Each day can be exhausting and you may find yourself having difficulty in staying productive.
There is so much to do and often you procrastinate. You end up not being able to fulfill all your tasks. Your workload then piles up as the week progresses and you continue to lag behind in your goals.
So, how do you stay productive throughout your day?
We have got the best practices for you to optimize your day and get your tasks done.
How to Stay Productive Throughout Your Day
Becoming better at productivity isn’t easy!
We suggest saving this guide so you can always refer to these best practices for improving your productivity.
1. Schedule and Prepare
While it may be tempting to go with the flow, it’s always better to schedule your tasks ahead of time.
There is a reason why bodybuilders prepare their meals instead of deciding on the spot where to get the next meal from. This helps them schedule their workouts and eating routines. Doing so helps them work toward their bodybuilding goals.
Regardless of what your goals are, you need to have the scheduling discipline of a bodybuilder.
Here are a few things to schedule and prepare:
- Prepare your meals ahead of time or have an idea of what you will cook
- Have tomorrow’s outfit laid out before going to bed
- Write down your tasks for the next day in a diary
These three things will make a huge difference to your day.
2. Time Management
It should be as no surprise that time management is crucial for staying productive.
Try your best to schedule your tasks during different time blocks. You may not always be able to stick to your time blocks at the start. But you will see an increase in productivity when you do so.
For example, let us suppose you wish to exercise for 20 minutes before starting your work in the morning. Set a timer just before you begin your exercises so that you continue exercising for 20 minutes and so you can stop on time.
When you start working, you may wish to work for 4 hours before taking a break. Perhaps you can go for lunch or for going for a short walk. Set an alarm for the time when you want to take your break.
Having these timers and alarms will help you maintain discipline in your work. There are many apps that can help with time management such as Pomodoro for Mac that can make the process much easier.
3. Get Some Rest
A huge part of productivity is, paradoxically, not being productive.
It’s imperative that you get adequate rest before starting your day. While we are obsessed with productivity and “hustling” in today’s culture, we forget about the importance of resting.
But we urge you to get a good night’s sleep before starting your day. If you wake up uncharacteristically early, then you should try to get a few more hours of rest. Don’t force yourself to wake up.
We also mentioned taking breaks in the previous tip. While you may be tempted to work nonstop during the day or complete one chore after the next, you must take some time to relax.
Don’t hesitate to take an afternoon nap or to go for a short walk your break times. When you are on your lunch break, you should try to avoid fulfilling a task. Instead, focus on enjoying your meal.
4. Automation and Delegation
Automation and delegation are great ways to free up your schedule. And freeing up your schedule is the best way to stay productive.
For automation, you have a variety of tasks that can be fulfilled. For example, let us suppose you have to send several emails throughout the week. These have to be sent on different days and at different times.
You can write all your emails on Sunday and then schedule them to be sent during the week. If you use Gmail, there is a built-in option to schedule emails. If not, there are plenty of apps and browser extensions for this.
This is just one example of how automation can free up your time, letting you focus on what matters most.
But what about delegation?
If you are able to delegate tasks this also frees up your time. For example, if you want to build muscles you need to follow a strict exercise routine.
If you don’t have the time to research the proper exercise routines for achieving this goal, why not delegate this task to a personal trainer?
Similarly, if you don’t have time to research your ideal meal plan, you can delegate this task to a nutritionist.
5. Don’t Be Distracted
Finally, the only way to really stay productive – is to not be distracted!
We won’t be surprised if this is the main reason why you are not getting things done throughout your day.
So how do you prevent yourself from being distracted?
The first step is to clear your workspace of any distractions. Unless you have to make regular calls, your phone should not be on your desk. Keep it in a drawer or leave it to charge elsewhere.
If you work a lot on your computer and do not need to browse the web, you may want to use a tool such as Freedom, to disable internet use so you can focus on your work.
It’s also imperative that you maintain a clean environment. Your desk should neat and your room should be tidy. If there is a lot of noise outside your home – why not try working from a library or coworking space?
If you are exercising at the gym, you may want to keep your phone in your gym bag so you are focused entirely on your exercise – and not checking social media between sets!
Get Things Done Today
Now that you know how to stay productive, you will be able to get things done! Again, we suggest saving this guide and referring back to it whenever you find your productivity dwindling.
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