7 Productivity Tips

With the summer season right around the corner, you might be spending most of your time daydreaming about being on vacation in a nice, chilly place away from all the stress and heat of your routine life. It can be hard to stay focused and productive during this time when all you want to do is kick back and relax.

If this sounds like you, you're at the right place! The advice that we're sharing with you today is bound to help you get back on your feet, focus on your tasks and, ultimately, get more work done in less time. So here are seven of our favorite productivity tips that you need to start implementing in your life.

Plan Your Day First Thing In The Morning

A recurring theme that crops up in the lives of successful people worldwide is that they all plan their days in the morning. Before you stumble into the hustle and bustle of each day, set aside half an hour to plan and prioritize the tasks that you have to do. This will help you develop a clear sense of direction towards your goals, and you'll be able to make productive use of your time.

Instead of overwhelming yourself by setting unrealistic deadlines for yourself, try setting goals that are SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. In this way, you'll know exactly what you have to do throughout your day, when you have to do it, and how you can achieve those goals.

Avoid Social Media Distraction

You're probably no stranger to the feeling of trying to focus on your work while your eyes keep straying to your phone screen that is constantly lighting up with notifications. You might decide to respond to just one text message, but before you know it, you have a dozen other apps open on your phone, an hour has passed, and you're way behind your daily schedule. If this sounds like you, don't worry, you're definitely not the only one!

Being distracted by social media while you're working is a habit that you must break if you want to have a more productive and fulfilling day. A key way to do this is by tracking your screen time and downloading applications on your phone that limit social media usage. You can also turn off your phone or wifi or just keep your phone out of reach so that you're less tempted to reach over and check your notifications.

Do The Most Important Thing First

Mark Twain once said, "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day." While that may sound like strange advice at first, there's a lot that you can learn about productivity and time management from this quote. The "frog" refers to the most important task that you have to complete in the day. It may be a daunting new project that you need to start working on or a vital phone call you've been putting off on making.

Whatever your "frog" is, make sure that you complete that major task as soon as you can. In this way, you'll be able to avoid procrastination and focus properly on your less important tasks later in the day.

Avoid Multitasking

Multitasking has long since been associated with the signs of being a smart and productive person. However, research conducted by Stanford University has shown that multitasking regularly, in fact, has the opposite result on people. When your attention is divided amongst two or more tasks, and your brain is constantly switching back and forth between them, it becomes harder for you to focus, and you're more likely to make mistakes. So start by performing one task at a time, giving it your undivided attention so that you can get it done more quickly and efficiently.

Don't Burn Yourself Out

A common mistake that people make in the struggle to be more productive is to overestimate their abilities and burn themselves out. While being enthusiastic about achieving your goals is a good thing, trying to do too much all at once can be very stressful and counterproductive.

Keep in mind that, at times, the most productive thing you can do is to take a break. When you're planning your day in the morning, make sure that you keep specific time slots free for relaxing and having some much-needed me-time.

Using Dwight

Another great way to boost your productivity is by using productivity tools that are available to you online. There are several apps and programs that you can use while planning out your day each morning.

Dwight is one such tool that enables you to manage your tasks following the Eisenhower Matrix. This matrix essentially divides your tasks according to four basic categories: urgent and important, urgent but not important, important but not urgent, and not urgent nor important. You can also color code these categories so that they look more visually appealing. Additionally, you can add deadlines for yourself and even get an organizational score to provide you with feedback to overcome common organizational problems.

Monitor Your Progress

Finally, you'll need to regularly check in with yourself, reassess your goals, and track your progress. This section is all about figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. Different strategies work for different people, and it's your job to find out what's perfect for you. For example, you might discover that you work better in the late evening instead of early in the morning. You can then mold your system accordingly so that it better fits your productive needs.

A Final Word

Keep in mind that these tips aren't just for high-level entrepreneurs or revolutionary thinkers; they're for anyone who wants to change their life so that they can live more intentionally and efficiently. So experiment with these tips, figure out what works for you, and develop a productive lifestyle over time!