You know the importance of productivity, but something always seems to get in your way. You can’t seem to stop checking social media. Your dog needs to go to the bathroom. The rain outside is so loud you can’t hear your conference call.

Some of those things are out of your control. You can’t plan around every disruption, there’s a lot you can do to protect your productivity. Avoid these six missteps:

1. Multitasking

When you multitask, you train your brain to not focus on the task at hand. It’s nearly impossible to be productive if you can’t hunker down on one major assignment. Cut out multitasking, and work on just one thing at a time.

For example, if you have to write marketing copy for a new software launch, focus entirely on writing during scheduled hours. During your focus time, turn off notifications on your phone. Better yet, put it in another room entirely. If you need your phone to get work done, consider blocking applications that you don’t need to tackle the task at hand. 

2. Not Having a Plan 

If you don’t plan, then you plan to fail. If you start the week without a schedule, you’ll struggle to use it productively. And without daily planning, you’ll get sidetracked by last-minute requests, off-topic conversations, and deadlines associated with future tasks.

It only takes 45 minutes or less to schedule weekly tasks. Start by thinking through what you want to accomplish that week and plotting it out in order of priority. Limit yourself to three big goals per day.

For daily work, try time blocking. Split your day — your full day, not just your workday — into 15-minute chunks. Associate a specific task with each block. When it’s time to move on, do it. If you didn’t get the task done, add it to tomorrow’s time blocks.  

3. Not Taking Breaks

Did you know that taking a break can help you solve a difficult problem? When you focus too much on the task at hand, you don’t give your mind rest to think. Breaks increase creativity and decrease fatigue.

Remember to schedule breaks into your time blocks. Each hour, give yourself a 10-minute break. Every four hours, make it a 30-minute break.

Breaks are your time. As long as you’re doing something healthy with them, you’re doing the right thing. Easy, low-cost options include:

• Go for a walk.
• Take a nap.
• Eat a snack.
• Call a friend.
• Read a book.
• Catch up on the news.

4. Not Having a Nighttime Routine

What you do at night heavily impacts your productivity the next day. Not getting enough sleep can make you feel stressed, fuzzy-headed, and tired the next day.

Sleep deprivation is a nationwide issue. The CDC reports that a third of US adults get less than the seven hours of recommended sleep per night. If you want to get to bed on time and wake up refreshed the next day, you need to have a nighttime routine. 

Here’s how you can do it: 

 

• Set a standard bed time.

 

Decide what time you want to go to sleep every day, and stick to that time. Your body will become accustomed to it and start to get sleepy at that hour every day. A notification or alarm on your phone can help remind you an hour or two in advance.

 

• Relax for an hour before bed. 

 

Doing something relaxing before you sleep can help your body wind down. Consider taking a warm epsom salt bath, doing yoga, or reading a book. You can also meditate to soothing music before sleeping.

 

• Avoid screen time.

 

Screens emit blue light that makes it more difficult to sleep. The light tells your brain it’s still daytime. Stop looking at screens at least an hour before you go to bed, and don’t keep your phone in the bedroom. If you use your phone as an alarm, get an alarm clock.

5. Not Customizing Your Calendar Availability

If people don’t know when you’re available to talk to them, they’ll pop in with questions or random comments at all times of day. Not only is that stressful, but it makes you less productive.

If  you don’t keep a close eye on your calendar availability, you risk double-booking yourself. You may accidentally schedule a business meeting on a personal day. 

To set your calendar availability the smart way:

 

• Limit your professional availability to your company’s operating hours.

 

Leave your calendar availability open only during your work hours. This prevents you from planning a meeting during an unnecessary time. Block off others times for your own activities or personal appointments. 

 

• Make some hours off-limits.

 

You can’t meet at every hour of the day. It’s important to keep some time slots clear for getting work done. Know when you tend to be at your most productive, and avoid scheduling meetings at those times. 

 

• Think through the details.

 

Setting expectations is key. When you are available to meet, make sure you share the top-line details ahead of time. For each meeting, ask yourself:

• What’s the topic to be discussed? 
• Why can’t it be an email?
• How long should the meeting last?
• Who needs to be in the meeting?
• If the meeting is virtual, what number should attendees call?

 

• Sync your personal & professional calendars.

 

Family and self-care time are important. Make sure that people in your professional life can see when you’re carving out time for personal engagements. You don’t want to  have a meeting booked when you’re supposed to be at your daughter’s soccer game. 

 

• Inform people about exceptions.

 

Life happens. If you need to make an exception to your typical schedule, inform others. Give people at least 48 hours notice, if at all possible. Do this by setting up an out of office message and by blocking off your schedule. 

6. Stressing About Your Schedule.

These productivity tips should make your life less stressful, not more. Take what you need and leave the rest.

If you really want to keep it simple, Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule is a great model. Yours might look something like this:

• Getting ready for the day: shower, breakfast, personal development, and prepare for work (3 hours)
• Morning work (4 hours)
• Review of projects and lunch (2 hours)
• Afternoon work (4 hours)
• Dinner, rest, and wrapping up the day (4 hours)
• Sleep (7 hours)

Need more tips to keep your productivity high? Check out these 25 daily calendar productivity tips to up the ante.