It is imperative to know how to be productive if you want to positively impact various aspects of your life and the world at large. Many people wonder why things are still the same in their lives despite the passage of time. One of those reasons could be because there is a lack of productivity in their lives.
Just because you are busy all day doesn’t mean you are being productive. Often, many people equate being busy with productivity. On the other hand, that may not be absolutely correct. To be clear, you can be busy and still be productive. But not everyone who says, “I am busy” is actually productive.
What Is Productivity?
I don’t intend to be vague, so just to be clear, what is productivity, or what does it mean to be productive?
There are quite several definitions out there regarding what productivity is. Cambridge Dictionary defines productivity as the rate at which a person, company, or country does useful work. So, is what you are doing useful to you and the society?
Productivity refers to the efficiency with which resources are utilised to achieve a particular outcome or goal. It’s a measure of how effectively input is converted into output.
In personal and professional contexts, productivity often relates to how efficiently individuals or organisations utilise their time, energy, and resources to accomplish tasks or produce goods and services. So, are you utilising your time, resources, and energy to accomplish the task right before you?
This takes me back to what I said earlier regarding one being busy and still being unproductive. Certain things must be done to get the desired results if a person wants to know how to be productive. So, what are those things?
1. Set Clear Goals
If you want to be highly productive, one of the first things you must do is set clear goals. Setting goals is terrific because it is beneficial and will significantly help you.
However, when setting goals, it’s essential to consider several key factors to ensure they are meaningful, achievable, and aligned with your priorities. So, are the goals you have set for yourself meaningful, attainable, and aligned with your priorities? If they are not, then it is safe to say that you will still be unproductive.
- It’s essential to consider several key factors to ensure they are meaningful, achievable, and aligned with your priorities.
When setting clear goals, here are a few things to consider if you want to get results. They are specificity, achievability, measurability, relevance, time-bound, flexibility, accountability, and breakdown into actionable steps.
Of course, there are more things, but considering these factors when setting goals can increase the likelihood of success and create a roadmap for achieving your desired outcomes. This is how to be productive.
2. Avoid Multitasking
When discussing how to be productive or how to boost productivity, we cannot over-emphasise the need to avoid multitasking. Why? It is a cause for concern. New studies have shown that multitasking causes us to make more mistakes, retain less information, and change how our brains work.
The average person feels they are underutilising their potential when they don’t multitask. On the contrary, they are allowing themselves to do beyond what they could imagine. Multitasking makes us feel we are accomplishing more, even if evidence suggests otherwise.
Many things are bound to go wrong when we multitask. While often seen as a way to increase efficiency, it can actually lead to several negative consequences.
Some of those are decreased productivity, reduced quality of work, increased stress, impaired concentration, slower task completion, negative impact on relationships, reduced creativity, and physical health impact.
While multitasking may seem like an efficient way to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, it often leads to negative consequences that outweigh any perceived benefits. Focusing on one task at a time is generally more effective, giving it your full attention and energy to maximise productivity and quality of work.
3. Delegate
If you are thinking about how to improve productivity, the best thing to do is delegate specific tasks to other people on your team. I decided that this point should come next so that you see the contrast between multitasking and delegation. So, have you tried entrusting work to another person instead of multitasking? This is the concept of division of labour.
Delegation isn’t merely about shifting unwanted tasks onto others. Rather, it’s about optimising productivity by assigning tasks according to individuals’ skills and availability.
So, if you’re collaborating within a team, review your daily tasks and assess whether any tasks could be effectively assigned to fellow team members. This is how to be more productive.
4. Prioritise Tasks
Another thing to consider when discussing how to be productive is prioritising tasks. All of the things written down on your list are not on the same scale of importance. So, by prioritising tasks, the most pressing ones will come first. This way, it saves you from majoring in the minor.
Additionally, identifying and ranking tasks based on their urgency and impact on your goals or objectives must not be overlooked. It is about determining which tasks are most critical or time-sensitive and allocating your time and resources accordingly.
In the first point, I briefly listed a few things we should consider when setting goals, and time was mentioned. So, this should tell you that everything is vital if you must be productive.
- By prioritising tasks, you ensure that you focus on what matters most and maximise your productivity and effectiveness.
Furthermore, by prioritising tasks, you ensure that you focus on what matters most and maximise your productivity and effectiveness.
This often involves distinguishing between essential tasks for achieving your goals and those that are less vital or can be deferred or delegated. So, you see the word delegate coming back, which tells you they all work in synergy to help you achieve your desired outcome. This is how to be productive.
5. Learn To Say NO
First things first, not everything is worth your attention. Meaning you do not have to accept to do everything. We often feel guilty for saying no to people or their invitations to do certain things. This simply means that we do not yet know the power of focus.
