Are you trying to figure out how to be more productive? Get more done in life? You’ve come to the right place. I am here to tell you all the tricks and tips I’ve learned over the years.
I would do anything to make our days a little longer. 24 hours seems so short. 26 hours would be ideal. But since no one asked for my opinion on that front, here we are.
If you’ve been following this blog, chances are you’ve probably read my blog on how to get organized. If you haven’t, I recommend to start there, as I think in order to be productive, you have to be organized, in my opinion (type A, here!). The two go hand in hand. Over the years, I have read some books, listened to podcasts, and TED talks… you name it. I have also spoken to people with busy careers about how they maximized their time and got stuff done. Not all those approaches were things I was willing to try or worked for me. So, I am here to share with you my 11 strategies, all tried and true. Spoiler alert, we’re not diving into any of the cliché 2 min-rule or the Pomodoro technique.
This blog post is all about how to be more productive. I hope this helps you get things done!
#1 CREATE ROUTINES
I’m sure you’ve heard about this book, it’s very popular: Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’ve even talked about this on my blog on several occasions. In order to be productive and efficient, you need certain habits and routines, so you can do what you need to do on a habitual basis, without making a big effort each time. While you’re here to discover ways to be more productive, you want those to become part of your habits. So, what better way than to read about building habits? I really recommend this book.
#2 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: SETTING BIG GOALS
I’ve also talked about this in a separate blog post where I set New Year Resolutions every year. I also create a mood board about all the things I’m planning for the year. This grounds me into thinking about these goals and working towards them. Then I think about some sort of timeline. Remember when I mentioned my planner and my monthly goals in my organization blog post? I add the action items that need to happen to move my project forward to the goals page in my planner for the month I want to accomplish it in.
#3 MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES
You maybe already have one but haven’t really thought about it. Without spending an excessive amount of time online, find something that resonates with you. Think about that before you start any big project or whenever you lose sight of completing a task. Let it be a mindset for you.
#4 CHOSE WHAT MATTERS
You can’t do it all, and you really need to understand this*. We think we can by maximizing efficiency but that’s not true. Even if you hit all your goals, you’re probably not as great in what you value most, your mental health or eating habits are probably not going to be in their best shape. So, think about your top goals, your priorities, and make sure you have the time you need to complete those. In other words, choose where you spend your time and energy. Do the same for the rest of your goals that aren’t as high in priority, allocate the time that’s left to those. You may realize that you need to give up on certain things. I had some unachievable goals set for myself when I started this blog. I very quickly realized I couldn’t keep up, as I had many other responsibilities. So dialed back a bit.
*Only to a certain extent, right?
#5 SEPARATE NOTEBOOKS
I’ve mentioned this before, I have several simultaneously running projects and responsibilities almost all the time. Whenever I take on a new project, or If I’m going to learn something new – I get myself a new notebook. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Some I’ve bought at small boutique style stationary stores in NYC, some from bookstores or Anthropologie. I’m big on writing things down to acquire new knowledge. I don’t retain new information unless I’m taking notes somewhere. So, if your brain functions in the same manner as mine, you know what to do.
#6 SMALL NOTEPAD
This isn’t like any other necessity to get the work done. You know the small thin notepads they give you in your hotel rooms? That’s the size I’m referring to. I always have one on my table, it helps me jot down distracting ideas I have when I’m working on something completely different. I use to use my iPhone’s Notes app for this, but I found it too distracting to be reaching for my phone. So good old pen and paper is what I need to write things down and focus back on my work.
#7 E-MAIL CHECKING
There is nothing worse than getting into the habit of constantly checking your email. I’m guilty of this. This is also one of the reasons I keep my phone away from my desk. There are two reasons why this is a terrible habit; first, the distraction in terms of time away from your work; two, the content of the emails you read will influence your energy, motivation and focus (depending on the emails of course). This is completely wasted time. So, next time you’re working, try to keep your phone away.
#8 UNSUBSCRIBE FROM E-MAILS
These are e-mails from stores and companies you are not interested in. Instead of deleting them each time they land in your inbox, set a few seconds to unsubscribe or mark them as spam. These will limit the number of times you receive unwanted emails and have to delete them separately.
#9 WORK IN A PUBLIC LOCATION
Whenever I take on a project or start to feel a little demotivated or discouraged, I work somewhere public. Like a Coffee Shop, or a public library. There is something about being in a public space where you are surrounded by people who are equally busy doing their own thing that holds you accountable to do your own work. Sometimes, that’s what you need.
#10 ACCOUNTABILITY
Tell some of your closest friends or family about your project and planned timeline. It’s good to have someone asking ‘how’s that project coming along?’. Hopefully, it’s not your entire workplace or friends on a group chat – I am not suggesting you end of dreading to see your friends. But I believe that some form of accountability can be healthy from people who care about you and that you trust.
#11 HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK
It may sound odd to be talking about having a life and doing fun things, while we talk about productivity. The thing is, unless you’re making a big sacrifice on a short-term basis, odds are you’re going to burn out if you’re doing too much. Do something for yourself, charge your batteries so you have an appetite for work when you come back. This could be having ‘me time’, meeting up with friends, cooking, or a hobby you enjoy doing.
There is nothing wrong with making sacrifices on the short run, let’s say you’re working full-time and you decide to go back to school as an example. This isn’t going to be your lifestyle on the long-run, and you have a lot to gain. But it’s so important to take care of yourself so you have energy to do the work.
This blog post is all about how to be more productive. I hope this helps you get things done!
As always, thank you for stopping by and reading. Click here if you’d like to see & follow my Instagram page @girlontheues.
See you next week,
Girl on the Upper East Side
Xx
If this interests you, you might enjoy reading my blog post on underconsumption core, ultimate packing list, and birthday freebies.
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