How to Improve Productivity
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As a former productivity analyst and manager, let me tell you that one of the biggest causes of inefficiency is typically interruptions. But lately, with everything going on in the world, chances are there are many other things coming into play that are affecting productivity. Below are a few tips on How to Improve Productivity during uncertainty.
How to be more productive?
The first thing is to ensure that you have clearly established measurable goals. Once these are in place, there are a few things to keep in mind when you are planning your day, to improve productivity, in relation to your goals. Whether your goals are personal or professional, it might be a good time to reevaluate things. What was a goal a month ago nay have changed due to present-day circumstances.
Note: Feel free to print my free goal setting template to help you stay focused.
1. Prioritize what you need to do, based on what you are trying to achieve. For example, if one of your goals is to write a business proposition, and another goal is to respond to emails in 24 hours, and another is to plan your dinner menu for the week, you will have to pick which is more important at this given time. Yes, sometimes you can multi-task, but only if the tasks are relatively simple, but the truth is, our minds are not able to multitask effectively. Prioritize your goals to determine which tasks need to be completed.
2. Determine how much time to allocate to each task and make a daily calendar. Schedule blocks of time for each task you hope to complete throughout the week. If you have 1 hour but have to accomplish three different tasks, it helps to estimate how long each task will take so that you can plan accordingly. Having a calendar helps you stay focused and less distracted.
3. Control your environment as much as possible. If you can, do not answer the phone, check your cell phone or read email when you are focusing on another task. This means closing the other tabs on your computer at work. While this may not always be possible, try to eliminate as many distractions as possible. If you are working at home and can let your family know that you shouldn’t be disturbed for an hour or two unless it’s important This can help reduce non-urgent interruptions.
4. Check your email just a few times a day. If you check your email constantly, it will distract you from your other tasks, most likely they will be tasks that do not even relate to your own goals. Set up a scheduled time to review and whip through those babies within a set end time. Tip: Before you read your emails, take note of your goals for the day. This will help you in your focus and approach to emails. When you are focused on responding to emails, you tend to be more productive in responding. See more email organization tips here.
5. Limit news consumption. During these times, the news is constantly updating and discussion is happening 24 hours a day. Check for updates a few times a day from a reliable source but limit how much time you will allocate to this. Change from the current situation is going to take time and while we all want to do what we need to, we don’t want to perseverate more than we have to.
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6. If you are a digital marketer or blogger, consider scheduling some of your social media posts in advance so that you are not on these programs dozens of times a day. Unless your job is in social media, you probably do not want to be on these platforms more than you need to be, at least until you have accomplished your other tasks. Social media will consume much of your time if you let it.
7. Take some time to connect with others outside of your family via phone, electronically or old-school letters. As we all respond to the current situation, many of us are doing less of the things we normally do in person with others. Gatherings are on pause, public spaces are closing, and many of us are now working from home on our own. And we are all sitting with fear and grief about this unprecedented situation. Set up a zoom or conference type of call with friends, clients and extended family. The connected contact is necessary for our well being.
8. Make sure to set aside time for yourself. Not just family time, but time for yourself to decompress and reboot. Things will eventually get better, but the uncertainty of when makes us all a little anxious. Chances are if you do not schedule breaks or downtime, it will likely catch up with you so learn to navigate your day. Get outside for some fresh air and take in the beauty of the day. Unplug for a while. A clear mind does wonders for productivity.
What helps you be productive?
Ohhh I need to write this down!! Esp the part where I need to put this dag gum phone down!! 🙂 Thanks for all the tips!
Thanks for stopping by! I know it is hard to do, but so worth it when you are productive 🙂
This was just what I needed to see today! These are such great tips. Thank you! I also thought it was funny that I read it in the middle of trying to focus on the cleaning the house because I walked by the computer and became distracted. Your post sent me straight back to cleaning the kitchen.
