Productivity is a muscle in the mind that I have been trying to build for a few years now. With fast technology and social media readily available, productivity levels have seen a steady decline. So I’m ready to share a few tips on how to work towards being more productive both professionally and personally – but it certainly won’t happen overnight!
Before I dive into some tips, I would encourage readers to read Eat That Frog! By Brian Tracy – it’s an easy read with actionable steps. Most of which I will break down here.
Eat That Frog
The “frog” represents your biggest, most important task (and the one you’re most likely to procrastinate on). If you can complete this first thing, you will know that the rest of your day will be much easier.
Written Goals
I keep a notebook next to me and everyday, I write a list of what I need to have completed for the day and circle the most important ones to do first. This is recommended because it helps keep your mind focused since you’re bound to receive additional emails or asks or distractions throughout the day. And when you’re focused and have a clear action plan, you’re less likely to procrastinate. This goes for both personal and professional!
80/20 Rule
The author writes about the 80/20 rule which resonated with me. Meaning that 20% of our activities account for 80% of our results (for example, he wrote that 20% of customers can account for 80% sales). So pay close attention to what that 20% is and don’t lose sight of the value by procrastinating on the other 80% or “smaller tasks”. People who appear to be busy all day long but seem to accomplish very little is because they might be working on tasks with little value. Instead, know what your top priorities are, complete those quickly and well, and you will see success.
Discipline and Prioritization
Sit down, write your goals, develop a plan, and consistently prioritize the key items. The author provides the advice to identify your three most important goals in each area of your life, organize them by priority, and then make a plan for their accomplishments and how you can work on your plans each day. Which transitions to the next part …
Take it One Step at a Time
Continue to evaluate what are the most important goals you would want to accomplish and break down what steps are needed to get there. If it’s a hefty goal or project, you might feel discouraged and procrastination slides right in. So break up your large goal into attainable solutions. If you want to save $20,000, do the math on how much you can save per month and set monthly goals vs. looking at the large amount. If you want to land a good job, work on your resume and apply to at least 1 job a day. If you want to achieve your ideal weight goal, plan to workout at least 30min a day and cut out one type of unhealthy dessert (for me, it’s boba, chocolate, or ice cream).
Value your Time
Have you ever been on Instagram, Pinterest, or YouTube and realize that 2, 3, 4 hours have passed? We have all been there. And this is where I refer back to the importance of prioritizing your important goals – train your brain to check off your checklist before picking up that phone or reaching for the remote control. Also, a HUGE difference is to turn off notifications – the only notifications I receive are text/calls – no emails, no social media notifications, no stock prices – turn it all off! It takes your brain ~17 minutes to get back into focus mode so you want to limit the noise.
It’s Not Easy but it’s Possible
I highly recommend everyone to read this book. When I first read it, I focused on how I can apply it to work but now I will re-read it and apply it to my personal life, too. You owe it to yourself because your time is precious – you don’t want a month to fly by, then a year – and look back and wonder what have you achieved. Don’t spend another year in a stagnant job, don’t wait until the next new years resolution to start working out, and certainly don’t procrastinate on building your savings.
Don’t worry – there will be time to zone out into Netflix and social media, but after you’ve accomplished your day’s biggest goal. 😉
