How To Be More Productive Today
Do you feel overwhelmed by your goals? Does it seem like you are not making progress on anything? Maybe you need to try some productivity hacks in your day. I use a variety of hacks depending on the situation. However all the productivity hacks begin with writing my To Do List out the day before.
Create The To Do List:
I usually plan out the week with tasks that take a bite out of larger goals each day. Then I develop a to do list the night before to make sure I'm addressing any urgent needs. Make sure the list is reasonable- Don't try to build Rome in one day. The list should be 3-5 specific tasks that can be completed in one step. Don’t list make calls because that can be to 20 different people and varying in difficulty/length. Instead, write call specific people with a specific task. For example, call Lucy Client about the work order, Call the auto shop to schedule an oil change, etc.
Bonus points for identifying the frog on your list and putting a star next to it. What’s the frog you need to eat? It's code for what's the hardest task you need to complete. That should be the first task you complete. Once that task is complete you will feel like a superwoman and also super motivated to complete additional tasks. This also eliminates the “what task do I do first?” dilemma which could lead to time wasted. Bare minimum, the to-do list must be done the night before so that you don't waste time in the morning pondering all the things that need to be done. That can lead to a day full of squirrel moments. If the list is created the night before, then you can just get to work distraction free.
Here’s some tips that I have heard of that I keep in my arsenal to work on my goals.
90 minute power sessions
Once you are ready to start, Set the Do Not Disturb function on your phone. If you don't not have this function, silence your phone. Don't pick up the phone during this time. I would even suggest putting it face down so you won't even see the screen light up with notifications. Set a timer for 90 minutes and crank out your tasks for 90 minutes straight. If it's not on the list you are not thinking about it nor putting any effort towards it. After the ninety minutes are done, then take a 30-45 minute break. Set the timer again and do whatever you need to relax. Scroll social media, read, do a hobby, etc. After the break, set a timer again for 90 minutes to get back to work again and repeat the 90 minute work and 30-45 minute break cycle for 2-3 times. Don't forget to set the phone back to Do Not Disturb/Silent you if you took it off during the break. If you haven't unwound and relaxed in a while, I would suggest leaving the Do Not Disturb on so that you can relax without any interruptions.
30 minute power sessions
This is extremely helpful when you have tiny humans in the background that have a short attention span for independent time. Or if you have a very short time to get work done this will help you power through and get tasks done even when you don't think you have enough time. When you are ready to work, set the timer for 10 minutes. Crank like you have a deadline in 10 minutes on whatever tasks you decide to do first. After the time is up, stand up, stretch for a moment and the crank again. Repeat this cycle 2 more times. If you finish the task before the time is up, grab the next task and start working on it. This will help you have laser focus on finishing the task. You may find that the task did not take as long as you thought and there was no need to drag your feet about it.
Productivity hacks work best when you prepare in advance. Decide what you are going to do and set the timer and get to work.
What productivity tips do you use? Comment Below ⬇️⬇️⬇️