Boost Productivity

It was one of those days. I was busy all day but when 5:00 rolled around, I didn’t feel like I had completed anything. I’m sure you’ve been there. Some days I am a machine and feel like I’ve really accomplished something at the end of the day. Other days, well, let’s just say there are days when I feel like I’ve been spinning my wheels, going nowhere and wondering where my day went.  

No one needs more stress.  In search of answers, I hopped online and was soon drowning in articles about productivity. I spent hours looking at this stuff and wasn’t feeling any more productive or enlightened. Total information overload. I found articles promoting 27, 35 or even 101 ways to become more productive! It was way too much information for me. 

Creating more stress was definitely not what I was after. To help others increase their productivity (and not stress!) I have narrowed down my top 10 easiest ways to increase productivity.

Someone once said mess creates stress. The idea is that cleaning out the clutter in your workspace will clean out the clutter in your head, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.

You inbox is a necessary part of business, but constantly checking email is a time-grabber. 

You might find checking emails every hour or every 90 minutes works for you. Figure out what works for you and stick to it.

Trying to do more than one thing at a time doesn’t work. You end up not giving either task your full attention, which results in both of them taking longer than necessary. Take one thing at a time.

I know it feels good to be focused and go at it for hours. You feel super productive, but surprisingly you will be more productive if you get up every 60 or 90 minutes and take a short break. Even 5 minutes can make a difference. And if you can manage 10 or 15 minutes away, you get bonus points for going outside for fresh air and sunshine.

I never drink enough water, but I’m working on it. You have more energy when you’re properly hydrated. More energy helps to increase productivity. Boom! (Drinking more water can also help with #4. You will move more.) 

Mom always said, “you are what you eat.” Food is the fuel of your body and better food translates to higher energy and more productivity. Remember, junk in equals junk out. No one needs that mid-afternoon carb crash.

No, you don’t have to become a gym rat. As little as 20 minutes in the morning and evening can increase your energy level.

Make a list of bad habits you need to stop doing. Removing these time wasters and replacing them with good habits over time will increase your productivity.

Consider changing up your regular meeting for a standing meeting. People tend to be less likely to drone on (about something no one else cares about) when they’re standing, resulting in more focused, shorter meetings. Shorter meetings make everyone happy and allows you to get back to your tasks faster, increasing your productivity. Win-win! 

How am I doing so far? Seems simple enough to incorporate into your daily routine, right? You may even be doing some of them already. Good for you! Take a deep breath, and let’s move along to number 10.  

Yep, I went there. The number 1 distraction for me – and likely for you — is my cell phone. Turn off the notifications. It may only take a minute to review the notification, but the time you take to refocus on the task at hand is impacting your productivity. And, as we all know, glancing at notifications leads to clicking, and clicking leads to looking and suddenly you’re wondering where the last 25 minutes went. Am I right?

Little changes in your daily routine will make a difference. 

You’ll soon be a productivity machine and everyone will want to know your secret. Here’s a freebie for you: When you have a bad day, don’t dwell on it. Everyone has them. Learn from it if you can. Then leave it behind and move forward!

Share what works for you by dropping your productivity tips below. Now it’s time for me to get up and move!