How To Be More Productive

Do you often start a day with a to-do list? You start the day with a plan to complete piles of tasks on the list but soon you find yourself distracted, overwhelmed, procrastinating, and at the end of the day you have checked out just 1% of the tasks. In this digital age, it’s hard to avoid distractions and actually focus on your work. So, how do you take back control of your time? How do you actually accomplish the tasks on your to-do list? How do you become productive?

There is a misconception about productivity, it is not just checking the tasks off your to-do lists. It is about getting things done not doing more things. But, as an irony, you get more things done by being productive. Seems confusing, right? Below are 5 tips for increasing productivity.

1) Cut your to-do list in half

Do you really need to complete all 20 tasks on your to-do list? Scan your usual to-do list and find the most important ones. Create a new to-do list that includes only the important tasks. Take a less-is-more approach by focusing on doing things that really matter.

2) Gamify your work

Games are always fun. So, gamifying your work can help you accomplish it. I like to follow the Pomodoro Method. Pick a task, Your goal is to complete the task. Set a 25-minute timer to complete the task. Work on the task till the timer is off, then take a 5 minutes break. The 25-minute time is one cycle, so after 4 cycles take a long break (15-30 min). This method has helped me to get things done and remain fresh.

3)Use the 80/20 rule

Pareto’s Law says “80% of the outputs results from 20% of the inputs”. For a large task, identify the 20% steps that would give you 80% of the result. Focus on that 20% of the input. You can perform this analysis on life, work, or anything.

4) Use your morning wisely

We often have the habit of checking phones and emails the minute we open our eyes. Ditch your phone for at least one hour in the morning. Instead, do things for yourself, have a glass of water, meditate, workout, and have a nice breakfast. Get the fuel ready for the day ahead.

5) Stop Multi-tasking

Multi-tasking involves dividing your focus among two or more tasks. Instead, focus on one task at a time. This will help get tasks done more effectively and efficiently.

Always remember, that changes don’t happen overnight. Start by making small changes and adopt some of these habits. This will help to increase your productivity gradually.