7 Productivity Hacks to Try This Month

7 Productivity Hacks to Try This Month

Are you trying to be more productive? It can be difficult to switch up your routine, but it is possible. Follow these seven productivity hacks to get more done by the end of the day.

As you’re striving to become more productive, remember that it takes two weeks for something to become an ingrained habit. It then takes a month for that habit to be a solid part of your routine.

1. Keep your “To Do” list to a minimum. When it starts growing out of control, take a good look at it to see if there are any items you can eliminate or combine. If something takes less than five minutes, get it done now and cross it off your list for good. People with success and media attention, like Steve Wynn in Forbes, don’t get anywhere by ignoring their “Must Do” lists.

2. Break your “To Do” list up by days. Instead of having one long list, divide items up throughout the week. Schedule two or three items for each day on your calendar, cross them off your “To Do” list and enjoy actually getting things done. The more you cross off, the more motivated you’ll be to keep the momentum going.

3. Get up earlier. If waking up in the morning isn’t one of your problems, try getting up an hour earlier. You can use this time to get everything done that you’d normally put off. You could be on top of your day before the rest of the world has even had their morning coffee. If you struggle to get out of bed each morning, aim for 15 minutes earlier every day until you’re waking up early enough to get a lot accomplished before breakfast.

4. Take breaks throughout the day. Everyone needs some time to refresh. Even if you’re focused on a big project, take a ten minute break every hour or 90 minutes. Overworking won’t lead to anything positive or productive, and it could even lead to burnout, which means you’ll get even less done with your time until you’ve recuperated.

5. Don’t sit down as soon as you get home from work. Relaxing is addictive. If you plop down after a long day, odds are slim that you’ll get up again. Make it a point to do one or two things that you have today before relaxing at the end of the work day.

6. Talk to an organized friend. Ask them what their secrets are. Adopt some of the strategies that you admire. You can also ask if they’ll help you get organized and then see if you can handle the maintenance yourself. Sometimes, all you need is help starting out.

7. Use sticky notes around the house and office to remind you of things you have to do. When you’re in that area, you’ll have a reminder of what you have to get done. You can get to it if you have some free time and get a big “To Do” off your mind. Otherwise, you may never remember certain things when you’re actually in a good position to get them over with.

Most importantly, understand that there are some days when procrastinating is just going to happen. Sometimes, it can feel great to kick back and do whatever you want to do, avoiding all the things that you need to do. You can even designate a day of the week to completely ignore your responsibilities and spend your time on whatever you want.