12 Changes You Need to Make to Be More Productive

Being productive is something all people want or aspire to. But the thing is that the world we all live in is fast-paced. Your agenda or schedule is most of the time full, as you need to work, do your household chores, and take care of the family. And where is the time left for yourself and your hobbies and passions?

One of the reasons many people are in this situation is because they are not productive. They do not know how to organize their time, delegate tasks, and change harmful habits that would help them be more productive.

Being productive comes with more time for yourself, but also with a better state of mind. If you are productive, you are more efficient and thus you reduce the impact stress could have on your mental health state. Your well-being levels will increase and you will feel better. But which are the 12 changes you need to make to be more productive?

1. A Daily Routine

Most people fail to set a daily agenda for their work or weekend days, and here is where they are mistaken. Having a daily agenda helps you to not miss the things that are urgent and necessary to be done. It helps you keep track of your tasks, delegate, postpone or cancel them, thus organizing your time however you want.

Setting your daily agenda is an important hack that will help you lower your stress levels. This means that, if you organize your time carefully, you will start becoming more productive.

2. Prioritize Your Tasks

Sometimes, productivity levels are affected by the huge number of tasks that need to be completed. However, if you take a step back and analyze them, you will start to notice that not all are urgent and necessary.

One trick that could help you prioritize your tasks so that you are sure you do not miss on the important ones, is by using the Eisenhower Matrix.

The Eisenhower Matrix is also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix and helps you decide and prioritize your tasks. You can filter and group your daily tasks on four categories: Urgent and Important, Not Urgent but Important, Not Urgent and Not Important, Urgent and Not Important. Tasks that are in the categories of less important but urgent can be delegated, while the ones that are neither important nor urgent should not be done at all.

Focus on the important and urgent tasks you have to do today, and schedule the important but not so urgent ones.

3. Productive Commute

If you need to commute to go to work, then you should think about making your commute productive. There are at least 30 minutes spent traveling between your house and your office, so it would be a nice idea to use this time productively. You can start the day by reading during your commute, cleaning your inbox, learning a new skill, or making the schedule for the day.

4. Meditate

Meditation is one of the most important productivity hacks. Meditation, if practiced regularly, helps you relax and relieve stress. It can be practiced anytime. For example, you can meditate during a commute, when you wake up, or during your lunch break. It has incredible benefits on your mental state and well-being, and it can enhance your work satisfaction.

5. Exercise

Even though it may seem counterintuitive, exercising can help you become more productive. Exercising, no matter in which form, helps you raise your energy levels, beat negative stress effects, and increase well-being levels. This will help you focus better, and thus increase your productivity.

6. Take Breaks

One of the misconceptions most people have is that productivity is about constantly doing what you have to do. But this is wrong, as many people think that regular breaks harm their productivity. But in fact, they harm their productivity themselves because working without taking breaks can lead to high levels of stress, exhaustion, and burnout. You need a break to refresh your mind and replenish its resources.

7. Break Goals into Smaller Ones

Another habit you need to change to be more productive is to stop following one big goal. Instead, you should break it into smaller ones. Think about these small goals as small steps that will surely lead you to your final goal. Step by step, you will do it.

8. Turn Off Your Notifications

Being connected to everything and everyone is one of the main characteristics of today’s world. All devices help us stay connected and not miss a thing, but this can take a halt on your productivity. The best thing you could do is to turn off your notifications while you work. Like this, you reduce the power of distractions and increase your concentration power.

9. Track Your Time

One of the best ways to boost your productivity is by tracking your time. Maybe in the morning you feel you cannot do your tasks and start procrastinating. Or maybe this happens after lunch. This is an effective way to identify the most productive times of the day and plan your tasks and activities accordingly.

10. Sleep Enough

Most people are not aware of the huge benefits sleep has. Many think that it is just a necessary activity without real benefits, but it turns out that sleep can help you improve your memory. At the same time, it helps you rest, it replenishes your resources and improves your productivity. Studies have shown that people who have poor sleep are also less productive.

11. Listen to Music

This might seem tricky, as music is a distraction for some people. The thing is, you need to find the music that helps you be productive and enter your flow state. You should avoid music that has lyrics or high beats, as these can easily distract you when you work. It would be best if you choose instrumental and low-fi music that helps you relax and focus better.

12. Avoid Multitasking

When you have a lot of tasks to be done, starting working on more than one task at a time can seriously harm your productivity. Studies have shown that multitasking reduces your productivity by 40%, so it is better to avoid it. During multitasking you divide your attention between more stimuli and tasks at the same time, preventing yourself to focus and work effectively.

Conclusion

Being productive is something important, as it gives us flow, satisfaction, and time for ourselves. There are so many harmful habits people adopt and that take a toll on their productivity. Stop multitasking, listen to instrumental music, track your time, and sleep enough. Prioritize your tasks, avoid distractions, take breaks, exercise, and meditate. And being productive will be a piece of cake with these tips and tricks.

Author Bio:

Charlie Svensson is a fast, engaging freelance essay writer. Skilled in content writing and blogging, his favorite topics are education, social media, marketing, SEO, motivation blogging, and self-growth. Excellent adaptability of skills to reach diverse audiences.