Strategies to improve productivity

To start let’s focus on definition itself. What is productivity? It is a measure of efficiency of a person completing a certain task. We often assume that productivity means getting ore things done each day.

This is by all means wrong. Productivity is getting important things done consistently no matter what you are working on, there are only a few things that are truly important.

Being productive is all about maintaining a steady, average speed on a few tasks and not maximum speed on everything which is a goal for everyone.

The top productivity strategies may include:

• Eliminating time wasting activities by using the Eisenhower method. It’s a simple decision matrix which can help you taking action, organise tasks and getting more done. The great thing about this matrix is that it can be used for broad productivity plans such as how you should spend your time each week, as well as for smaller daily plans such as what should you do today.

• Maximising your focus and mastering your priorities. This method comes from the famous American investor – Warren Buffett and using a very simple three step strategy to help you determine your priorities and your actions. You may find this method useful for making decisions and getting yourself to commit to doing one thing right away instead of procrastinating and delaying everything in the process.

• The Ivy Lee method – it’s a fantastic method for peak productivity which at the same time is very straightforward. Do the most important thing first each day. It is a dead simple way to implement this strategy.

• The 15-minute routine which has been used by Anthony Trollope to write over 40 books There is one common problem with the approach of ranking your priorities and doing the list important thing first, though. After ranking your priorities for the day, if the number one task is a really big project then it can leave you feeling frustrated because it takes so long to finish. Writer Anthony Trollope, however, developed a solution to this common problem.

Of course most productivity strategies are forces on short term efficiency: how to manage your to-do lists, how do get more things done in the morning, how to shorten your weekly meetings and so on. These are all reasonable ideas.

Here is a simple list of ways to become more productive every day:

Step 1: Manage your energy, not your time

If you take a moment to think about this, you will probably realise that you are better doing certain tasks at certain times. What type of energy do you have in the morning, afternoon and evening? Determine what tasks each energy level and time of day are best suited for.

Step 2: Prepare the night before

If you only do one thing each day then spend a few minutes each night organising your to-do list for tomorrow, you may also do this 15 minutes close to your end working day if it will help. When you do it right, that 10 minutes can even save 3 hours the very next day!

Step 3: Do not open your email until noon

It sounds very simple but nobody does it. Everything can take few hours, if you answer today, this all what matters. Let’s face it, nobody will email you about a true emergency, whatever it is a death in the family etc etc, leave your emails alone for the few hours of each day. Use the morning to do what is important opposed to what is urgent and you will thank yourself in the long term.

Step 4: Turn your phone off and leave it in another room

This will eliminate the urge to check your text messages, facebook, Twitter and so on. This is a simple strategy which eliminates the likelihood of slipping into half-work where you waste time dividing your attention among meaningless tasks.

Step 5: Work in a cool place

Have you very noticed how you feel groggy and sluggish in a hot room? Adjusting the temperature down or moving into the cooler place is an easy way to focus your mind and body.

Step 6: Sit up or stand up

When you sit hunched over, your chest is in a collapsed position and your diaphragm is pressing agains the bottom of your lounges, which hinders your ability to breathe easily and deeply. Sit up straight or stand up and you will find that you can breath easier and more fully. As a result, your brain will get more oxygen and you will be able to concentrate better.

Step 7: Develop a getting ready routine to start your day.

Everyone is different here, some starts day with a coffee, glass of water, training or motivation. Similarly, you should have a sequence that starts your morning ritual. This tiny routine signals to your brain that it is time to get into work mode or exercise mode or whatever mode you need to be in to accomplish a task in hand. Additionally, this routine will help you overcome a lack of motivation and get things done even when you don’t feel like it.

How are you dealing with your productivity? Are you happy with the current state of your efficiency or would you like to improve it a bit? Feel free to let me know in the comment section below.

All the best,
Lucas