Do you want to get more done each day? Many of us struggle to get through our to-do lists and we may feel frustrated if we’re unable to check everything off. It’s thought that productivity hinges on working harder; while it’s important to work hard, working smarter is critical if you want to complete the activities that drive your business to succeed. What does ‘working smarter’ entail? Prioritizing your activities, working in bursts and automating your life.
Pick your priorities. Many of us write to-do lists with every intention of crossing everything off of it. Then life happens and we get so distracted by the events of the day that we may not cross anything off the list. Break the cycle by narrowing your list to one or two priorities that you have to complete no matter what. When you focus on one or two priorities, instead of a laundry list of activities of varied importance, you’re less inclined to become sidetracked by distractions. Once you complete your priority items, then you can move on to the less important tasks.
Work in focused blocks. The key to getting more done isn’t pressing your nose to the grindstone all day; it’s working in blocks with short breaks in-between. All work and no breaks is the fast-track to burnout. Why? We’re not wired to focus on one thing for long periods of time, and when you do, you may be left feeling tired, unmotivated and less productive. However, if you focus on one thing for a chunk of time—typically 60-90 minutes—and follow it with a break, you’ll get more done. Breaks are vital to your productivity. Your brain needs time to process the information it receives and refresh itself before you jump into the next task. Working in defined surges ensures you’ll get the most out of each hour of your day. Schedule breaks into your day to ensure you’re taking them.
Automate. The fewer decisions you make during the day, the more productive you can be. Little decisions, such as what to eat for lunch and what to wear each day can take up valuable time you could spend working on your business. Instead, plan your outfits and your meals at the beginning of the week.
Use for CRM (on your laptop, smartphone or tablet) to plan your day and week. Additionally, stay consistent with your marketing by scheduling your social media posts, marketing emails, etc. The more you can automate your life, the fewer decisions you’ll need to make during the day, freeing up more of your time to be productive.
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