Identify time wasters
Focus on identifying and eliminating the things that drain time from your day. This is possibly one of the most obvious ways to increase productivity, but one of the hardest to implement. The most common offenders are social media and television. If you find social media obsession creeping into your work-block try sectioning it to a specific part of your day, such as on the subway home or after dinner. If you regulate your time more carefully your productivity will be boosted in a meaningful way.
Create a daily task list
One of the simplist ways to free up time and have a more productive day is to prioritize the things you need to do each day. Creating a task list for the day ahead can help you mentally prepare, rather than getting overwhelmed. A way to further increase your productivity is to make Weekly and Monthly task lists. Staying focused on priorities will give you a greater sense of accomplishment.
Take short breaks throughout the day
Breaking up a long project or work session with a quick break can help you reenergize and be more productive. This is especially true for people who spend long hours on the computer each day. Giving your eyes a rest from the computer can prevent visual fatigue and protect your eyesight.
Get up early
Waking up earlier than normal can be a great way to add more productive hours to your day. Setting your alarm an hour earlier is a great place to start, even if you aren’t a morning person. You should notice the payoff once you make a habit of putting your morning to good use. So, go ahead and invest in some strong coffee, you can thank me later.
Avoid multitasking
Many people take pride in the number of jobs and projects they can simultaneously manage. However, studies show this isn’t good for productivity. We tend to be more productive when we focus on only one job. Once the most important task is finished we can focus on the next task in the list.
Reward yourself when you complete tasks
Humans are reward driven. That’s why we are willing to work so hard for the chance of promotion. Adding a reward to the end of a big task may give you enough drive to complete it faster. This is a great tool for chronic procrastinations. Some ways to increase productivity can be quite fun. This is one example where you can be as creative as you like!
Set up your workspace
Tailor your working environment as best you can to suit your needs. If you work in an office this can include decorating you work area to suit your preferences. If you work from home or are a student you should consider where you get the most work done. Most ways to increase productivity start with personality and environment. The area you work in is one of the biggest influences on your productivity and should be conductive to work.
Add music to your environment
Not everyone works well with noise, and music is no exception. If you enjoy music feel free to grab your earphones and throw on some tunes that will help you get into the zone and bust out that overdue project report. If music isn’t your thing you can look up one of the many background noise apps like Noisli. Although the concept of using ‘noise to increase productivity by drowning out other noise’ is bizarre, it actually works. Playing background noise can help improve focus and concentration.
Lay out clothes for the next day
Fumbling around early in the morning while you look for a matching pair of socks is no fun. It’s especially painful if you do this in the dark while your partner sleeps. Avoid this problem by picking out a set of clothes before you sleep. This will help save time in your morning routine, as well as help you avoid any embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions.
Get enough sleep
Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to feel well rested. A large number of people report nightly sleep of ~6 hours per night. While they may not notice any difference at first, continued sleep deprivation can lead to chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, and depression. If you are suffering from limited sleep and feel overworked you might want to consider changing your sleeping habits.
Conclusion
These 10 ways to increase productivity and be more productive are a good place to start. If you have any other ideas feel free to let us know in the comments below!