Top 10 tips to improve your productivity in life

What does it mean to be productive?

Many people strive to be productive and creative. But many of them do not know what it means to be productive. Being productive is one of those qualities that is universally regarded as positive, similar to being courteous, caring, or helping. In other words, being productive means that you’re productive when you’re successfully handling a task which is not internally rewarding. We must complete a task before its due or in advance. When we stick only to our career or external tasks, we become blind to the true productivity.

We must always free our time to do something which we like the most. For example, if a man working in a corporate sector loves pampering his pets, or a home maker who loves to take nature photography should always find their time to do the things they love. It’s these little things that makes a human happy and gives a pleasant satisfaction than the external and material luxuries.

Here are few easy tips to enhance your productivity.

1. Learn your priorities

2. Focus on one goal at a time

There’s a famous proverb in English which says – “A person who runs after two rabbits catches none.” Similarly, we have to focus on one goal at a time. Know which task is important at that time, then organize things and work on it first. Stop multi-tasking, because it makes you less productive, leaving you unsuccessful in either one.

3.Group similar tasks

When you are having too much works to do, first group similar jobs. For example, if you are having too many messages to respond and work on an assignment too, then first complete either work. Don’t respond to one message, then work on your paper and then get back to another message. First respond all the messages, close them and start working on your assignment full-fledged. Because switching between tasks might mislead you in several ways like lack of concentration, doing it best and several break downs too.

4. Have a to-do list

Every day we might have a lot of works to do, which is why at times we could not find time for ourselves to be productive. One of the simple ways to organize this fuzz is to have a to-do list.

This way of organizing things can help us gain better control of our works. For example, write down the tasks from morning to night in order and as you complete off a work, just cross off the completed tasks. Moreover, this helps to ensure if you have completed all your day’s tasks.

5.Find your creative hours

We have different sleep patterns, and we are unique in each way. Few of us are morning people, who wakes up early in the morning and be energetic; some find relaxing and energetic during the evening; and many are night owls.

First identify what sort of person you are and what time makes you feel energetic to work. Engage yourself in those hours with heavy productive works or the works which you love to do and schedule the rest of the hours on less-strategic works. Try to find at least 2-3 hours a day to dive into your productivity.

6.Once in a while, stop and reflect

Don’t just fill yourself with work the whole day. Try to take a step back at times and see if everything is really working. Since you indulge in too many tasks, it’s possible that few might not have worked the way you want it to. So, see what’s working and what needs to be changed and what needs to be prioritized.

7. Take breaks often

When you have a lot of works to focus on, it’s usual that your mind cannot concentrate. Whenever you feel struck, close your eyes, have a deep breathe, and take a break. Take 5 minutes break for every 30 minutes, as our human brain cannot focus beyond 30-40 minutes. Try not to engage in other relaxing things like sleeping or eating or involving in social media. Give a short 5-minute rest to your brain and ensure that you come back refreshed.

8. Work smarter, not harder

Everyone must have heard the saying – “work smart.” Because when you put in a lot of effort on one particular task, your energy and mental strength as well as physical will be worn. Though we are always thought that working hard is the best way, it’s advisable and wiser to do smart work. In a hard work, you simply perform a task to the best, whereas, in a smart work, you get your job done in an efficient way. You become more creative, adaptable, spontaneous, learning and appropriate with your work.

“I choose a lazy person to do a hard job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it” – Bill Gates.

9. Make use of the mornings

It is scientifically proven that human brains are more creative and energetic in the early mornings after the wake. It is an optimal time for a person to be productive during his/her mornings. The concentration level of the brain is at its highest for a few hours after waking up. Moreover, your morning mood determines your whole day; it has a huge impact on your tasks for the rest of the day. According to surveys, early risers tend to get better jobs and education, and generally outstand in their careers. It’s better if you have a short walk in the early mornings as it boosts your energy further.

10. End your day when you feel

Writer Ernest Hemmingway has a terrific productivity tip: when things are going well, stop working for the day. That way, your mind will work on the assignment subconsciously until you resume it the next day. If you struggle towards the end of the day, you can find yourself thinking about work, making it tough to get back on track.

Before you go…

Being productive doesn’t mean you have to do more things. It’s not about the ‘quantity’ rather the ‘quality’ matters. Focus on the tasks you perform, give them the best and ensure that you have brought the best out of you. Most importantly, take time for yourself to do the things you love and lastly, enjoy the things you do.