10 Productivity Hacks to Be Your Most Productive Self
We’re all searching for that one method, calendar planner or tool to help us get it all done and, if there’s anything we’ve learned, it is that there is no one, single thing that leads to productivity. But, lucky for you, we’ve rounded up our top productivity hacks to help you weed through your options so you can find the ones that work best and add them to your toolbox!
the best path to productivity is creating a system that works for you!
1. PLAN YOUR DAYS
Whether you’re a stay at home mom, are working a 9-5, running a small business or even working on a side passion, when your days aren’t planned, you’ll feel lost as you go. As women, we often have too many balls in the air that we are juggling. We suggest writing down a detailed plan of your day either early in the morning or the evening before. Write everything you need to do so that you have a sense of direction and aim to prioritize top tasks so you know what to focus on next. This will eliminate the guesswork and you’ll waste less time determining what to do next. As always, remind yourself to be forgiving if you aren’t able to stick to the plan exactly. Rest in the knowledge that we all have things that simply come up and interrupt our plans. Tomorrow is a new day where you can get back on track!
2. TOP THREE
List out your top three priorities or tasks. Identifying your top three will lead to a greater sense of accomplishment and help you to hone in on the most achievable tasks for each day. Focus on important tasks that will move you toward your larger goals rather than urgent ones that come up at the last minute.
3. DON’T LET EMAIL DICTATE YOUR SCHEDULE
We often fall into the trap of living in our inboxes and letting our emails take over or start to dictate our days. We love scheduling email time into our calendars and, more importantly, making emails less of a priority when it comes to planning our days.
4. UTILIZE YOUR ‘OUT OF OFFICE’ MESSAGE STRATEGICALLY
We love automatic email responders because, when used properly, it allows you to set boundaries and protect your time. Some examples: “I am focused on a special project right now and my mornings this week (9-12 a.m.) will be dedicated to that effort. I may be slower to respond than normal so please reach out to [INSERT NAME] for immediate assistance.” or “I am currently in a busy season and will be slow to respond to email. For urgent matters please contact [INSERT NAME].” Keep it short and sweet. Those who truly need your attention will find you and know that you can always browse messages as needed but that you can rest easy as you likely watch your inbox start to receive less messages!
5. REDUCE DISTRACTIONS
This may seem like a no-brainer but turning off notifications and setting your phone to 'do not disturb' can make all the difference when you’re aiming for focused time and productivity. Protect that time and create healthy boundaries.
6. BATCH YOUR WORK
You may have heard of task batching. It is a simple method that creates big impact. Task batching is when you group tasks that are similar in nature or part of the same project into one designated time period. For example, you can choose to answer your emails in a batch as opposed to when they come in.
7. TIME BLOCK YOUR CALENDAR
Time blocking involves scheduling specific blocks of time into your day to focus on work. We love this method and it comes in so handy when you’re already pre-planning out your days. It is a simple method but it creates big impact. You can take your productivity one step further by combining time blocking and batching your work. Group similar tasks together, and assign one block of time to complete that category of tasks and watch your productivity soar!
8. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GOALS
Before taking up a task, make sure it is related to a long-term goal like one of your SMART goals. See our post on smart goals and our free template here. If the task is unrelated to advancing your goals, aim to eliminate it, assign it to someone else or table it for later. Work to break down your larger goals into smaller, more attainable tasks that will realistically fit into your schedule or can be batched.
9. LET TIME BE ON YOUR SIDE
Do you work best in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening? Understanding your optimal work time can help with scheduling, batching and ultimately being your most productive self. Schedule your most difficult tasks, the ones that take the most of your energy for when you feel most energized. Being mindful of when you do your best work and setting yourself up for success will go a long way.
10. MAKE SURE YOUR WORK SPACE WORKS for YOU
We’ve all seen firsthand just how important setting up a distraction free work space can be. Whether it be your home office, a coworking space or otherwise, do your best to ensure that your environment works for you. Bonus points if your space has natural light, a motivating and inspirational environment and all the tools you need on hand!