5 Steps to Increasing Productivity

Time – despite being an infinite resource in itself, it finds a way to limit us. We are all given the same 24 hours in a day, so why are some of us more productive than others?

The simplest answer to this question is the process we use to prioritize individual tasks and responsibilities.

We each define priorities differently because we have different goals and objectives in life. It is imperative to be conscious of what matters most to you and what will help you progress the furthest in the least amount of time. What are you most excited about? What gets you up in the morning?

Here are the steps I personally use to get the most out of each and every day:

Develop a System

If you’re like me, it can be difficult to recall thoughts when it matters most. Get into the habit of writing your ideas down. That way you have a record of it to refer to.

Creativity cannot be forced so it is best to document it when it comes naturally. Start taking advantage of theta brain waves – the process your brain defaults to when automating everyday tasks. These include such things as showering, driving the daily commute or falling asleep.

Make it easy to record your thoughts. Keep small notebooks or scrap paper in convenient locations. Take advantage of productivity apps on your phone – voice recording works great when you need to be (mostly) hands free.

Don’t be afraid if you miss something, it is inevitable that you will not be able to capture everything. Rest assured that the best ideas will resurface and evolve over time. If they don’t, they were probably not worth the time to jot them down.

Develop a system that helps you track various notes, review and consolidate them. Having a centralized to-do list or tracker work great here. Everything being in one place will allow you to periodically review this data so that you can prioritize the most significant tasks and weed out the crap.

Pro-tip: if you’re really jamming on a particular idea, grab a piece of paper and mind map your ideas. Visualizing your thoughts can be a great way to help you hash out the details.

Overwhelm Yourself

I personally find myself to be more productive when I’m feeling the pressure. If I only have 1 or 2 items on my to-do list, it is far easier to procrastinate.

Try taking on more tasks and challenging yourself to keep up with the deadlines. You will find it easier to get tasks done in a shorter amount of time, simply because you just don’t have the time to drag those projects out.

The Pareto Principle (more commonly known as the 80/20 rule) really comes into play here. When you are forced to prioritize tasks based on time constraints, you will select the tasks that get you more bang for your buck. 20% of your tasks will account for 80% of your success.

Learn to Focus

Focus has always been something I have struggled with. I am easily distracted and often find myself talking in circles. By strengthening your focus and removing distractions, you can greatly increase productivity.

It is easy to be distracted by co-workers, notifications or thoughts on your mind. The next time you have to crank out some work, try minimizing your email, hiding your phone and putting on some calming music.

Simple breathing exercises or a moment in silence are a great way to get re-focused. If you can’t clear your head, try going for a walk, talk it out with a friend or write down your feelings and throw them away.

A trap people often fall into is multi-tasking. If you can get 2 things done at once, that has to be productive, right?

Multi-tasking is an easy way to diminish your quality of work because (you guessed it) you lack the focus to perform at your best. Often times, you will end up spending more time going back and forth between tasks than it would have taken to do them individually.

In the famous words of Ron Swanson, “never half-ass two things – whole ass one thing.”

Make Use of Every Moment

You’ve heard the expression, make every second count, right? Prioritization isn’t always about the most important task on your to-do list. When time is a limiting factor, it must be a consideration.

Say you have a report due by the end of the day. You may want to spend every spare minute you have completing that task. However, your schedule is most likely broken up by meetings, phone calls or ad hoc requests. If you know you only have 15 minutes before that next call, it will be more productive to work on a task that can be completed within that time-frame.

Longer tasks often require a specific mind-set and take some ramp up time. If you break that report down into 5 sessions, you will have to go through that ramp up period each time. Minimize that preparation time by leveraging a single open stretch in your schedule, and get it done in one setting.

Pro-tip: if you struggle with scheduling issues, block out some ‘me-time’ on a regular cadence so you know you have guaranteed work time for those lengthier tasks.

Another debilitating factor is the ‘I can just do it later’ mindset. If you have the time, get it done. It’s easy to put things off, but they will just weigh on your mind and distract you from accomplishing other tasks.

Either way, you’ve got to get it done. Future you will be thankful if you just do it now!

Listen to your Body

If you follow the above advice, it can be easy to push yourself too hard. Over exertion and burn-out can have a debilitating effect on your productivity.

Start listening to your body – If you are tired, you need to rest. If you are hungry, you need to eat.

Don’t forget to include health and wellness in your to-do list. It is not productive to be sick on the couch all week. Calling it an early day can really save you in the long run. Don’t be afraid to prioritize some good old-fashioned R&R.

In addition to being healthy, you need to consider your happiness. You will be far more productive if you enjoy what you are doing.

I am a very project oriented person. I can get very excited about an idea and just as easily lose interest in it. Prioritize what matters most to you at that time. Self-awareness is important – play to your strengths.

If you follow these steps, I guarantee you will significantly increase your productivity. Each person is different so you will need to find a balance that best fits your needs. Try experimenting with new work-flows and always be ready to adapt to outside circumstances.

What tips do you have for increasing productivity? If you have given any of this a try and it has worked for you, please share in the comments below.

As always, thanks for reading!

Hey guys, my name is Dan Mott and I'm a content marketer with a love for brand development. I work with Cisco channel partners and like to cook, read and play games in my free time. Check in every Thursday for my weekly blog or follow me @iamdmott for the shenanigans in between - Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram.