14 Life-Changing Tips for an Intentional Approach to Productivity
Procrastination and poor time management are the largest hurdles we face when trying to be productive.
It can be overwhelming.
And when things start to feel like they’re too much, it’s easy to give up.
In order to stop the vicious cycle of procrastination, we need to understand ourselves. What’s truly holding us back?
If you’ve been working from home amid this pandemic, you’re probably one of the millions of people who have work to do, but can’t seem to get anything done.
Today we’re going to dive into why that is. This list of tips are guaranteed to spark motivation and get you back on track today.
You’re ready to start crossing off that list and we’re here to cheer you on!
Table of Contents
1. Be Kind to Yourself by Cultivating a Positive Mindset
This probably isn’t a tip you expected to see, but it might be the most important one on this list.
Nothing holds you back like you do.
It’s easy to beat yourself up over not getting enough done or wasting too much time.
Maybe you get frustrated because you think you should be able to work much faster.
Or you struggle to focus, and don’t know why you can’t sit and concentrate like everyone else does.
If those negative thoughts crop up too easily it could be the very thing that’s keeping you from your full potential because you’re too busy focusing on the problem.
When you’re in a positive mindset, you’re more open to possibilities.
Your problem-solving skills increase, and stress levels drop.
Contrary to what some people think, deciding to be happier doesn't magically make it so.
The brain needs to be trained like any muscle. In order to change that harmful pattern, we need to start retraining our brains to think positive thoughts instead.
Positivity inspires productivity
Here are a few ways you can start changing your outlook:
✔️ Start every day with a positive affirmation
✔️ Find humor in bad situations
✔️ Focus on the good things, no matter how small
✔️ Surround yourself with positive friends and co-workers
If you’re not accomplishing the things you set out to do, then it’s high time you pivot your mindset and give yourself the power to create change.
By defining your purpose and intention, you can live the extraordinary life you deserve.
2. Manifest Your Dreams by Focusing on Your Goals
Setting goals is a powerful way to stay motivated and having a vision or general idea of your dream life is a great start.
But how do we get to the end result?
By taking action no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at the time!
Setting goals will help you get started.
For best results, your goals need to be frequent, consistent, and specific.
First, really think about what your big-picture goal is.
Maybe you want to start your own business, open a restaurant, or travel full-time.
Seriously think this over.
In his best-selling book Change Your Habits, Change Your Life, Tom Corley shares specific methods to accomplish anything you want and regain control of your life.
Many of the self-made millionaires he interviewed spend 15 to 30 minutes each day just thinking, visualizing and brainstorming.
Next, choose a goal you can finish in 12 months.
What would you consider to be a huge success if you could finish in a year?
From there break it down into months, and then weeks.
Set a goal you can accomplish for each month. Then write down the goals you can finish each week that will lead to your monthly goal.
Finally, focus on daily goals. List 1-3 goals you can complete every day to get you closer to your weekly goal.
This level of consistency will help you stay laser-focused on what you need to do to realize your dreams while also eliminating the overwhelm of such an undertaking.
Be S.M.A.R.T. About Setting Your Goals
Mindful preparation is a smart way to begin the day. Now that you know how to organize your goals, let’s set some rules with the SMART technique.
Specific: is your goal well-defined and thought out?
✔️ What do you want to achieve?
✔️ Why is the goal important to you?
✔️ Who needs to be involved?
✔️ Where will it be located?
✔️ Which resources will you need?
✔️ What limitations will you face?
Measurable: is your desired outcome physically measurable?
✔️ How much do I need? (Money, Training, Experience)
✔️ How long will it take? (To save money, to acquire the skills and knowledge needed)
✔️ How will you know when you’ve reached your goal?
Action-Oriented: does your goal call for actionable behavior?
✔️ What physical action steps do you need to take?
Relevant: is your goal relevant?
✔️ Is it worthwhile to you?
✔️ Does it align with your life purpose, values and desires?
Time-Sensitive: does your goal have a deadline?
✔️ How long will it take to achieve?
✔️ What can you complete in 6 months? 2 weeks? Today?
Taking baby steps towards our dream end result is all we need to do to get life’s magic working in our favor.
It’s also easier to stay motivated once we have a clear direction and attainable steps.
3. Prioritize Your List so You Can Stop Wasting Time
Now we need to determine what the most important items on our to-do list are.
Too often we procrastinate on the larger projects and do smaller, menial ones instead so we have that feel-good moment of crossing something off our list.
The problem with this system is that the small things aren’t important.
You’re not being as productive as you could be.
Motivation and focus take a lot of energy; don’t waste it on insignificant tasks when you have larger ones that need your attention.
But how to prioritize them?
There are a few ways.
Eat the Frog
I’m sure you’ve heard this famous Mark Twain quote.
If not, eating the frog basically means do the hardest task first.
What it means is that if you eat a frog first thing in the morning, nothing worse can happen to you for the rest of the day.
We definitely don’t recommend eating a frog (unless you like frog legs for breakfast), but he is right about tackling the hardest thing first. The rest of the day is a downhill slope of ease.
Order your tasks in descending order, from hardest to easiest.
Or from which ones will take the most effort to those that require the least.
The idea behind this is that you have the most energy at the beginning of your workday.
As you continue working, you get tired and less productive. So if you knock out the most important things first, your work will get easier as the day goes on, leading to a productive day.
However, not everyone is a morning person. If you find that completing smaller tasks first helps you build steam, then do the opposite and order your list from easiest to hardest. Set yourself up for success by doing what works for you.
Importance vs. Urgency
Some tasks are due today, while others are important for a big project or even your career. And they most likely overlap. So which ones get done first?
There’s a simple mathematical equation that can help decide how to rank your tasks.
Write out a list of all the things you need to get done. Rank each one on a scale from 0-10 on how urgent they are.
Then go back and rank them again on how important they are, 0-10.
Add up each score. Those with the highest numbers should be completed first! From there, just work your way down the list.
By prioritizing your work, you’ll be incredibly productive since you’re doing all the important things first. Not only will you cross off some major to-dos, you can lower those stress levels now.
Whew, doesn’t that feel better?
4. Organize your Workspace
If you don’t have a personal working desk, find one.
This allows you to create a personalized environment that serves you best.
This will lead to a sense of comfort, which in turn sparks creativity and productivity.
If you do have a private work area, it’s time to organize.
Step 1: Go on a Purging Spree
This means exactly what you think.
Take everything you don’t need anymore, and get rid of it.
Shred old papers, throw away frivolous items, and empty your file cabinets.
Work systematically through your entire space.
Don’t be shy of getting inspiration from magazines, Pinterest, and other organizing sites.
This might even mean getting rid of old furniture and replacing them with pieces that inspire you to use them.
Step 2: Label and Color Code Everything
Find a system for your office that makes sense to you.
Grab a label maker and mark your folders, drawers, and shelves.
Doing this ensures you know where everything is and where to put it back when you’re done using it.
You’ll never lose track of an important document again.
Step 3: Organize with Boxes and Containers
Using various boxes and folder holders makes a world of difference.
Plastic containers and stationery boxes are easy to label and group into categories.
This also goes for desk accessories.
There are plenty of creative ways to keep track of your pens, paperclips, etc. Having a place for every little thing guarantees a smooth workflow.
Step 4: Now the Laptop
Or desktop.
Either way, it’s time for your screen to be just as neat as your new desk arrangement.
Start your purging spree all over again.
Delete unnecessary files and photo albums. Uninstall programs you don’t need, and after that, remember to empty your computer’s trash bin!
Once you’re done, it’s time to find some sites and apps that will help you stay on track. Here’s a list of the best 10 that you can use for various workflow needs.
Step 5: Get Inspired
Put up some inspirational reminders around your space.
When work gets tough, or you get distracted, you can take a look around and remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place.
Find some great quotes and pictures that really speak to you, and pin them up. You can make a vision board or frame photos that’ll keep you motivated.
Ahhh, doesn’t that feel nice?
Now you’re ready to start working in your new and improved space.
5. Work More Efficiently by Eliminating All Distractions
The biggest distraction that exists today is our cell phone.
Leave it silenced - or better yet, off - in another room. It needs to be far enough away that it’s not a temptation.
Unless it’s part of your daily business, you don’t need your phone next to you.
Create a Distraction List
A distraction list is exactly what it sounds like; a notepad of some sort where you can write down all your distracting thoughts.
Every time one pops into your head, take a moment to write it down on your list. It’s easier to get back to work after you do.
This is because trying to remember a list of tasks, ideas, or assignments is stressful.
It makes the brain anxious, which is counterintuitive to a productive mindset.
By writing it down, you’re reassuring your mind that you’ll remember things.
Eventually, it’ll trust you and stop repeatedly throwing out random things you might forget.
David Allen explains this specific memory role in his book Getting Things Done.
He goes into detail about how to stop the worry function in your brain with systems of organization.
Start a Distraction-Free Routine
This will look a little different for everyone but has the same ideals.
By creating a distraction-free “zone” the same way every day, you can train your mind to focus exactly when you need it to.
Begin your day with a clean space and organized work area.
That way you’re already starting off distraction-free.
If you're feeling extra proactive about this, prepare your desk the day before.
Next, block instant notifications.
Things like email, cell phone, and communication apps designed to get your attention right now (Slack, Hangouts, Whatsapp, FB Messenger, the list is endless).
You can answer them later; you don’t always have to be immediately available.
You’re working too.
Close your office door (physically or metaphorically).
Let people know that you’re unavailable for a specified time frame.
If you don’t have a door, try wearing noise-canceling headphones. If you’re able to move to a quieter location, do so.
You’ll be surprised at how productive you can be when you eliminate all those distractions. Even keeping your phone out of sight will make a difference.
Lastly, if you have time, read this ultimate list on how to configure your phone for best productivity (it took me about an hour to complete but has profoundly impacted my productivity).
6. Implement Pomodoro for Maximum Productivity
The Pomodoro Technique a time blocking system that could completely change the way you work.
First, let’s get you acquainted with Parkinson’s Law.
It states “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
In other words, if you give yourself a week to complete a task that only takes 4 hours, you’ll use up the whole week. Which is obviously counterproductive.
The Pomodoro Technique is meant to eliminate Parkinson’s Law completely.
By giving yourself less time to complete a task, you’ll work efficiently within the smaller time constraint.
The Pomodoro Technique works on 25-minute time blocks, followed by a 5-minute break.
These time blocks are called Pomodoros.
After you complete 4 Pomodoros, take a longer break; 15-30 minutes.
Here’s the 5 step process for using the Pomodoro technique:
Pick a task and decide how long it’ll take to complete it
Set a time for 25 minutes
Work only on your chosen task and avoid all distractions
When the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break
Once you’ve completed 4 Pomodoros, it’s time for a longer break; 15-30 minutes
Taking a break is important. Don’t try to power through the next Pomodoro.
The whole reason this works is because you give your mind time to relax and prepare for the next time block.
During these breaks you can get up and walk around, make coffee or tea, stretch, whatever feels good. You’ll be surprised at how refreshed you feel.
It’s imperative that you only concentrate on one task at a time.
Multitasking may seem helpful, but in reality, it’s distracting and ruins your concentration.
Which brings us to our next tip.
7. Multitasking Kills Productivity
Another common misconception is that if you’re doing multiple things at once, you’ll get more done.
It certainly feels that way as you stressfully flit from one task to the other.
Research shows that multitasking actually makes you less productive.
Our brains weren’t designed to multitask. Researchers compared multitasking to air traffic control, or choreography, both of which take immense training and concentration.
This is why prioritizing your tasks is so important.
By working on one thing at a time you’ll get more done and the quality of work will be better.
Multitasking is harmful to your brain
It literally wears down your memory.
If you keep multitasking, in 5 or 10 years, you won’t be able to handle your job the same way you do now.
Not to mention the anxiety it causes. Switching from job to job keeps you at a high level of continuous stress.
Multitasking wastes time
Your mind can’t smoothly transition, so it resets with every switch, slowing you down.
So if you’re used to multitasking at work, it’s time to switch up your routine.
Focus on one task at a time and don’t overheat your brain!
8. Keep Track of Everything You Do
Ever feel like your days get away from you?
You start early and feel busy, but when you look back almost nothing got done.
This regular occurring phenomenon is a sign that you need to track your time.
It’s a quick and easy way to get a sense of where all your time is going.
No one likes to be micromanaged, but it’s infinitely helpful for you to learn how long certain tasks take.
You’ll finally have an accurate idea of where you’re wasting time, when you focus the best, and how often you get distracted.
There are several apps and websites you can use. Some of the best are:
✔️ Toggl (our personal favorite)
✔️ Timely
✔️ nTask
✔️ Everhour
It’s time to take responsibility for where your time is going.
If you find that checking emails is taking up a few hours each day, assign a specific time slot for them.
Maybe you get distracted by social media or news articles. You probably spend more time on them than you think.
Let’s start that timer and find out.
9. Practice Deep Work for Maximum Concentration
The phrase “deep work” was coined by Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University and renowned author.
In his book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, he defines deep work as “Professional activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limit.”
Most of us are used to doing what he calls shallow work.
Things like multitasking, replying to company chat notifications, and attending useless meetings. These things keep you busy, but far from productive.
Busy work blinds us to the goals we’ve set.
To truly succeed, we must learn to master the art of focusing.
That’s where deep work comes in.
Newport has laid out 4 strategies, or philosophies, for scheduling deep work into your day.
The 4 Philosophies for Scheduling Deep Work
1. The Monastic Philosophy
This is the most intense level of deep work. It requires us to spend all of our working time laser-focused. We don’t switch assignments, staying glued to one task and one task only. Our new default response to any commitment is “no.”
2. The Bimodal Philosophy
This philosophy allows for a bit more flexibility. It calls for large chunks of deep work, but we’re able to continue doing other activities. To adopt this we arrange our weeks, months, and years into large portions of deep work.
3. The Rhythmic Philosophy
The most realistic philosophy, this one only requires several hours a day of deep work. It’s best to schedule it for the same time so our mind gets into a familiar rhythm.
4. The Journalistic Philosophy
This is the best choice for those with irregular schedules. For this philosophy, we fit in deep work whenever we can and any extra time we find is used for deep work.
Build Up Your Deep Work Routine
Once again we must consider 4 things when starting our deep work journey:
Location: Find a quiet and distraction-free place to work.
Duration: Choose a time block. Newport suggests starting at 15 minutes and working your way up.
Structure: Make rules for yourself. How do you measure the success of a session? Can you have your phone? Will you allow yourself a snack?
Requirements: You’ll eventually learn what helps you start deep work. These routine things become your requirements, whether it’s listening to specific music, or starting off with a coffee.
By training ourselves to get immersed in a deep work mindset, we’ll become more productive and efficient.
Find the philosophy that matches your lifestyle.
Create your own routine where you can shut out all distractions.
Then get things done.
This just barely scratches the surface of deep work.
If this speaks to you, find out more here.
10. Recharge Your Mind by Taking Frequent Breaks
As counterintuitive as this sounds, giving our minds a break is the recipe for success.
We’ve all had that moment where we feel exhausted and have to step away for a moment. Do you remember what happened when you returned?
I’ll bet you felt refreshed and maybe even had a bolt of inspiration.
That’s because giving our mind a break gives our prefrontal cortex a chance to breathe.
It’s responsible for everything we need to work well: focus, willpower, overriding impulses, executive functioning, and logical thinking to name a few.
Breaks can save you from things like decision fatigue
After making choices all day, your brain gets tired, and will eventually resort to the easiest option available.
A break restores your motivation
When working on a complex task, our prefrontal cortex is chugging away, trying to help us.
By taking our minds off of work, we can actually revive the motivation to continue working.
The longer we force ourselves to work, the worse our performance becomes.
Breaks need to be scheduled
Stopping work because we got distracted isn't the same thing. That’s why the Pomodoro Technique is so effective. We do it with intention.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to mentally regroup.
Take a 10-minute power walk, stand up, stretch, do some deep breathing exercises.
They work wonders for stress relief and relaxation.
Numerous studies show that sitting increases your risk for disease: obesity, diabetes, depression, and heart disease, to name a few.
To combat the negative impacts of sitting, get up and walk around for a minimum of 5 minutes every hour.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine and the Journal of Workplace Health Management:
> 60% of employees said “their time management skills, mental performance and ability to meet deadlines improved on days they exercised.
> 27% of employees reported higher levels of dealing calmly with stress “on days exercised.”
>41% of employees reported high rates of “feeling motivated to work” on exercise day.
It doesn’t matter what we do on our break as long as we give our mind time to rest.
Take a lap around the office, brew some tea, anything to let your brain recharge.
11. Boost Your Brain Power with Healthy Snacks
Who doesn’t love to snack throughout the day?
Healthy snacks give us the fuel needed to stay focused and be productive.
This only applies to nutritious food, however.
You won’t gain anything from chips or cookies.
Most offices don’t have healthy snacks. Bringing food from home is probably your best bet.
Here are a few healthy snack ideas that are easy to make and will give you that extra energy boost:
✔️ Dried fruit and nuts
✔️ Roasted chickpeas
✔️ Apples and peanut butter
✔️ Rice cakes
✔️ Greek yogurt
✔️ Dark chocolate
✔️ Jerky
✔️ Homemade energy balls
✔️ Popcorn
✔️ Hard-boiled eggs
✔️ Carrots and hummus
Drinks are a good option, too.
Green tea, for example, has caffeine but without the acidity of coffee.
There’s always the classic fruit (or veggie) smoothie; feel free to add yummy things like peanut butter and coconut milk for a great taste.
When selecting the right snack remember to find food that has more protein than glucose.
Too much sugar will give you a short burst of energy followed by a crash.
We need well-balanced foods that’ll keep you going all day long.
12. Automate Shortcuts to Save Time
You know that mind-numbing data entry you do each day?
The ones that make you weep with boredom?
What if I said that you never have to do that again?
Welcome to workflow automation. This is a software system that’ll complete tasks for you. You don’t have to lift a finger. Or even pay attention.
Manual, repetitive tasks is the bane of everyone’s existence.
For good reason. It soaks up precious time every day.
No matter what kind of work you do, whether it’s marketing or human resources, workflow automation has the potential to change your life forever.
These systems are capable of doing anything you need: sending emails, streamlining budget approvals, or automatically updating social media.
And it can all be done in an instant without any prompting.
The two best automation tools we recommend are Dubsado and Zapier (use coupon code 20OFFDUBS to get 20% off your Dubsado Plan).
By automating your workflow you’ll have more time to spend with your family, work on important projects, find a new hobby or even start a new business.
Stop wasting your time with manual, repetitive tasks and start on your automated workflow so you can focus on your most important work.
13. Reward Yourself - You Deserve It
Rewarding someone for a job well done may be an old concept, but remains an effective productivity tool to this day.
Let’s take a look why that is.
Actions and rewards are closely related.
There’s a reward for almost everything you do.
For example, you expect a good meal after cooking or a paycheck for working so many hours.
But when it comes to working, the reward is often a long time coming.
You don’t lose weight from working out for a day. Some things must be done consistently in order to reach the benefit.
To keep yourself motivated, find a reward system that works for you.
It doesn’t have to be a big reward. Just enough to make you happy and release a little dopamine.
Another reason it’s important to reward yourself is because no one else will. You’re not a little kid anymore who gets ice cream for cleaning their room. You need to give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve worked hard and deserve something good.
But stay away from monetary rewards.
Don’t go online shopping every time you finish a project.
For this to work, there are rules.
The reward can’t be too easy to attain; that would make it meaningless.
And you should feel a mild level of disappointment for not earning the reward.
Make it relevant to the task at hand.
Don’t get a mani-pedi for studying for a couple of hours and don’t treat yourself with a sad little dollop of ice cream for getting a huge promotion.
Find proportional rewards you can use every day that will bring you joy.
Here are some of our favorites:
✔️ Get a cappuccino
✔️ Pour yourself a glass of wine
✔️ Watch that new movie you’ve been wanting to see
✔️ Let yourself sleep in an extra hour
✔️ Buy some chocolate
✔️ Cuddle up on the couch with a good book
✔️ Call a friend to catch up
Whether you’re decluttering a closet, sticking to a deadline, or starting a new project–having a reward to look forward to will cheer you on to get things done more quickly.
You deserve it!
14. Celebrate how far you’ve come
Now let’s review your progress.
After all, why set goals if you have no clue how close you are to reaching them.
Seeing how much you’ve completed is great motivation in and of itself.
And if you’re behind your timeline, that’s helpful information too.
Now you can identify why you’re trailing and course correct. Implement the changes you need to start going in the right direction again.
Break Down Larger Projects Into Smaller Chunks
In order to review your progress, you’ll have to track it first.
This is a little different than recording time, which we talked about in Tip 8.
First, we have to reduce your goal into lots of little goals.
Break up big projects into little tasks.
The smaller the better.
Then find a way that’s conducive to your work method to map it all out.
You can draw it out on a big piece of paper or create checkpoints in RescueTime.
Whatever you do, make sure each task is easy to cross off.
Journaling is another option
If writing is your jam then journal every day for at least 5 minutes, recording the progress you’ve made.
Tracking physical progress is a great way to combat overwhelm.
Large projects can feel insurmountable but if you divide and conquer little tasks along the way you’ll finish in no time.
As much as we’re taught to look forward in our work, it’s equally important to look back.
Celebrate the progress you’ve made so far and let it motivate you to continue.
If you’re not as far as you’d hoped, find a better way to get it done.