Last updated: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 | 14 Views
“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”
- Paul J. Meyer
Your days are flying by and you don’t seem to be doing as much as you should. Is it because you have too much work to do or is it because you’re not as productive as you can be?
The answer is probably a mix of both. The idea behind being more productive is learning to develop work strategies that allow people to get work done efficiently. This will yield better results and decrease the stress pending on your shoulders.
So here are 9 simple pointers you can start following right now to cut down drastically on wasted time during the day.
1. Get ready the night before.
It does make life in the mornings SO much easier. Whatever you can get done the night before, from laying out the outfit you plan to wear, to setting the breakfast table, to checking your to-do list, to filling your car’s gas tank, the more you’ll be able to get done the next day.
2. Don’t go through your day in a random, use your to-do list.
Don’t go through your day in a random, haphazard fashion. Do one thing at a time as listed on your To Do list, and cross each task off your list as you complete it. The simple action of crossing out things that have been accomplished is rewarding in itself, and makes you more motivated to continue.
3. Set timers, they can be a huge help.
If you tend to start projects but get distracted and get off track, timers can be a huge help. A timer boosts your productivity two ways. The first, is obvious: it keeps track of time and tells you when the allocated time is over. The second is a bit more subtle. A timer introduces urgency into your tasks. Even though it is really artificial urgency, it still works because your subconscious doesn’t know the difference. You find yourself trying to ‘beat the clock’.
4. Know yourself.
Your prime time is the time during which you are most energetic and efficient. We all function on different ‘biological clocks.’ Some people feel most energetic and do their best work early in the morning. Others wake up and get moving very slowly, with top efficiency in the late afternoon. So you need to determine if you’re an early bird or a night owl, and schedule your projects accordingly. Work on your most important projects and tasks during the time of day when you feel most energetic and awake.
5. Cut the main barrier of productivity, your clutter.
The endless slips of paper that we gather around us pile up day after day to become unending ream of paper that one day scream to be sifted through and junked or filed. If you can’t find what you need, or you don’t have enough clear space to work, or you are stressed by the mess, it’s going to be very difficult to get anything done in a timely manner. So make a promise to yourself to begin getting rid of the clutter and keep that promise. It’s an important one.
6. Do whatever you can to eliminate unnecessary interruptions.
It’s difficult to get things done when you are being interrupted. If you really need to get something done, it’s important to focus. And the only way to focus is to eliminate interruptions. Put a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on your door. Allow your voicemail to field your calls. Turn off the radio and/or the television. Tell visitors you’ll stop by later in the day when you’re done with your project.
7. Stop trying to be a super hero, and delegate as much as possible.
To often we think we are Superman or Superwoman and able to do everything ourselves. But this thinking reduces your productivity and prevents you from achieving your goals. If you can delegate some tasks to your spouse, your kids, your associates, your co-workers, an outside source, etc., then do it. Once you take the ‘I have to do it all myself’ responsibility off your shoulders, you’ll be able to get more done and feel less exhausted at the end of the day.
8. Take some time off from work.
Stop right now. Stand up and move away from your computer. Well, read this article first, then do it. A simple thing like getting up from your chair and going to the bathroom can work miracles. Staring at a computer can often lead to brain-dead moments where the mind simply wanders off unconsciously. The idea is to avoid, or at least minimize, these extracurricular midday mental journeys. Going to the window and looking outside allows for a quick fix.
9. Get something done, even if it’s small.
Try to start and finish your first task of the day. Completing a project early on is great motivation for you to continue being productive. So start your day with a task or project that you can complete in 10 minutes or less. Once you’re done with it, you’ll feel energized and move on to the next task or project of the day with ease.
I know you know this. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what we intuitively know to be true. That´s really very true and applicable to most things we do that affect our productivity. And there is a lot more that I’m missing out on, so please share your tips if you have any.
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Great list. An additional hack with using timers is to allow yourself less time than you think you need - always remember Parkinsons Law “work expnds to fill the time available”. As you say working to a deadline, no matter how artificial, is a great spur.
Great article…
most of the points actually is back to time management again…
Wonderful list!
This a wonderful list! I use every single tip on this list and they all help my day, week and month be as productive as possible. I don’t think people understand that implementing small organizational tactics really does make for a more productive work day.
Good points to follow. I do follow some points and it really works. I never procastinate anything later. Viji
Great list.
Yes, I do need to be reminded of these, every day!
Can you send them as a text message on my mobile every morning at about 8 GMT?
[...] 9 Effective Ways to Get 200% More Work Done - Another great article from the Ririan Project. The Riran Project is productivity blog with less frequent posts (2-3 per week), but long interesting articles. [...]
Thanks for all the great tips. I have used many of these myself. Using a timer to complete tasks has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. It creates an urgency that gives me unlimited focus and drive. With the timer set, my productivity goes up by 300%.
The simplest things are the things most overlooked. This list might not be new, but it’s invaluable. Maybe I’ll try that timer idea, too.
[...] 9 Effective Ways to Get 200% More Work Done - Another great article from the Ririan Project. The Riran Project is productivity blog with less frequent posts (2-3 per week), but long interesting articles. [...]
Point number one:
Get ready the night before.
That point simple hit the spot for me. It actually force one to commit to ensure that he/she will do what she plan to do the next morning. Literally it starts the ball rolling even before you start!
[...] You want to feel better? You know that good vibes are contagious and when you get in the groove your team will feel it and respond? One way to get that “it’s going well” feeling is to up your productivity and know you are getting things done. The Ririan Project describes nine ways to increase your productivity. “I know you know this. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what we intuitively know to be true. That´s really very true and applicable to most things we do that affect our productivity. And there is a lot more that I’m missing out on, so please share your tips if you have any. “ [...]
[...] 9 Effective Ways To Get 200% More Work DoneHow don’t want to be more productive? This article gives you 9 practical tips to increase your productivity, among which are get ready the night before, set timers, and delegate as much as possible. [...]
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[...] Are you living day-to-day? Do you wake up every morning with a game plan, or like Lebron James in games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, do you let the game come to you? As Lebron clearly learned in the later games of the series, an aggressive posture can yield significant results. Having a plan of attack for everything you do is essential for success. The Ririan project recently published an article that included steps for getting 200% more out of your day. The step that caught our attention was number one, “get ready the night before.” “It does make life in the mornings SO much easier. Whatever you can get done the night before, from laying out the outfit you plan to wear, to setting the breakfast table, to checking your to-do list, to filling your car’s gas tank, the more you’ll be able to get done the next day.” [...]
[...] 9 Effective Ways to Get 200% More Work Done - Another great article from the Ririan Project. The Riran Project is productivity blog with less frequent posts (2-3 per week), but long interesting articles. [...]
[...] 9 Effective Ways To Get 200% More Work Done [...]
[...] 9 Effective Ways to Get 200% More Work Done Being more productive is learning to develop strategies that allow you to get things down. This will yield better results and decrease the stress pending on your shoulders. Here are 9 simple pointers you can start following right now to cut down drastically on wasted time during the day. Filed under: Weekly Digest on Nov 30,07 | [...]
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excellent list. my addition would be to make sure that the important or difficult tasks are done first, as these are the things that tend to get pushed off until tomorrow, while checking off easy items on your endless to do list!
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[...] My brother-in-law started up a new blog recently about leadership skills (check it out) and while reading it I came across a link to another blog and this post about how to be more productive in life. I think there are some great tips in it and thought it was worth passing on. My favorite is actually the last one, #9 which I’ll post a snippet of here- click the linky to see the rest. It’s simple but I think very important… [...]
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