How To Stop Wasting Time and Be More Productive

I often get asked about how to increase productivity whether at home or at work.

I thought that starting a thread where members can share their best tips and advice on becoming more productive would be a great tool.

If you feel your productivity is dropping or just not at the peak level it should be, read on.

Take the tips and suggestions that can help you most and run with them!


Increase your productivity and solve your problem, click here.

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Replies (10)
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      • Be realistic about what you want to accomplish in a day.

        If you set a goal of completing 30 tasks in a day and you only finish 10 of them, you probably won't feel very productive.

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        • Use lists.

          Write down a list of things you can conceivably accomplish in a day. Once you have a concrete list in front of you, it's a lot easier to get started and stick to a plan. This also helps you easily transition between tasks since you won't have to ponder what's next.

          • Keep your list and schedule in a spiral notebook. Check off or put a line through each job as you complete it. When you look back at all you've accomplished, you’ll feel great!
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          • Limit interruptions.

            Interruptions will destroy productivity. Doesn't matter who you are.

            If you're at the office, let your phone calls go to voice mail for an hour while you get your work done. If you're at home, avoid answering phones or responding to texts during that hour. If you want to keep your momentum going, always stick to your list.

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            • Choose the right time.

              Nearly everyone has times of the day when they are most effective and times when they tend to drag. It’s smart to schedule the most critical tasks for your most effective time of the day.

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              • Get the undesirable stuff out of the way.

                Do the unpleasant items quickly and as early in the day as possible.

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                • Set targets.

                  For example, if you have to make cold-calls for your sales job, tell yourself that you're not getting up for any reason until you've made at least 100 calls. Regardless of what happens, refuse to stop until you hit your target.

                  Set a deadline.

                  Having a specific endpoint will really help to focus your time and energy. If a task doesn't feel necessary, chances are that it won't get done.

                  Set a goal each day (or night).

                  In the morning, decide what you want to accomplish that day. This can be even more effective when planned the night before. Once you have a sense of direction, you can spend all your time getting things done!

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                  • Use the Pareto Principle.

                    This principle states that 20% of the actions you take will provide you with 80% of the benefits. So focus on the tasks that will accomplish the most. Unfortunately, these are frequently the tasks that are not enjoyable. You might be surprised how little you really have to do if you focus on the critical 20%.

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                    • Delegate some of your work.

                      Is there anyone else who can help you? The people around you are resources. When appropriate, use their time and talents wisely to get things done more quickly.

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                      • Acknowledge what you've accomplished at the end of each day.

                        Look at your list. Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Celebrate the fact that you were effective and productive. Whether you crossed off one large task or seven small ones, you made progress.

                        Build on that momentum.

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