Yay! Hope you finished what you started….it is so easy to be distracted.
thanks for the tips! you can definitely tell that you know your stuff!
i totally agree on environment. unfortunately, i figured out in my senior year of college that i wrote papers much better at coffee shops where i could be surrounded by other people working! for some reason, i’m super unproductive at home!
and as far as my most frequent interruption is concerned, i would say the internet!
i’ll randomly start thinking about something i meant to google ages ago and next thing i know, i’ve been surfing the internet for an hour!
well, i came to your blog today via follow me wednesday! yay! 🙂 happy wednesday!
http://quitetheblog.com
Thank you for stopping by Morgan! Glad you found out what works for you….yes, the internet can be very distracting. Happy Wednesday to you too!
This post is just what I needed to read. Thanks.
I SHOULD be doing homework but got to reading blogs instead. It is so hard not to be distracted, especially when the class is online. All it takes is one click and whoosh! I am off to doing something else.
Well, reading blogs is not THAT bad 🙂 , as long as you don’t get lost for too long. The internet makes it so easy to surf…thanks for stopping by the Island.
Newest follower from the wednesday hop! These are some great tips! I definitely need to do each of these so that I can prioritize and have better time management. It’s amazing how many distractions can happen and before you know it, the day is over and you never completed what you started out doing!
-Sara
http://letstalkaboutme-sara.blogspot.com
Yes, that definitely happens. Sometimes you cannot control it, but the sometimes you can. Thank you for stopping by Sara!
What a great post. Thanks for the helpful advice. I use some of these strategies and they do work. But I really need to employ all of them!
Thank you Steph! I am glad these work for you…I agree, at times it is hard to do!
Great tips! Too often we forget that last one and wonder why we feel like chickens with our heads cut off. We all need some down time. Thanks for remembering that one.
Stopping by from SITS. Have a great day.
Thank you for stopping by Robin. Hope your day is great too!
My interruptions are a bunch of things: pets with needs, text messages from family, phone calls from family, etc. My family is my first priority so I let them interrupt more than I probably should. As a result, though, it’s hard to get things done. I am home full-time but I spend several hours a day blogging and I do the books for my husband’s small business. I love making a to do list that’s just a random list of everything I need to do so I can do it when I want to but I’ve found that doesn’t work anymore. I have to prioritize and work on the priorities first. I hate doing that because I feel like it takes some of the fun out of life. But it does feel good to get to the end of the day and know that the most important things are done. Or have an emergency come up and know that the most important things are done. My life is very unpredictable!
Great tips. And I think the one about determining your priorities, how long they take and how much time is available is SO IMPORTANT! I get really stressed when I don’t do that. Doing it shows me if I need to make changes and it also shows me that I can get it done and that eliminates the stress (well, mostly).
Yes, I agree Patty, sometimes the planning stage is not the most fun, but it pays off when the satisfaction of getting stuff done kicks in. You are one busy woman. Kudos to you for getting all your tasks done. I get stressed when I do not take the time to plan too….Thank you for taking the time to share your comments. Hope you are having a productive day! 🙂
For me, it’s the Internet. I get distracted and look something up and get sucked into surfing…
I agree with #6. You have to set time aside for yourself. Even though I work at a gym, I have to schedule my workouts or else I just don’t make time to get it in.
Have a great weekend, I’m off the gym for my workout.
{Stopping over from SITS}
Thanks for your comment Sheila. Hope you have a good weekend too!
Visiting from Sharefest. Very nice concise list. Enjoy your weekend. I’m off to finish my weekend list.
Hi Raquel, I’m Anne from Life on the Funny Farm (http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.com) visiting from the TALU. These are great tips to address very common things that bog most of us down. Thanks for sharing! Pop over and say hi sometime if you get the chance. Nice to “meet” you!
Thank you Anne I will be by to check out your blog. Nice to meet you too!
