5 secrets to becoming more productive, every day!
Ah productivity! I think I share the dream of some people who would like to constantly increase their productivity. It would be so easy to accomplish all my projects!
It would be way too beautiful. Let's stay realistic.
It's impossible to be productive all the time, and that's fine. On the other hand, if you are like me and you always have 500 projects running at the same time. It is important to good organize our time to be able to accomplish as much as possible without getting burned.
We all probably have some form of agenda. If that's not the case, please let me know. get a ! If you don't know where to start in order to choose a planner that suits you, here is my guide to help you. Besides the calendar, there are other ways to increase its level of efficiency.
I then share with you my 5 secrets to be a little more efficient, every day!
1. Adopt the 80/20 method
I became aware of the 80/20 method (or Pareto's rule) three years ago. I attended a conference on the subject and I realized that I was already applying this method to my activities without even realizing it! That's why I find it really an almost infallible theory!
Applied in the context of productivity, it states that 20% of our efforts produce 80% of our results. The reverse is also true where 80% of our efforts will only be worth 20% of our results.
More concretely, this means that the 20% of your time that you spend working on the essential of the task will bring you 80% of the results. While the 80% of the time you spend tweaking details (sometimes useless, let's face it) will only bring you 20% results.
When we understand this, it is very easy to determine what it is worth spending our time on. If you are a very perfectionist, take the time to analyze what activity you spend most of your time on and (if possible) try to collect data reflecting the result of this work. You will notice that you waste a lot of time on superfluous little details!
By purifying your efforts, you will have much more time to spend on your other projects!
2. Clean up your to-do list
Speaking of purifying our efforts. So take a moment to clean up your to-do list! It's easy to fall into the trap of wanting to do it all in one day. The problem is that it quickly becomes overwhelming and you end up not accomplishing much or producing quality activities.
The goal here is to avoid multitasking. Pick 5-6 important tasks each day that you want to accomplish. It will be much less overwhelming and you will be able to apply yourself properly to the work at hand.
It is also important to think about what we choose as tasks to add to our list. Are these items aligned with our objectives? According Gary Keller, we must adjust our tasks according to our objectives. He explains his theory as a line of dominoes falling one after the other. Indeed, if you start with small steps, but which are aligned with your final goal, you create by yourself a reaction chain that will lead you straight to the goal!
3. Get ready the night before
You will save a lot of time by preparing for the next day the night before. This allows us to be in the right state of mind for the next day. Indeed, if you know what to expect, you will tend to be less stressed and better prepared for the day ahead.
Besides, no need to spend 30 minutes in the morning to determine what our day will look like, it's already done! As soon as you wake up, you are ready to go!
I suggest planning everything just before bedtime. It's a good excuse to let go of your phone and take 30 minutes and organize your day. Your productivity will really increase!
4. Respect the 2 minute rule
The 2-minute rule is another great way to increase your productivity. Basically, if an unplanned task comes up during your day, evaluate it. If it takes less than 2 minutes to execute, do it immediately!
This way, you avoid the procrastination of small tasks, because you know they accumulate quickly! No more taking your Friday afternoon off to do the mini-tasks you've been letting go of all week.
In addition to avoiding procrastination, avoid forgetting to do these little things. I don't know about you, but if I don't send my little reminder email to my partner right now, I'm almost certain to forget! It can cause a lot of unfortunate situations...
5. Invest in good tools
When we try to optimize our time and increase our productivity. You absolutely need to have the right tools. You are probably already aware that in any process of personal development or to achieve your goals, it is important to invest in yourself. Well, I would say that investing in good tools is almost equally important. Not only to achieve your goals, but also to optimize your time.
When I say tools, it can be just about anything. Depending on your activity, take the time to do your research to find the tools that could help you achieve them effectively. Is it an electronic tool? Is it a web application? A product that can be purchased in-store? Make a list and you can prioritize your investments according to the return in time and productivity they will bring you.
One thing is certain, if you are poorly equipped, you risk wasting a lot of time on things that could be much simpler!
Increase your productivity
So ! There are many other ways to increase your productivity, but I personally prefer to focus on the essentials first and then add other techniques as needed! So what are you waiting for before accomplishing all your goals?