long things take you to complete, you will identify areas of inefficiency and be able to minimize these areas while maximizing the potential of your schedule and timelines. 

Putting it all together

Reading through all of these may make it seem like a giant to-do list in itself. Don’t worry! You don’t have to try implementing all of these strategies all at once. Pick a few that you like or that you think will be particularly helpful for you and start using them. When this becomes routine, add a couple more, and so on. 

The point of all of this is to help you find ways to make what you have to do every day a little bit more manageable and less stressful. I understand that huge lists of tasks can feel insurmountable and I hope that you find these tips to be simple and easy to put into place and, of course, helpful.

Let me know below if you found something particularly helpful or if you have a great productivity tip to share!

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