Too often than not, we tend to think about what people will say if we turn down their request. Why feel guilty for putting yourself first? Have you tried viewing things from a different angle before? How about your well-being? How about your own goals? What will they not say? Would you rather help them fulfil theirs and leave yours uncompleted? Isn’t your goal important to you any more?
Saying no isn’t all that bad. It may mean that their dreams don’t align with yours at the moment, so you are not available to assist them. Saying no to certain things is essential for several reasons.
Here are a few of them: protecting your time, maintaining boundaries, preserving energy and focus (like we discussed), avoiding over-commitment, honouring your priorities, respecting your limits, and empowering yourself.
Listen, saying no is a valuable skill that enables you to make intentional choices, maintain balance and boundaries, and live a more fulfilling and purposeful life. So, if you are thinking of how to be most productive, learn to say no.
6. Minimise Distractions
It’s common to experience distractions, and maintaining focus isn’t always innate. Nevertheless, cultivating focus is a skill that can be honed with practice. However, being productive should not be left to chance. Deliberate and well-calculated steps must be taken if you want to be productive.
So, that means identifying and eliminating distractions in your environment isn’t up for debate. This could mean turning off notifications, finding a quiet workspace, or using website blockers to limit time spent on non-work-related sites. Failure to do this will lead to wasted time, and one sad thing about wasted time is that it cannot be recovered.
Might I suggest using The Pomodoro technique, a popular method for minimising interruptions and accomplishing tasks efficiently? It is advantageous.
Practitioners set a timer, eliminate distractions like social media and emails, and engage in focused work sessions lasting 20-30 minutes. Recognising the finite duration of each session helps build the capacity to sustain focus over more extended periods. This is how to be productive.
7. Take Breaks
To be more productive, you must not just take breaks but also take regular breaks. The fact that we are humans alone and not robots is a sufficient reason. Breaks are essential for maintaining and boosting productivity because failure to take breaks may affect your level of productivity.
Schedule short breaks throughout your day to rest and recharge. When you return, you will notice enhanced focus and concentration, increased creativity and problem-solving ability, improved health and enhanced productivity. So, how to be more productive is to take regular breaks.
8. Practice Self-Care
Practising self-care ensures that we stay healthy because without us being healthy, we will be unable to be productive. Prioritise your physical and mental health because nothing is as essential as they are.
Additionally, exercise regularly, eat nutritious meals, stay hydrated, and ensure you get enough sleep each night. A healthy lifestyle is essential for sustained productivity.
Never forget that. Interestingly, my article 50 Self-care Ideas for a Bad Day is highly insightful. Kindly read it to know more.
9. Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps
Boosting productivity isn’t hard. All you need to do is to break your tasks into smaller chunks. Large tasks can be overwhelming, and that can make us weak when we think about them. In other words, it simply means that it will threaten our productivity.
The best thing to do if you want to be productive is to break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. This makes them less daunting and helps you make progress more easily.
Failure to break down tasks means our likelihood of success will be slim, affecting our results. The next time you have a task at hand, and you are sure, you could list the sub-tasks, prioritise the sub-tasks, set milestones, estimate the time and effort needed, allocate resources, allocate a timeline, and then monitor your progress. This is how to be productive.
10. Use Time Management Techniques
Successful people understand that time is valuable and should not be wasted. That means anyone who wants to be productive must realise that time is precious.
Seeing that time is precious means you will be fruitful if you use it wisely. However, the sad thing about time is that it waits for no one, which means we cannot keep it, but we must spend it.
The good news is that we are the pilots, and a pilot determines the course of the plane. So, suppose your challenge is managing time wisely; I suggest using techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, time blocking, or the 2-minute rule to help you manage your time effectively and maintain focus throughout the day.
Employing time blocks is a recognised and effective productivity approach. You intentionally allocate specific durations to individual tasks or activities by structuring your workday into designated periods.
These time blocks typically span 60 to 90 minutes. Some individuals find it helpful to print out their schedule or use colour-coded systems, as one advantage of time blocking is the visual roadmap it creates for organising and completing tasks throughout the day.
Suppose you have asked yourself, “How can I be more productive at work?” if you use the tips in this article, your chances of success will be high.
In conclusion, enhancing productivity on a daily basis requires a combination of effective strategies and mindful habits. Individuals can maximise their efficiency and achieve desired outcomes by setting clear goals, prioritising tasks, and managing time wisely.
Additionally, minimising distractions, taking regular breaks, and practicing self-care is essential for maintaining focus and preventing burnout. Incorporating techniques such as the Pomodoro method or time blocking can help structure workdays and optimise productivity.
Ultimately, by cultivating a balance between work and personal well-being, individuals can unlock their full potential and consistently enhance their productivity levels day by day.
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