Commit
to a process, not a goal. Don’t just set a goal of creating better
customer relationships; commit to calling at least two customers a day
to ask how you can better serve them. Don’t just set a goal of landing
new clients; commit to cold-calling at least two leads every day. Commit
to a process that leads to a goal and you’re much more likely to
achieve that goal. Focus on what you will do, not on what you want to happen.Make Temptations Hard to Reach
Call
this the “pain in the butt” technique: when something is hard to do,
you’ll do it less. Store sodas in the refrigerator and keep bottles of
water on your desk. Put the TV remote in an upstairs closet. Shut down
your browser so it’s harder to check out TMZ. Use a “productivity”
laptop that intentionally doesn’t have a browser or email, leave your
phone behind, and move to a conference room to get stuff done.
Convenience is the mother of distraction, so make it a pain in the butt
to satisfy your temptations.
Maximize Your Most Important Tasks
All
of us have things we do that make the biggest difference. (For me it’s
actually sitting down and writing.) What two or three things contribute
most to your success? What two or three things generate the most
revenue? Then eliminate all the extra “stuff” to the greatest extent
possible so you reap the benefits of spending time on the tasks that
make you you.
Time is like a new house. We eventually fill a bigger house with furniture, and we eventually fill a block of time with “work.”
So take the opposite approach. Limit the amount of time you allow yourself to complete an important task. You’ll be more focused, more motivated, your energy level will be higher… and you’ll actually get more done.
Chunk Housekeeping Tasks
So take the opposite approach. Limit the amount of time you allow yourself to complete an important task. You’ll be more focused, more motivated, your energy level will be higher… and you’ll actually get more done.
Even
though we’d like to focus solely on our most important tasks, we all
have stuff we still need to do. Instead of sprinkling those activities
throughout the day– or, worse, taking care of them when they pop up–
collect and take of them in preplanned blocks. Better yet, schedule that
block for when you know you’ll be tired or in need of a mental break.
That way you’ll still feel (and be) productive even when you’re not at
your best.
Just Say No
You’re polite. You’re courteous. You’re helpful. You want to be a team player. You’re overwhelmed.
Say “no” at least as often as you say yes. You can still be polite
while protecting your time. And you should protect your time – time is
the one asset no one can afford to waste.
Start Small So You Won't Mind
Say you decided
you should cold-call 20 new prospects every day. Great idea – but sounds
daunting. Sounds really hard. Sounds almost impossible… so you won’t.
Instead, start small. You can call 2 people a day, right? That sounds
easy. That you will do. Then, in time, it will feel comfortable to
increase the number. Whenever you want to create a new habit, start
small so you will actually start – and stick with it through that tough
early time when habits are hard to form.
Build In Frequent Breaks
Follow the 2-Minute Rule
Small, frequent
breaks are a great way to refresh and recharge. Like the Pomodoro
Technique, a time-management strategy where you work on one task for 25
minutes and then take a 5-minute break. (To time yourself you can use a
kitchen timer or your phone…) The key to not burning out is to not let
burnout sneak up on you. Scheduling regular short breaks ensures that
won’t happen.
Here’s one from
Getting Things Done: when a task takes less than 2 minutes, don’t
schedule it, don’t set it aside for later, don’t set a reminder… just
take care of it. Now. Then it’s done. Besides, don’t you have enough on your schedule already?
Free time
shouldn’t just happen by accident. Free time shouldn’t be something you
get around to if you get a chance. Plan your free time. Plan activities.
Plan fun things to do. Not only will you enjoy the planning – and the
anticipation – you’ll also actually have more fun. And the happier you
are, the more motivated and productive you will be over the long term.
Which, of course, is what personal productivity is all about.
Exercise is energizing. Exercise will make you healthier. Exercise can make you smarter.
Plus exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours after you work out. So there you go. Work out for 20 minutes first thing. Feel better. Be smarter. Be less stressed. Have a more productive day. Can’t beat that.
Eat a Healthy Lunch Every Day
Plus exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours after you work out. So there you go. Work out for 20 minutes first thing. Feel better. Be smarter. Be less stressed. Have a more productive day. Can’t beat that.
Eat a Healthy Lunch Every Day
We’ve all eaten a
heavy lunch that seemed to kill the rest of the day. So take a
different approach. See lunch as fuel for your afternoon – and as one
meal you know will be healthy. Plan to eat a portion of protein
that fits in your palm and a couple vegetables or fruits. Make it easy
and pack your lunch and then you won’t waste time driving to and from a
restaurant.
Drink a Lot More Water
It’s extremely likely you don’t drink enough water. That’s too bad, because feeling good sparks motivation and effort.
Plus if you drink water first thing in the morning you’ll boost your metabolism. Drink more water throughout the day and you’ll be less hungry, feel more energetic, decrease your chances of contracting certain diseases… and you’ll have to get up more often to use the restroom which ensures you’re more active throughout the day.
Plus if you drink water first thing in the morning you’ll boost your metabolism. Drink more water throughout the day and you’ll be less hungry, feel more energetic, decrease your chances of contracting certain diseases… and you’ll have to get up more often to use the restroom which ensures you’re more active throughout the day.
A quick nap can improve creativity, improve your memory, and improve your ability to stay focused.
Besides that, neurologists tout the learning benefits of mid-day siestas.Silicon Valley companies compete to see who can design the the coolest napping rooms. Napping is not just napping anymore; it's a skill. And it’s a skill that can super-charge your productivity. (Here are some great tips for productive napping.)
Make More Time For Your Favorite People
Count Your Blessings Before Bed
Besides that, neurologists tout the learning benefits of mid-day siestas.Silicon Valley companies compete to see who can design the the coolest napping rooms. Napping is not just napping anymore; it's a skill. And it’s a skill that can super-charge your productivity. (Here are some great tips for productive napping.)
Make More Time For Your Favorite People
Take a second before you turn out the light. In that moment, quit worrying about what you don’t have. Quit worrying about what others have that you don't. Think about what you do
have. You have a lot to be thankful for. Feels good, doesn't it? Count
your blessings every night and you’ll start the next day in a much more
positive way.
Use Your Mind For Thinking, Not Remembering
Here’s another
Getting Things Done tip. Don’t clutter your thoughts with mental to-do
lists or information you need to remember. Write all those things down.
Then you can focus on thinking about how to do things better, how to
treat people better, how to make your business better. Don’t waste
mental energy trying to remember important tasks or ideas. That’s what
paper is for.
Turn Off Alerts
Your phone
buzzes. Your email dings. Chat windows pop up. Every alert sucks away
your attention. So turn them off. Go alert-free, and once every hour or
so take a few minutes to see what you might have missed. Chances are
you’ll find out you missed nothing,but in the meantime you will have
been much more focused.
