Productivity Hacks – How to Accomplish Priorities

Productivity Hacks

The effectiveness of the productive effort measures productivity. There is the ability to do stuff, then there is the ability to do the right stuff, and doing the right stuff makes you effective. Here are some simple productivity hacks that will help you gain better control of your time and, hopefully, your life!

1. Your Calendar

I am going to recommend that you schedule everything into your calendar. You can do your calendar on your computer or by using a well-laid-out daily planner. The key here is to write out everything you plan to do and write in every moment you plan to work. If you work 8 am to 5 pm, you should fill out every time throughout the day, including breaks, lunch, and free time.

The discipline of writing out your entire day will begin to identify how much time you waste throughout the day. The time talking by the water cooler and attending the last-minute birthday party in the conference room should all be on the calendar so you can review and adjust your schedule.

When you say, “I just don’t have time,” you should go to your calendar and prove it to yourself in writing before you repeat it.

2. Control Your To-Do List

The To-Do List is the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I look at in the evening before I finish working.

Identify the things that have to get done today without exception and put them at the top of the list. I make a to-do list daily, and I mark items off as I accomplish tasks on the list.

The productivity hack here is to get something big and essential done first thing in the morning! Take this one step further and put the most significant tasks at the top of the list. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to move on to the next thing on the list.

Here are some other things to include on your to-do list and calendar—Mark dedicated time for each of these.

• Thought | Reflection | Brainstorming
• Phone calls
• Read and answer emails.
• Face-to-face interaction with clients/team members
• Casual reading, relaxing, de-stressing
• Exercise
• Project work with no interruptions (FOCUS)
• Learning a new skill
• Training and supporting team members
• Serving someone who needs help

You get the idea, take every facet of your work and schedule time for it, and give it the attention it deserves. Also, it is OK to make different lists…..business, personal, household, travel, etc…

Make sure each task is specific and allow enough time to accomplish it. List building becomes a daily exercise because you will need to reschedule things that just do not get done today.

Take Control of Your Email

The biggest thing I can suggest is to declutter your email.

• Unsubscribe to unwanted emails and subscriptions.
• Delete emails you do not need to save
• Highlight the emails that need attention, responses, and follow-ups.
• Throw emails into archive folders and keep the emails you need to take action on in your primary email list.
• Keep work and personal emails separate. Have different accounts and keep them away from each other.
• Be efficient with the emails you send out! Make sure each email is clear, concise, and necessary before sending.

Take Control of Social Media

Social Media is a big one because we spend more time mindlessly scrolling through our Twitter and Instagram feeds, and it is usually a total waste of time and energy.

Set limits and if you don’t have the discipline, delete the app from your phone! You can keep the Twitter and Instagram accounts active but just give yourself access on a laptop or something you can’t pull out of your pocket every 90 seconds.

Free Your Mind!

Discipline Supports Productivity

If the effectiveness of productive effort measures productivity, then discipline determines the right step.

We have to take captive our thoughts, actions, and time. YES, your boss will dictate some of this, but by and large, you will determine how effective your effort will be by your daily actions. We control that with discipline.

It goes back to the daily planner and calendar being your daily habit and action guide. We tend to follow up on things we schedule and write down.

Purpose Supports Motivation

If you have a purpose that aligns with your values, this will all be very motivating and doable. If you try to implement these productivity hacks and quickly feel uninspired and ready to quit, you should look at what you are doing.

It is a sobering thought but let me clarify. Your purpose is personal to you and is in many forms.

• Work and career.
• I was providing for the family.
• I was making enough money to allow volunteering time for personal causes.
• Be inspired by new careers, roles, and challenges.

I am not suggesting that if you are unmotivated, you quit your job! Take the time to think things through and decide what you want your calendar and to-do list to look like moving forward.

For a few, that may mean you realize that you want to find another job or business to build. For many, it just means you take your current opportunity and re-energize it with a new focus and commitment to productivity!

How to Accomplish Priorities

• Get a clear picture of your company/business vision.
• Learn every aspect of your job and get great at doing it.
• Get a clear picture of your personal goals.
• Find out what your family needs and desires.
• Seek God if you are a person of faith.

Then write out your priorities and get a crystal clear picture of what they are. Keep this in front of you and align your to-do list with your priorities daily. Be willing to change and go through this exercise regularly. Change is the ultimate productivity hack that will allow you to accomplish your priorities.

To Your Success