Hello. I’m also popping in for the first time via the ATLU (http://hyethymecafe.blogspot.com/). You’ve got some great tips here. I’m great at organizing “stuff,” but terrible about time!! I was just talking about that yesterday or the day before – I’ll start a bazillion different things without concentrating on and finishing one. I’m a work in progress. 😉
Hi Chris,
We are all a work in progress so don’t be so hard on yourself…with the internet and links everywhere it is a wonder we get anything done sometimes 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
Great Tips here! from TALU! guess what I am i think the very first candidate with easy- to -be -distracted issues. and i have been planning to (yeah you are soo right!!) make a schedule even if i am just at home so I can properly divide my time and work effectively. I have already deleted my FB account because that causes me BIG distraction ever! right now I told myself that i will go BH with all the linkers for 30mins to an hr and go back later when am done with cleaning and laundry.. I will definitely follow your tips! I just have to sort out how to organize emails like you suggested. thanks soo much and hope to see you on our next TALU!!
I totally needed this post right now! With the new blog and trying to network with Online Blog Con and my newfound Twitter and Instagram addictions it has started to get a little overwhelming. I’ve been wondering how the heck people do it and still have time to make dinner and do laundry and, oh yeah, the day job, LOL!
Thank you Sarah! I know it is tough sometimes. So look forward to getting to know you on OBC. 🙂
Good tips, thx
Thanks Mary!
When I am @ work I am focused & not as easily distracted. I turn on light music, close the door & block out the world. I check email once an hour because there is typically a response I am waiting for on some important question. However, when it comes to my personal business, book writing & blogging I do find myself quite often distracted. I am guilty of checking FB several times during the course of my work as well as emails. You have left some valuable tips here & I thank you.
That is great that you are able to block out distractions at work. I enjoy soft music too, there is just something soothing about it. Thank you for your comment.
These are great tips! It is so easy to become distracted, particularly when you have a long to-do list (as I often do.) I want to do everything, so sometimes I catch myself starting too many things and then suddenly I have accomplished very little. These ideas definitely help to put things in focus.
Thank you Kim! I am glad you found them helpful!
Love these. The one about thinking through how long things take is the one I need to take away. I am terrible at estimating and always think I can accomplish more than I really can!
It has really helped me try to balance. Thanks for stopping by Tricia!
thank you for the tips. its awesome. and my frequent interruptions are my kids 🙂 That is a no-brainer, right? Stopping by from SITS 🙂
He he…yes, kids are a (mostly pleasant) interruption 🙂
Great tips! Happy SITS Day!
Thank you Emily!
While I was trying to read this I literally had visitors and 2 phone calls! I’m thinking one of those signs sounds really good now. lol. Happy Sits Day!!! These are some great tips. can’t wait to read more posts!
LOL! I believe it! Thanks for stopping by Kendra!
Visiting from SITS! Great article! I have 2 dogs and a cat (I work from home) who need care and attention, it seems like every few minutes or so. And, as I wrote that last sentence, one of them barfed and needed attention–again! As women, we tend to be more holistic, taking in the world from every angle. Men tend to be more linear and have a better time focusing their attention on the tasks at hand. This isn’t always the case, but that’s what I’ve found anyway. So, we have to work on it. I find that knowing my values helps guide me toward focusing on what’s important in my life and what tasks need to get done.
Yes I agree Nicole – Men and women do handle things differently. Thanks so much for visiting the island! 🙂
I’ve been working on a few of these tips lately. Prioritizing and not checking email every second of the day has helped me become so much more productive.
Happy SITS Day!
That is great! Keep up the good work Jennifer!
Awesome tips!! My kids are really my biggest distraction when I get home in the evening, sometimes my hubby might take them away for an hour so I can focus. I love the do not disturb sign idea for work! enjoy your sits day!
Thanks for stopping by Nellie! So happy you found the tips helpful!
Great tips! We had to make a rule about checking email only a few times a day at our company because it is such a time-suck!
Great rule Leah! I know it is hard to do sometimes. Thanks for visiting!
I agree with you about scheduled breaks for yourself. Otherwise the little kid in you will protest big time. Thanks for the post. I’ve visited your site before. Enjoy your SITS Day.
Thank you for your repeat visit Sheila! I really appreciate it!
Amazing list! I try my darndest to do all this, but productivity is hard – even for an experienced freelancer like me. SO many distractions!
