Productivity doesn’t come naturally to many people. When it comes to buckling down and getting to work, they’re easily distracted and find themselves procrastinating until that last-minute rush.
Then there are the people who are so productive they finish everything they set their mind to in no time and then find some more projects to work on. These are the people who get to work instantly and don’t really stop until they’ve reached their goal.
Those non-productive procrastinators look on in awe and wonder as their counterparts do every job available without skipping a beat. They’re efficient, effective, and somehow they do a high-quality job every single time.
If you’re one of those productivity ninjas then give yourself a pat on the back. However, if you’re like most everyone else, you could probably use some lessons in productivity in order to get yourself in gear, make the most of your time, and simply get things done.
What is productivity?
Essentially, productivity is accomplishing the things you need to accomplish quickly and with minimal effort. It’s reaching your goals without sacrificing too much of yourself or your time.
That’s why people who are constantly working and have no time for anything else aren’t really productive. While they may be accomplishing things, they’re missing out on the whole not “sacrificing too much of yourself or your time” part.
A productive person isn’t productive because they’re trapped in doing too much. They’re constantly working but have no time to enjoy the fruit of their work. They finish one thing but have another waiting in the wings.
Those who are productive work smarter, not harder. This person get things done in the most optimal manner and then have plenty of time for themselves.
A productive person isn’t rushed. They don’t keep working right up until the deadline. Instead, they get right to work as soon as they can. These people use tools, resources, and methods that enable them to work efficiently, and they are easily able to finish quickly, usually ahead of schedule.
The concept of productivity is really just a way to make sure all tasks are done quickly and that people are able to turn off from their day’s, week’s, month’s, or year’s work and relax. It’s learning how to use the time in your day efficiently so that you actually have time while also getting things done and reaching your goals.
Why increase productivity?
Increasing your productivity will benefit you in a number of ways. As a whole, you’ll simply be gaining time in your day to spend the way that you choose. You’ll have time to relax, time to read, time to learn something new, or even time to design some new projects and new goals to work towards.
By becoming more productive you will also be reducing the overall stress in your life. When you are efficiently completing tasks and reaching goals, you won’t have as many things on your plate that are weighing down on you.
Increasing productivity also increases your satisfaction and vision. Every goal that you have, every dream that you dream, is waiting for you to take hold and get started. It’s the tasks in your life, whether business or personal, that keep you from fulfilling them.
Yet, when you become more productive, you’ll have the time to work towards your goals and the fruition of your dreams. In fact, your productivity skills will actually help you in their pursuit, as you’ll have the knowledge and ability to get started, keep going, and complete them.
It’s actually a great practice to keep your overall vision in mind as you begin your productivity strategy. Your vision is your purpose which can and will guide you through until you’ve built the habit of productivity.
What do productive people do?
Productive people are creatures of habit. They build great habits and tend to not let anything stand in the way.
It takes at least one month to build a new habit. What that means is that if you work on a new habit every day for a week and then stop for a day, you’ll probably never start again. But, if you work on that same habit every day for a month and then stop for a day, you’ll probably continue the habit again the very next day.
Once you’ve developed a new habit, you’ll be able to add it into your daily routine in order to make sure it’s done easily every day. By doing so, your new habit will become as regular as brushing your teeth. This means you won’t even need to think in order to complete your new habit, as it will be a simple and expected part of your day.
What habits should I build for productivity?
There are many habits that can be used in your quest for productivity. They’re tried and true habits that are used by most of those productivity ninjas. By implementing some of these habits, you’ll be well on your way to a productive lifestyle.
Productive habits include:
- Making sure to work on the most important tasks first each day.
- Follow the 80/20 rule.
- Break each large task up into small, doable tasks.
- Be prepared.
- Reduce the number of decisions you’ll need to make.
- Make sure you have effective communication processes.
- Continue your skill education. Keep learning. Keep growing.
- Say no when you need to.
- Work on your projects, even if you’re not motivated.
- Take time for yourself to relax and recharge.
- Refuse to multitask- focus on one thing at a time.
These habits are useful for building the skill of productivity. They can help you to properly manage your time and reduce your distractions in order to stay focused on your goals.
What are the basics of increasing productivity?
When you decide that you’re ready to focus on increasing your productivity, you’ll need to remind yourself that it’s going to take time. You’re not going to wake up one day and decide that you’re going to learn everything you want to learn that day.
Each step towards increased productivity is important and not to be rushed over. You’ll need to break each goal into manageable steps so that you can slowly move towards building the habit of productivity.
You will also want to find an accountability partner that you can talk to on a regular basis. You’ll share your dreams, visions, goals, steps, and failures with them so that they can help you create the right path to get where you want to go. With someone meaningful watching over you and your work, you’ll be certain to stay on track and work as productively as possible.
Find a great accountability partner on ActionBuddy, the best place to find a partner who will see you through to the end. They’ll help you beat procrastination and motivate you to keep going.
It’s also important to realize that you’re going to make mistakes. When that happens you need to brush yourself off and keep going. If you’ve stepped on someone else’s feet, make sure you apologize. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you made. Forgive yourself for hiring the wrong person or saying the wrong thing.
One of the most important things you need to do in order to increase your productivity is to get rid of tempting distractions, such as social media. Everyone knows it’s a time sucker. You sit down to do work but decide to look at your phone first. You’re scrolling through Instagram, double-tapping your favorite pictures to give them a like. Before you know it, it’s an hour later and you haven’t gotten anything done.
When you are sitting down to work, put your distractions away. Put your phone away, don’t go on Facebook, just remove every potential tempting distraction.
The most productive people separate their work time from their personal time. Those types of distractions would be considered personal. Therefore, as soon as they begin working towards productivity, they remove themselves entirely from those crafty little distractions.
When you’re getting ready to embark on productive activity, you will want to make sure that you’re well-hydrated, have a number of healthy snacks, and you’re prepared to take breaks with physical activity or a pop of nature.
These things will keep your head above water. Exercise and nature are two of the most stress-relieving things out there. If you’re taking regular breaks, getting some exercise, and breathing fresh air, you’ll notice your productivity increasing in no time.
In the end, be kind to yourself. You’re motivated and ready to get started. Take your time and when you’re able, jump in.