If you are breathing, you have, at one time or another, wished for just a little more time to get something finished. For me, this is pretty much every day on many different projects. I’m not sure if that is because I am slow at completing tasks or if I am such a perfectionist that I will continue working on a task much longer than is necessary. Probably both. So how do you find time to boost your productivity if you can’t seem to find time for anything else?
When you live in a state of “never finished,” you can become frustrated and overwhelmed, which causes you to slow down more or even just stop and give up. You can also become extremely disorganized, which fuels the fire of the unfinished workflow. So what’s a person to do?
If you are a little sidetracked on the productivity journey, don’t worry. You have a plethora of choices to help you find your way. Needless to say, I have tested and tried many “formulas” to increase my productivity at home and at work. Some have helped, some have not. But I encourage you to try my top 5 ways to give your productivity a jump-start.
Set up a system.
This may sound complex, but it doesn’t have to be. A system is simply a way for you to know what needs to be done and what is still left to do in your day. There are plenty of systems marketed for efficient workflow. I choose the cheap and easy route.
I use a simple notebook. The left side of the page has “TTD” as its heading, which stands for “THINGS TO DO.” Brilliant, I know. In this space, I brain dump all the big and little things that need to get done in the next few days. Based on what my day looks like (appointments, meeting at work, etc.) I will put a small star by everything that must be completed today. As it is completed, it is ceremoniously marked off the list. At the beginning of the next day, I will star the next essential things ready to be completed. This continues until I have completed all the tasks on the list. Of course, new items get added as needed and prioritized daily. When I run out of room on the page, I start a new page, adding the “undone” items from the previous page.
The right side of the page has “GO” as its heading. It is usually a shorter list of the places that I need to go when I am already out and about. For instance, it might say Target, Post Office, Dentist – 2:30 Tuesday; or it might list something I need to remember to get while I am out, like Baby gift, RX, etc. My biggest reason for making a separate column for the things to do while I am out and about is that those things were getting lost in my long list and I would inevitably forget to grab something even though it would have been easy to do. I was wasting a lot of time!
There you have it. My simple tried and true method for getting things done. With an ongoing list like this, there is always more to be done, but I only let myself work toward the prioritized starred items each day. The others can wait.
Put first things first.
If you are a slave to productivity, you may want to hit your list first thing in the morning so that you can cross something off. Hold on there, Nellie! That may just backfire on you. The things on your list should not be the routine things you do every day. Hopefully, your daily habits do not have to be written down for you to remember.
Stick with your daily routine and your productivity time will flourish. Everyone has different habits. You may get up and take your shower right away. Maybe you make your coffee, then settle into your favorite chair for morning reading and quiet reflection. Or perhaps a morning run is your norm. Make sure you are taking care of your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs before you jump on the productivity train.
Alternate tasks that you love and hate.
We all have TTDs that we love to do and those we do not want to do, but we have to. I try to alternate those tasks so that I can have something to look forward to while I’m in the midst of the not-so-fun drudgeries. I love to organize things so that they are more efficient to use. Crazy, I know. I completely dislike cleaning. So while both vacuuming and organizing my closet were on my list for today, I chose to do the cleaning first so that I could look forward to the other.
I also suggest rotating visible and invisible tasks to help you see progress. Many things I do are not seen by me or by anyone else, for that matter. I may need to study for a lesson I am teaching. Or read a chapter in a book I am using for my writing. Even though those tasks are very important, there is no visible evidence that they have been completed. So I make sure I complete those TTDs while also clearing away a stack of papers that needed to be dealt with.
Eliminate distractions.
The D word. Yep. We all face distractions whether we are working on something we enjoy, but more often when we do not want to do a required TTD. I call these distractions procrastination propellant. Why is it that the most educated and sophisticated among us is drawn to that little Facebook icon on our phone during the most inopportune times? Or why, when I am on my best writing streak, does my text ding and interrupt my thoughts?
This habit is one that I am still developing, but I’m making progress. I used to think when I received a text that I had to answer it right away. But then I realized that if that text was an emergency, it probably would be a call. I actually admire people who don’t text me back immediately. It says that they have great self-control!
The best advice I have received on dealing with distractions while working is to put your device in Airplane Mode. Your texts and calls will be waiting for you when you are finished with your tasks. Or you can check your phone every hour or so if you just can’t stand it.
Recruit help with your TTDs.
There is no shame in asking for help. In fact, the best managers, CEOs, moms, and dads have learned how to delegate some of their tasks to someone else. In the business world, this can be done by creating a workflow for routine tasks. If you can break down what needs to be done into consistent steps, you can hand that off to someone else.
You can do the same in your home. It makes sense that whoever lives in the home should contribute to the smooth operation of that home. No matter the age of your children, they can be given a “workflow” for completing a task that is appropriate for them. Just think of it as training for the work world that is in their future. Their boss will thank you later.
At the end of the day, when your TTDs and your GOs have been crossed off, it is time to say enough is enough. Remember that boosting your productivity is not about being unrealistic or beating yourself up over a less-than-complete task. Perfection is not the goal. When your head hits the pillow, you must remember that the list will still be around tomorrow. And you can rest well knowing that you will start again in the morning.
Which of the five tips do you need to work on first?
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, remembering that as members of the same body you are called to live in harmony, and never forget to be thankful for what God has done for you.
Colossians 3:15