Forget about your job title or profession – everyone is
looking for ways to be more productive at work. It’s time to set down your
gallon-sized container of coffee, toss out your three-page to-do list, and put
an end to those ridiculously long emails you’ve been sending.
Experiencing a highly productive workday can feel euphoric.
But contrary to popular belief, simply checking tasks off your to-do list isn’t
really an indication of productivity. Truly productive people aren’t focused on
doing more things; this is actually the opposite of productivity. If you really
want to be productive, you’ve got to make a point to do fewer things.
Recently I spoke with project management and productivity
genius Tony Wong to find out the secret to a more productive workday. He
provided me with some excellent insight into what he and other like-minded
productive individuals do during their work week.
Harness your productivity by taking note of these eight
things:
1. Create a smaller to-do list. Getting things accomplished
during your workday shouldn’t be about doing as much as possible in the
sanctioned eight hours. It may be hard to swallow, but there’s nothing
productive about piling together a slew of tasks in the form of a checklist.
Take a less-is-more approach to your to-do list by only focusing on accomplishing
things that matter.
2. Take breaks. You know that ache that fills your brain
when you’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to your
brain using up glucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather
than a signal to take a break. Go take a walk, grab something to eat, workout,
or meditate – give your brain some resting time. Achieve more productivity
during your workday by making a point to regularly clear your head. You’ll come
back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.
3. Follow the 80/20 rule. Did you know that only 20 percent
of what you do each day produces 80 percent of your results? Eliminate the
things that don’t matter during your workday: they have a minimal effect on
your overall productivity. For example, on a project, systematically remove
tasks until you end up with the 20 percent that gets the 80 percent of results.
4. Start your day by focusing on yourself. If you begin your
morning by checking your email, it allows others to dictate what you
accomplish. Set yourself in the right direction by ignoring your emails and
taking the morning to focus on yourself, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or
read the news.
5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out your
most challenging work when your brain is most fresh. Save your busy work – if
you have any – for when your afternoon slump rolls in.
6. Pick up the phone. The digital world has created poor
communication habits. Email is a productivity killer and usually a distraction
from tasks that actually matter. For example, people often copy multiple people
on emails to get it off their plate – don't be a victim of this action. This
distracts everyone else by creating noise against the tasks they’re trying to accomplish
and is a sign of laziness. If you receive an email where many people are CC'd,
do everyone a favor by BCCing them on your reply. If your email chain goes
beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase your productivity
by scheduling a call.
7. Create a system. If you know certain things are ruining
your daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do you check your
emails throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for
managing your email. Otherwise, you’ll get distracted from accomplishing more
important goals throughout the day.
8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness. While no one
likes admitting it, sheer laziness is the No. 1 contributor to lost
productivity. In fact, a number of time-saving methods – take meetings and
emails for example – are actually just ways to get out of doing real work.
Place your focus on doing the things that matter most as efficiently and
effectively as possible.
Remember, less is more when it comes to being productive
during the workday.
What’s your secret to productive workdays?
About Ilya Pozin: Founder of Ciplex. Columnist for Inc,
Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor, mentor, husband, father, and '30
Under 30' entrepreneur. Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date with his articles
and updates!
Article Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130515130419-5799319-8-things-productive-people-do-during-the-workday/