How to be productive : 7 tips to use your time more smartly

We all know the saying “don’t mistake activity for productivity”. In fact, it refers to people leading multiple tasks the whole day, being Everly busy without being able to achieve any of their goals.

Those people energy and time are always wasted by thinking what they should do next or what they should accomplish first, which leave no time for them to do the actual job.

So, to bring a new fresh sense of productivity to your working life, here are some smart tips, to use your time more wisely in order to be less busy but more productive!

1.Know yourself and avoid comparing yourself to others.

Each individual knows their most productive time of the day. Some people are early birds and very productive and energetic at morning while others are like night owls and become very productive at evenings especially for tasks that demand mental agility and concentration.

The self-awareness is the key to relieve all the stress coming from questions like how and when you should engage in work to make the most of your day.

You should also learn how to focus on yourself rather than worrying about other people rhythm or achievements. Focusing on your own tasks and rhythm will help you be self-conscious through putting all your energy into your work and avoiding unnecessary stress along the day.

2.Prioritize your tasks.

Prioritizing is not about being more efficient, it is more about knowing your immediate and most urgent projects and trying to finish them first, from the most urgent and important to the less urgent one.

You need also to remove the unnecessary tasks and time sucking activities, having and order of priorities will help you to overcome procrastination, stay focused and organized.

Prioritization empowers you to focus on the important project while letting go the unnecessary tasks.

3.Unlock the saying no power. 

Don’t take more tasks than you can actually achieve to show your obedience or eagerness to work! While proving your skills and engagement are a nagging matter for all of us even the most accomplishing employees, it is crucial to set realistic boundaries about what you can and cannot accomplish.

We are all human beings; we have limits and if you want to avoid the work burnout, stress or depression, saying No is the mean that will save you from getting yourself into trouble.

Rather than being divided and inefficient across too much projects, dedicate yourself to one or two projects and excel in them.

4.Resist the urge to multitask. 

Achieving one task at a time is the secret or productive and successful people.

Since we are all racing against time, we may be tempted to try multitasking, dreaming to accomplish several tasks in a little time. But it is known, that none can do his best this way.

The shortage in focus and concentration affects work quality, decisions making, results and even creativity. As a result, errors can occur more often, which will lead to repeated work, time loss defeating the whole point of multitasking and time saving.

If you need to achieve multiple tasks in the same day, segment your work into short bursts and prioritize.

The Pomorodo Method is a tool helping you to spend 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of resting, this will help you keep focusing, while giving yourself the freedom to jump between tasks.

5.Use reminders to stay motivated. 

While the time keeps passing by, you should be moving closer to your meet your deadlines and since that every minute’s counts, you need to be motivated.

Being motivated the will helps you to push yourself to reach further goals.

Know what are the things that motivate you, write them down and use these items whenever you feel the need.

Some people bring photos to their working places, wined prices and even trophies to remind them that they are capable to achieve big successful tasks.

You can also bring photos of a beautiful vacation destination and inspirational business card, your family photo…having a tangible reminder of what motivates you can give you a burst of energy when you need to accomplish a task or when you feel tired or overwhelmed.

6.Take time for your passions.

Attaining the right work-life balance is everybody’s goal. That’s why you need to have hobbies and engage in sports to bring excitement, happiness and challenge into your life.

Pursuing a good hobby is a healthy way to relieve your stress and frustration, so make time for them in a weekly or daily basis.

It will not only give you something to look forward to, but you will be more excited and relaxed to start your day when you return to your work.

7.Be honest about your progress.

Did you come closer to your goals or were you just busy today? The truthful and honest introspection should be a daily practice, helping you to determine which productive methods and tricks work the best for you.

Take few moments in your way back home or at the end of the day to determine what went well and what did not, take notes of your thoughts to improve your productivity.  

Those have been the 7 keys to a more productive working life, but note that life a rich journey, takes pleasure in each one of its steps and live it as good as you can, enjoy your time and try to improve yourself.

Discipline, organization and repetition are the keys to create new healthy habits, so follow those tips and be self-conscious about your progress.