Everyone wants to be more productive. Even the most decorated and successful business leaders continue to become more efficient in their day to day tasks.
When it comes to improving your productivity, people often jump to conclusions and try to tackle it all at once. The truth is it takes time to increase your productivity. In addition the big changes come from smaller improvements.
Here are four small changes than will drastically increase your productivity:
Finish The “Worst” Tasks First
We all have those tasks every day that we dread. Whether it’s tedious data entry or a progress report they come in many forms. If you save these tasks for the end of the workday you’ll be constantly reminded of them throughout the day. That’s why it’s best to tackle them first thing in the morning. Then you’ll have the rest of the day to tackle the projects you are most passionate about.
Take Advantage of Your Calendar
Many individuals view their calendar as a tool to simply set reminders for events. On a basic level this is exactly what calendars are meant for. That said, those who simply use a calendar for event scheduling are surely undermining their true value. A calendar can also be used as a to do list.
Try blocking out times on your calendar to finish the most important tasks of the day. Not only will you set aside enough time to get the tasks done but you’ll also begin to create a habit of mapping out your entire day. In addition you can reference your calendar overtime and get a much better understanding of what you’re capable of accomplishing in a day.
Develop Your Morning Routine
Developing and perfecting a morning routine is huge for productivity. Depending on how you start your day will likely determine how you spend it. If you have a slow morning and roll out of bed odds are you’ll be sluggish at work. Once you develop your routine it’s important to stick to it religiously. As your mind and body grow accustom to your routine it’ll become second nature.
For example I try and make sure I exercise every single morning before I get to work. Once i’m in the office I am awake and energized. On the days I miss my morning workout I can definitely feel the lack of focus.
Disconnect From Digital
In this day and age it’s pretty difficult to disconnect from the digital world. That said, there are ways to limit digital distractions so you can focus on getting your work done. Your mobile device serves as one of the biggest distractions throughout the workday. Whether it’s a text from your partner or a new like on your Instagram photo these notifications are sure to get your attention. Even if you just look for a second these tiny distractions through off your entire flow.
In addition to disconnecting at work it’s also important to disconnect while you’re home. Especially in the bedroom. How you finish your day is just as important as how you start it. As you wind down for bed I strongly suggest disconnecting from your digital devices. I can guarantee you will start getting a better sleep in no time.
Final Thoughts
Increasing your productivity takes time. It won’t happen overnight and it probably won’t reflect in your day to day for a while. That said, it’s important to make those small changes now so you can reap the rewards later. I suggest making the four changes above to your daily routine so you can see a massive increase in your productivity.
Originally published here.
