Increase Your Productivity by 100%
The honest truth is we only have 3, maybe 4 hours of power packed, laser focused productivity in us each day.
If you work a 9-5 job, you don’t work the full 8 hours. You go to the bathroom, you check Facebook, you chat, you text, you get up and get coffee…If we get down to it, you maybe WORK 3 solid hours.
There are a few little “hacks” we can do that will increase our productivity. If we only work 3-4 solid hours, let’s pack them full of as much progress as possible.
Here is what I’ve found is the BEST way to make progress:
1. Pick TWO things that are the most important for you to get done today. If you ONLY got these two things done, you would consider today a win. Write those two things down and get them done first.
(One of the greatest feelings in the world is getting those two things done before 7am!)
Sidenote: Keep your other tasks out of site. I put my smaller tasks out of site so I don’t think about them. Get the 2 big ones done, THEN look at the other tasks.
2. Anything else you need to do that day, prioritize in order of importance. I personally prefer to use sticky notes and place it by my computer. Cross things off as you get them done. It’s like watching a progress bar and will motivate you to get these tasks done quick! It’s powerful!
After you have them in order, do the HARDEST things first.
Make the hard phone calls before you do anything. Do the annoying things or especially the things you are dreading to do. Do them in backwards order. Most people do the fun, easy tasks first. Not you, do the tough ones first. It will make your day so much better.
3. DON’T multi-task. Ya thats right, I said it. When you are laser-focused on ONE THING you will get it done so much faster. This may come as a shock compared to what most people would teach, but it has proven time and time again a much faster way to get your tasks done. One at a time and don’t start the next task until you’re finished with the first.
4. Ask yourself, “Does this move by business forward?” Everything you do, filter it through that question. I keep it on my white board in front of my eyes so I can see it easily. Put it on a sticky note on your monitor, make it a task in your phone that pops up twice a day. If the answer to the question is “no” then stop doing it immediately. Close Facebook and Instagram and get back on your hustle. Sometimes I have to say this out loud! Get disciplined.
Another good way to take this approach: IF you had a disease that ONLY let you work 3 hours a day, and if you went over that limit you would die, WHAT would you do, and HOW would you work for those 3 hours? (Kind of brutal, but it works! If you had this disease, it would totally change your productivity.)
5. I use a giant whiteboard calendar on my wall, and below it, a giant whiteboard for tasks. Then I write down everything I have going on. This is mainly for my TWO big tasks per day, and then also so I can see what’s in my schedule coming up. Below it I list my specific smaller tasks. Crossing each one off as I get it done feels great and helps build momentum to get the others done as well.
This whiteboard strategy really will take your productivity to the next level. They’re only $8 for a sheet at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
6. Have a morning routine. This is one of the habits of billionaires. Me personally, I like to get up by 4:30am (Ya, I know.) Grab some water and some coffee (black of course) Then pray in the spirit for 15-30 minutes or so, then get in the Word, or listen to some preaching podcasts and take notes. THEN I get after those TWO must-do’s.
-Always start your day off by praying and doing your confessions. This will prepare you for anything that may come your way that day. It gets your shield of faith ready to block out any of satan’s attacks.
7. Once you get “in the zone” do everything you can to stay there. When you get in that hardcore work mode, stuff is getting done, you’re making progress and you can feel it, DON’T GET DISTRACTED. Once you’re out of the zone, it’s hard, sometimes impossible to get back there. Don’t check Facebook, don’t chat or text, sometimes even getting up for coffee can get you out of work mode, so just stay in the zone and hustle. You can catch up with people later. Protecting the “zone” is key. Remember you only have a solid 3-4 hours of true productivity.
Take these guidelines and apply them and watch your productivity skyrocket. They’re not just theories, I use these 7 strategies every day, they work!
