You’re always busy but are you being productive? There are many productivity killers that can seriously impact your time management and make us think we are busy. When really… we are likely just wasting time. These productivity hacks will save you loads of time every day and leave more time for the things you want to be doing!
Productivity is essential for getting anything done, right? But are you as productive as you could be? Time to identify your worst productivity killers so you can increase your personal productivity with time-saving hacks.
Here are some of the common worst offenders for failed productivity:
Productivity Hacks To Start Now
Social media
Sure, it’s great to keep in contact with friends and family on Facebook, or check out amazing holiday photos on Instagram. Or perhaps it’s making sure you don’t miss that new viral video on TikTok.
So many of us are guilty of constantly checking social media all day long and interrupting our flow of productive work the second a notification pops up.
But relax, there’s no need to delete you beloved social media account. Just set yourself some ground rules and actually stick to them.
Instead of having them running in the background while you do computer work, or responding to every notification on your phone, get rid of those distractions.
Shut those extra browsers, turn off those notifications for a bit, or at least ignore them and give yourself some set times to check. Check your social notifications during lunch or on your breaks, or give yourself half an hour to get it out of your system after lunch if it is so important.
You will be amazed how much time you will suddenly have on your hands.
Emails
Like social media, email can sometimes be an evil distraction destined to slow us down. Responding to every new email will stop you from getting far, so like social media, set yourself times each day to check and respond to your emails in bulk, rather than as they come in.
Shut your email down in between so you are not tempted to check after every beep and chime.
One of my favourite productivity hacks is setting yourself 2 email blocks per day. One early in the day and one towards the end of your workday.
Prioritising
Not prioritising tasks is a bad idea if you have a lot to get done. The last thing you need is to waste three-quarters of your day on small, less important time-consuming jobs instead of that urgent task with the deadline of tomorrow
A great method for prioritising tasks is to create a to do list of things you need to get done for the week, but split them into categories of urgent/high priority, moderate priority and low priority so you know what to tackle first. It can also be very satisfying crossing items off your list once they are done.
Have no more than 3 high importance jobs per day!
Long lunch or no lunch
These may be opposites, but both can have a big impact on you getting stuff done. Whether you work for a big corporate company, with hundreds of colleagues or you are self-employed, working from your home office, it is important to set a good routine.
Sometimes, especially if we have co-workers we get along well with, we can be tempted to take an extra long lunch, have a chat and then get back with not a lot of afternoon left to finish that must do job.
Or we’ve worn ourselves out and are wanting a nap. Same goes for not taking a break or eating at your desk.
Short breaks of around 20-30 minutes are great for refreshing the mind and energising with some food. Don’t be tempted to skip or extend too often, and you can help avoid the arvo slump
Not taking breaks
Following on from the last one, taking short breaks through the day are very important for keeping your mind on the task and your body feeling good.
Make sure you give yourself 5 minutes away from the computer or desk work every hour, even if it is just to have a quick stretch and get the oxygen flowing.
Clarify
Ever been given a task you’re unsure on and instead of getting clarity, you just avoid it until the last minute?
You will hardly be productive if you are pushing your pen around your desk for hours trying to guess what you’re meant to do. Make sure you clarify your tasks so you know exactly what you need to do and how.
Make certain you have the right tools and knowledge for the job. This will get you off on the best track to productivity
Being your most productive self is not about being the quickest or the best. It is simply about giving yourself the best chance at getting things done, distraction free.
What are your best productivity hacks?