Not everybody wants to be more productive to achieve more; some of us just want to be more productive with what we are currently doing. I don´t believe there are many who could not benefit from learning how to improve, to better manage time and to learn skills to make one more productive. Imagine leaving work at the end of the day, feeling like you have accomplished everything you know you could have, you were productive and now you can leave work and disconnect until the next day. Unfortunately, most of us leave work, stressed from everything that we didn’t finish that day and overwhelmed, thinking about the next day. It really doesn’t need to be this way; it really is your choice.
Follow these simple 5 keys to increasing your productivity instantly
1. Targeted Action – Always know why you are doing something, what is the outcome that you want. Once you are really clear on the outcome, you can focus your actions and direct them towards obtaining this outcome. It may sound really simple, but how often are you working on a task, just to get it done, without thinking about the outcome of how you would like it to be when you have finished, and you realize you haven´t thought of everything you need to obtain this outcome, thus wasting time. It is like going to a meeting, you are not clear on what your outcome objectives are, it really eats up time.
2. Decide what to work on first – Decide which tasks go first every day when you arrive at the office, you need to prioritize your actions so that you are not doing only what is urgent but also what is important. If you feel like you are constantly putting out fires, you need to learn how to prioritize. It is suggested to start the day with the biggest and most dreaded task first, to get that out of the way and the rest of the day can be focused on all the other tasks you believe are important and urgent. You will have the feeling of accomplishment from the beginning of the day and you will have more energy for the rest of the day.
3. Be flexible in your approach – While it is really important to schedule and prioritize your tasks, you also need to be flexible in your approach to your work. Not everything goes the way you plan and sometimes, you may need to delay tasks or re-prioritize. Don´t let this stress you out and throw you off course. Adjust your schedule accordingly and keep moving forward.
4. Be at the cause and not at the effect – don’t wait for things to happen. Take responsibility for your results and be proactive. Make things happen at work, be proactive in your job, think about what needs to be done and do it, don’t just react to what happens or wait for somebody to tell you. Take the initiative and get things done faster!
5. Listen to your body – When you feeling energetic, do tasks that require high energy. Most of us have more energy in the morning, if you do, use this time for tasks that require concentration and energy. You also need to relax and let your body de-stress. If you suddenly become more productive, you will be using more energy and you need to supplement this with relaxation and also, eating well. How energetic you feel is directly related to your diet and rest!
Remember that we are not born with and more than often, not taught these skills, but that doesn’t mean that they are not important. When we aim to change too much, we set ourselves up for more challenges, so start small. The moment you start to see results, you will have more motivation to keep improving your skills. Learning skills to manage our time has become really important in our lives, as we struggle to find balance between work and our personal lives, getting everything done and staying stress free. There is no magic pill you can swallow to fix all this; you need to start slowly to change your behaviour if it is not working for you. Remember, that everyone can do this, but it is up to do to decide if you want to do this! Remind yourself what is at stake if you don´t!
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