Nine Foolproof Productivity Hacks

When it comes to improving productivity, you’re only as good as the tools you use. Use the right tools, in the right way, and they will immediately help improve your effectiveness and efficiency throughout the day. When it comes to productivity, there are three tools in particular that are of most value. These tools include task lists, calendars and checklists. Use task lists to prioritize key tasks and projects you will work on each day. Use a calendar to schedule specific blocks of time for completing these tasks and projects. Use checklists to systematize and accelerate your workflow as you work through each individual task.

Using the right tools is a great start, however they will end up being quite useless if you’re unable to separate yourself from distractions that interrupt your workflow. There are specifically two types of distractions that you must address. The first are external distractions, and the second are internal distractions. External distractions include people, noise, smells, physical discomfort, and visual stimuli that interfere with your ability to focus. On the other hand, internal distractions come as thoughts and emotions that affect your ability to concentrate. Be ruthless when dealing with these distractions.

In order to improve your productivity, you must commit yourself to working smarter, not harder. This is of course all about effective prioritization. Specifically it’s about focusing on the things that matter most. These are of course the big rocks, or in other words, the tasks and activities that have the greatest long-term payoffs. Yes, you can certainly focus on all the little things. They will no doubt keep you very busy. However, what true long-term value do these activities have? Consider also the opportunity cost. Focusing on the little stuff means that you may run out of time for the big stuff. What could that cost you in the long-run?

Now that you have your priorities in order, it’s time to work through your tasks more efficiently. Productivity is of course first and foremost about working smarter. But in order to work smarter, you must utilize your time more effectively. One way to do that is to group related tasks together and then work through them within fixed time slots. This will save you the trouble of working through similar tasks several times per day. This is of course quite beneficial as it helps you avoid falling into the multi-tasking trap. Multi-tasking involves dividing you attention between two different types of tasks, which often ends up hurting productivity.

Improving productivity isn’t purely about what you do and how you go about accomplishing those tasks. It’s also about the mindset you bring to each task. Specifically it’s all about working with a sense of purpose, a deep desire, and a passion for getting the job done. When you work with purpose all your energy and efforts are aligned in one direction. This naturally helps you to stay focused for longer. However, working with purpose requires an understanding of why you’re doing what you’re doing. It also requires getting very clear about the true long-term value you will gain from working through each task.

One of the best and fastest ways to immediately improve your levels of productivity comes in the form of a timer. A timer is an incredibly effective tool because it helps create a sense of urgency. When we work with no deadline, we are more at ease and kind of relax our way into our work routine. However, when there is an imminent deadline on the horizon, that is when we muster up the extra energy we need to get stuff done in record time. With that in mind, schedule all your tasks into specific time slots, then set a timer for completing each task. This will provide you with that extra urgency you need to get stuff done.

These days, there are an incredible array of tech tools that are designed to help us work more productively and stay focused on our highest priority activities. The goal of these tools is of course to simplify our lives, and to systematize and streamline our workflow. You could of course ignore what’s out there and just focus on using traditional productivity tools such as calendars, task lists and checklists. Technology can however enhance all these tools and provide you with more efficient ways of managing and tracking your progress. However, use technology with caution. As great as it is, it can also very quickly become a distraction.

n order to sustain high levels of productivity over the long-run, it’s important that you stay sufficiently motivated. One of the best ways to do that is to make work fun and exciting. For instance, instead of dreading going through that budget report, why not turn it into a game and challenge yourself to complete it within a certain time frame. Or how about pretending that you are a secret agent on a mission to unlock a secret code that is found within that report. Or what about stimulating some friendly competition between you and your workmates. By making things fun, work no longer feels like a chore, but rather more like playtime.

Working for hours on end, is certainly admirable. But is it really sensible? Does working for longer mean that we will achieve more at the end of the day? Well actually, it doesn’t. Research has found that we can sustain high levels of focus and concentration for short bursts at a time. After this period, our focus and concentration dwindle, until we reach a point where we start to feel mentally fatigued. This subsequently makes us more susceptible to distractions, which of course diminishes our levels of productivity. To avoid falling into this trap, it can be helpful to spend 25 minutes working, and 5 minutes resting every cycle.