Productivity is a topic that so many of us are fascinated by.
We look at successful people and wonder: how do they get so much done in a day?
Luckily, productivity doesn’t necessarily mean overhauling your entire life in order to get things done. Oftentimes, it’s the little tweaks to your current routine that can make a big difference.
Whether it’s making more effective to-do lists or batching your tasks, these are all small things you can do to make your life a lot easier.
Below are our favorite productivity tips to better manage your work, goals, and personal life. These productivity tips will help you be more efficient with your time and energy–while also leaving some room in the tank.
The idea isn’t to try all of these productivity tips at once. Just pick one or two tips and try them out. You’ll be well on your way to getting more done.
1. Do the easiest thing off your to-do list first. Then use the momentum and confidence to do a task you’ve been putting off.
2. Try the Pomodoro method. Set your timer for 25 minutes and focus on your work. Take a break. Repeat the circuit. Can’t do 25 minutes? Set it for 15 minutes and build your endurance.
3. Avoid the Sunday Scaries with a weekly “cozy vibes” plan. Schedule activities in your planner that will give you cozy vibes. Comforting soup and your favorite Netflix show. A walk in the park with friends. This will get you psyched for the week ahead.
4. Procrastinating due to a fear of failure? Do this: Make a list of reasons why you’re scared then flip the script. Reframe “I’m scared I’ll make a fool of myself” to “I’m allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.”
5. Make a list of fun ways to treat yourself. Throughout the week, use this list as motivation and then reward yourself after finishing a task.
6. Use the Kanban Method to manage multiple projects. Marking the project as “pending”, “review”, and “done” will help you track the status of all the moving pieces.
7. Make your morning commute easier. Set up your work bag, tools, and clothes the night before so that you’re not scrambling in the morning.
8. WFH folks: Set up your workspace the night before so that you can transition easily into work mode. That means notebook, pens, and post-its are organized and easy to access.
9. In the morning, ask yourself two things: 1) What is one work thing I can do today that will make me feel accomplished? (e.g. returning an email, drafting a presentation, pitching a new client). 2) What is one thing I can do today that will make me feel good? (e.g. taking a leisurely walk, having a cup of afternoon tea). You’ll do something good for your work and for your soul.
10. Write a to-do list and then put a star next to the three most urgent tasks. Do those first.
11. Make a list of tasks you can easily do from your phone. Make a dinner reservation, send a work email, brainstorm gift ideas in your Notes app. The next time you find yourself in a doctor’s waiting room or waiting in a long line, you can kill time with these tasks.
12. Make a list of chores you can do in ten minutes. For example: tidying shelves, wiping kitchen counters, organizing dresser drawers. Do these tasks the next time you have 10 minutes to spare.
13. Make a list of chores you can do in 30-60 minutes. Clean the bathroom, clean the floors, organize your closet. Pick one of these the next time you’re listening to your favorite podcast or watching a Netflix program.
14. When you get an email about a meeting or work event, add it to your online calendar. Copy/paste the meeting notes/information from the email so that you’re not desperately searching for it right before the meeting.
15. Keep a designated donation bag in your closet. This way you can keep closet clutter at bay by regularly tossing in any clothing items you no longer wear. Donate the bag at the end of the month.
16. Schedule your medical appointments around your birthday. You’ll always remember the date and you’ll get your new year off to a healthy start.
17. Keep a doc for all your “work compliments.” This way, you can have a list of your accomplishments and strengths ready for your next performance review.
18. On that same note, keep a file of your weekly to-do lists. Now you’ll have a document of all the things you accomplished week-to-week.
19. On Friday, make a list of things that went well that week, things that could’ve gone better, and things you can do to course correct. This will help you feel more prepared and confident for the week ahead.
20. Take one small career risk a week. Ask a coworker you respect out to coffee. Draft a cold pitch for a potential client. Connect with someone you admire on LinkedIn. This will help you build momentum for your long-term career goals.
21. Dragging your heels on a task? Lower your targets. Instead of working for 1 hour, aim for 15 minutes. Instead of writing 20 pages, aim for 5. Exceed your expectations and then raise the bar the next time.
22. Prioritize your tasks with the post-it trick. Write down your tasks on a post-it and only do the ones that fit on it.
23. Batch similar tasks. Do your emails in one batch. Do admin in another batch. Do house cleaning in another batch. This way you’re not toggling between different skill sets and tasks, and you can stay focused.
24. Every morning, check your planner and online calendar so that you have a clear overview of your upcoming deadlines and appointments.
25. Make a list of “want to do’s.” Maybe it’s making a vision board, reaching out to a professional you respect, making a travel wish list. The next time you’re bored, do something off this list.
