We all want to be more productive, it seems. Productivity isn’t about somebody standing over us with a stopwatch, shouting “Faster! Faster!” like an old cartoon. It’s about moving ourselves closer to our goals and helping our team and organization move closer to theirs. It’s about working well so we’re free at the end of the day to spend time with the people and things we enjoy.
And in today’s world, it means successfully fighting the distractions of emails and texts and news alerts and social media. Here are six productivity tips that are easy to implement, focused on helping you minimize distraction:
1. Create a morning ritual.
If you adopt only one idea from this post, make it this one: Get into the habit of waking up 15 or 20 minutes earlier each morning–or even five or 10 minutes if that’s all you can handle. Most of us face a day that’s fully packed with meetings, deadlines, and distractions; the best time to do the things that are most important is when everything around you is quiet. Whether you spend it reading, planning the day, in prayer or meditation, journaling, exercising, or just sipping your coffee and watching the sun come up, that small investment of time in the early morning will pay off all day long.
2. Be punctual.
Being on time has numerous benefits–at the top of the list, it demonstrates respect for others. Being on time–or better yet, early–always makes a great impression. And if you end up waiting on someone else, you have a few extra minutes to devote to another task or pursuit.
3. Develop a system.
It’s hard to focus on the task at hand when you’re not even sure why you’re doing it. I use these questions with my coaching clients–they can help you not only define your work effectively but also stay connected to its purpose:
- What do I want to accomplish?
- When do I have to complete it?
- What’s my action plan to get it done?
4. Unplug distractions.
It’s hard to be productive under a barrage of pings and beeps and pop-ups. Even if you don’t respond, just trying to tune it all out leaves little energy for doing what you need to be doing. The easiest way to deal with distractions is to unplug them all. If you need to, set an autoreply to let people know you’ll be reading and responding to messages at a set time of day.
5. Build a community of support.
You don’t have to do it all yourself or be the person who knows everything. Assemble a support team that will free you to concentrate on the tasks you do best. Productivity isn’t a solo endeavor–at its best, it means building a strong team.
6. Tune into a source of motivation.
Business, work and even life itself can become very hectic–so much so that it’s easy to sometimes feel lost. I always recommend that my clients tune in to something motivational every day. That may mean listening, reading, or viewing something that inspires you, something that will motivate you to work hard and efficiently.
Staying productive is no easy task, and getting things done on time can feel downright unmanageable. It may take a few weeks, but even small changes on your part, consistently applied, can help you become more productive and effective than ever before.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
Kristopher lee
29. Jul, 2018
I love the idea of creating a morning ritual by waking up earlier. I used to do that in high school. I’d wake up about an hour or 30 minuets before I had to and just watched whatever tv show was on. Then I got ready for school.
Now I just wake up and get down to business. My mind won’t be fully awake, and I’m already leaving for work. I definitely need to get in the habit of waking up early again.
Sobia
19. Sep, 2018
I read a lot of times how you should wake at 5am etc. I found that quite unrealistic for me personally so I like how you said ‘waking up 15 or 20 minutes earlier each morning–or even five or 10 minutes’! 🙂