In today’s world we are being asked to effectively do more with less. Maybe it’s the economy, maybe it’s the new business culture, maybe its technology and the increased productivity that comes with it. Who knows for sure, but the reality is we all need to be more productive. Here are a few productivity tips from Kim Roach, a productivity junkie, who blogs regularly at The Optimized Life, that I find help me increase my productivity.

1. Take a break. You can’t always work at optimum productivity. Instead, try working in short bursts, at your most productive times. 
2. Set a timer for each of your tasks. 
3. Eliminate all distractions. This includes the phone, emails, and having multiple web browsers open on the desktop. 
4. Distractions should be avoided, but sometimes a bit of music in the background can help you focus. Of course, it doesn’t need to be heavy rock music, but a bit of Beethoven may help. 
5. Love what you do. Enjoying what you do is the ultimate way to increase your productivity.
6. Complete your most dreaded tasks first thing in the morning. Whichever activity you dread the most is the one you need to complete first thing. 
7. Just start. Often times, starting is the hardest part. Once you get going, you will quickly get into a rhythm that could last for hours. 
8. Everyone has a certain time of the day in which they are more productive than others. For me, it’s the morning. Find out when your most productive time is and plan your schedule accordingly. 
9. Keep a notebook and pen on hand at all times. Get your thoughts, to-dos, and ideas out of your head and onto paper. Then your subconscious mind won’t keep reminding you about them. 
10. Write a blog to chronicle your own personal development and achievements. This keeps you accountable and always working towards self improvement and personal growth. 
11. Plan all your meals a week ahead and make your grocery list accordingly. This will save you quite a bit of time and money. 
12. Step away from the computer. The Internet has become a major distraction. Try to do as much of your work offline as possible. I have found it very beneficial to simply unplug. 
13. Make a to-do list for each day. I like to plan my day the night before. This way, I can get started on my most important tasks first thing. 
14. Am I currently making the best possible use of my time? As you go through your day, repeatedly ask yourself this simple question. It can be an excellent boost to productivity. 
15. Get plenty of sleep. When you work online, sleep can become but a memory. However, it’s important to get plenty of sleep so that your working hours can be productive.
16. Exercise. Research has shown that midday exercise boosts productivity and morale. Take a short walk at lunch. 
17. Organize your office. The piles of paper around your desk can be a huge barrier to productivity. Get organized, set up a system, and dump the junk. 
18. Use a Tivo or DVR to cut an hour-long television show down to just 40 minutes. 
19. Turn off the TV. The average American watches more than four hours of television every day. Turn off the TV and get more out of life. 
20. Listen to educational audio books while you’re driving to work, cleaning the house, exercising, or cooking dinner. Audio learning has the power to add hours to your day. 
21. Read David Allen’s best-selling book Getting Things Done. This is one of the most important productivity books you will ever read. 
22. Tell other people about your goals and you will instantly be held accountable. 
23. Learn to say “No”. We can’t do everything and therefore we must learn when to say no, to save our sanity. 
24. Go on an information diet. Most of the world lives on information overload. Eliminate mindless Internet surfing. Stop reading three different newspapers a day and checking your RSS feeds multiple times a day. The key is to limit yourself only to information that you can immediately take action on. 
25. Find a mentor. By modeling after those who have already achieved success, you will save yourself a lot of time and energy. 
26. Write your most important tasks and to-dos on a calendar. 
27. Set some exciting goals. Without worthy goals, you will never be motivated to get things done. 
28. Learn keyboard shortcuts and create keyboard shortcuts with AutoHotKey. 
29. Get up early before anyone else. Nothing beats a quiet house. 
30. Don’t multitask. Research has shown that multitasking is not productive. For optimum productivity, focus on one thing at a time. 
31. Reward yourself for finishing a big task. 
32. Batch similar tasks like blog writing, phone calls, email, and errands into a single batch. You will save time by completing similar tasks in one session. 
33. Unnecessary time on the phone with caller ID. 
34. Work from home and avoid the daily commute. 
35. Prioritize your tasks. By listing your tasks in order of importance, you can ensure that you finish most important tasks during the day. 
36. Use Windows hibernation feature to avoid the slowdown of exiting and restarting Windows.

What tips do you use to enhance your personal productivity?

Reference: Tips were taken from - Kim Roach is a productivity junkie who blogs regularly at The Optimized Life. Read her articles on 50 Essential GTD Resources, How to Have a 46 Hour Day, What They Don’t Teach You in School, and Free Yourself From the Inbox.

Comments (2)