Yes, it is hard and you can’t control it all, but you can take steps to reduce them. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Love the tips! Very helpful.
Thanks Kimberly!
Great post! I definitely need to improve on this. I need to schedule my day better and stick to it!
Thanks so much for stopping by Michelle!
A great post of the basics … stick to these and everything else falls into line! 🙂
My most frequent interruption? … My brain thinking of other (unrelated to the task in hand) stuff – always have a notepad handy to scribble those things down and put them into my next plan! 😉
He he! Me too Fran….I am like the dog in the movie Up…”squirrel!”….This will sound weird if you have not seen the movie LOL! Thanks for stopping by!
haha – nope not seen the movie … but I will and I’ll think of this 😉
I am very easily distracted, but I find that writing down a list of things that need to get down really helps me out. Next I need to work on reducing my interruptions!
Yes, me too and I agree writing them down does help!
Increase productivity…quit blogging. At least that would help me. haha.
He he…well I would not go THAT far! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
These are great reminders. I could read a post like this every month and still find it useful, just because it’s so easy to get drawn away by distractions. T.V. and notifications are my distractions. I should probably turn off the notifications for everything internet and just check it when I have the time.
That sounds like it would work for you Joi! Thanks so much for stopping by and hope to see you again soon. 🙂
I’m terrible with the emails. Seriously, sometimes it’s like every half hour I’m checking my email… I don’t know why I do that?
I think we are all afraid that we might miss something. The nice thing about email is that it will still be there. Thanks for stopping by!
This is something I’m working on as we speak. Sometimes, I can be all over the place. I often wonder how I do it. Happy SITS Day!
Isn’t that the truth? I wonder too! Thanks for visiting the island Whitney!
I am my most frequent interruption! I always, always try to do too many things at once. And while I am a good multi-tasker, sometimes it isn’t a good thing to multi-task. When they ask me my weakness in job interviews I usually tell them that my ability to multi-task is my strength and weakness…
great post!
I so agree about multi-tasking Kelly! Thank you so much for your sweet comment!
I’ve been trying to do set aside time for my tasks and prioritize. Love this post! Great info, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by Adrienn. Glad you found the tips helpful!
Interruptions are inevitable especially when you have little ones. The entire day I have two kids always asking me for juice or milk or crackers. I swear this is like every 5 minutes! It’s hard for me to focus but planning and writing things down does help. And of course taking some time for yourself but that’s hard to get too. But, I always say, you have got to keep trying otherwise life will just pass you by. Thanks for the tips!
Yes you do Dannellys. I agree it is all about balance and we have to be flexible too. Thanks for visiting!
Thanks for the great advice! Happy SITS day!
Thanks for visiting Kristiina! 🙂
I love the tips! I’m pretty good about prioritizing my time, but I do have to say distractions can get the best of me…something I am continually working on! Happy SITS Day!
Thank you Melissa. I appreciate you stopping by!
My best technique is to implement virtual “fences”. If I have chores in the morning, I will put a post it note on my laptop that says “Adrian cannot be on here until 11:00 o’clock”. If I have a big project at work, I have a little pencil box that I will put my cell phone in so I’m not tempted to check it. I’ve gotten into the habit of listening to music when I’m particularly focused on a project, so putting my headphones on acts as a trigger for me to get into a more focused state of mind. It also keeps people from interrupting me as much.
I love the idea of virtual fences Adrian.It is easy to procrastinate if we let ourselves. I also find music a great motivator as well. Thank you so much for your comment!
Scheduling social media is such a big help!
#4! I ALWAYS feel better when I do that. Otherwise I get so burnt out with the email. And it does throw off other tasks.
Love it Tamara!
I am so very very bad at determining how much time I need for certain tasks…or even for setting time limits on my activities. For instance, already today, I’ve taken too much time for a couple activities and now I’m pressed for time to do other very important tasks. Grrr! I will definitely need to get back to watching this 🙂
I promise it gets easier. We all need downtime, but it’s those time wasters we want to watch. Thanks for visiting Kendall.
Great tips! I find that I procrastinate so easily especially if a task is daunting!
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