Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Be organized
• Method 2 of 3: Stay focused
• Method 3 of 3: Take care of yourself
• Tips

We all know it: there is a lot to do but in the meantime we let ourselves be distracted, we lazy, postpone things and we are unable to take action. Tired of wasting your time? If so, it is high time to get productive!

To step

Method 1 of 3: Be organized

1. Make a to-do list. Write down everything you want to do that day or week or keep a list of things to do. A to-do list can increase your productivity, but keep the following in mind.
   • Be as concrete, specific, and reasonable as possible about your duties. For example, don't simply write down, "Cleaning the house." Instead, try "cleaning up the living room", "vacuuming" or "taking out trash" - small, precisely defined tasks work best.
   • Don't get distracted by your to-do list. Using all of your time thinking about what to put on your list is just as bad as not keeping one at all. Therefore, try to compile your list in one sitting and do not keep updating it during the day unless you really need to.
2. Make a schedule. Determine which goals you can reasonably achieve and decide in which order you will do this. If successful, you can create a schedule for the day in which you determine when to complete the tasks and when to take breaks.
   • Be aware that tasks often take less or more time than you expected. Try not to get confused about this and don't allow yourself to wipe your entire plan off the table. If something doesn't go as planned, just do your best to adjust your schedule and continue with your tasks.
3. Prioritize and be realistic. Are there too many things to be done in a reasonable amount of time? Then decide what things are most important and then do them. You may have had big plans to get your tax papers in order and to bathe the dog, but maybe one of you will have to wait a while. Taking on too much of it is disastrous for your productivity, so try to avoid it.
   • If there are tasks that you have wanted to do for a long time and never do, don't keep doing them endlessly. Set a deadline, set aside a day for it - or just decide that you can live very well without doing this task.
4. Set goals for yourself. Whether it's cleaning, studying, or working, set reasonable but challenging goals that include how long you want to write, read, or create each day. Don't stop until you reach your goal. Try to look at your goals positively and don't let them overwhelm you. Know that you can achieve them if you stay focused.
   • Consider rewarding or punishing yourself if you do or don't achieve certain goals. Promise yourself to treat yourself if you want to be successful. Make an unpleasant consequence of not achieving your goals, such as donating money to a cause you disagree with. This works best if you leave the assessment of your tasks to a friend because it prevents you from cheating on your punishment or reward.
5. Be aware of your productivity. Don't get lost in thinking about how productive or unproductive you are. After completing your tasks, look back and determine how focused you were, how well you adhered to your schedule, and how accurate your schedule was. Pay attention to unexpected interruptions in the performance of your tasks and figure out how to avoid it next time.
   • Consider keeping a journal where you can write down what worked or didn't work at the end of the day.
6. Keep your things tidy and organized. If you cannot find certain items or if you have to go through all kinds of e-mails to find out what time you have an appointment, this can cause a lot of delay. Create practical systems by means of which you can organize information in a well-organized manner, store tools or other necessities in a well-organized manner and write down your appointments.

Method 2 of 3: Stay focused

1. Do not let yourself be distracted. We live in a world with endless possibilities to get stimulated and distracted. From TV to blogs to text messages, not to mention friends, family and pets. It's so easy to spend a minute on something other than what you're doing. However, this can lead to you discovering at the end of the day that your entire day has already been gone. Don't allow this! Stay focused on your goal by eliminating as many distractions from your life as possible.
   • Log out of your email and other social media websites. Turn off any notifications that may interrupt your work. If you have to, set aside some time to check your inbox or updates that are important.
   • Use browser extensions that block certain websites that you often spend your time on. The internet is full of interesting photos, videos and articles that can claim your day if you are not aware of this. Or just agree not to keep reading the news, your favorite blogs, or watching videos with cats.
   • Turn off your phone. Don't answer phone calls, don't check your voicemail, nothing. Put your phone away from you. If it is important, the person calling will leave a message. If you're worried about an emergency, check your phone every hour for a second.
   • Ask friends and family if they don't want to disturb you. Keep pets out of your room if they can distract you.
   • Turn off the radio or TV. Depending on yourself and the nature of the task, a little background music can be fine - especially music without text - but radio, television, etc. are not beneficial to your productivity, especially if your task requires mental effort.
2. Do one thing at a time. It's a common misconception that multitasking makes you more productive. The truth is, we can really only do one thing at a time and when we multitask we switch back and forth from one task to another. Every time you have to switch, you lose focus and time. To be truly productive, it is best to choose a task and work on it until it is finished before moving on to the next task.
3. Make sure your home or workplace is tidy. Yes, cleaning and tidying up all the time takes time and effort. However, clutter can distract you and you can lower your productivity that you won at first. Keep your desk, home or workplace tidy and organized, without clutter and with a minimal amount of loose items catching your eye.

Method 3 of 3: Take care of yourself

1. Go to bed early and get enough sleep. When you are tired, you become more distracted and less productive.
2. Set your alarm and get up as soon as the alarm rings. Don't keep hibernating and you end up oversleeping. Even sleeping a few minutes longer can mess up your schedule and leave you out of your mind all day.
3. Eat healthy. You may not notice it at first, but if you don't feed yourself properly, after a while you will notice that you are easily distracted and stressed and become a scatterbrain. You make mistakes, which means that you have to perform your tasks again. Make time to eat complete and healthy meals.
   • Avoid heavy meals that make you feel sluggish and take a nap afterward. Digesting food takes energy and consuming a large, fatty meal takes away your strength and focus.
4. Take breaks. Don't exhaust yourself or force yourself to stare at a screen until you are a zombie. Take half a minute every fifteen minutes or half an hour to stretch and give your eyes a rest. Rest for 5 or 10 minutes every hour to exercise, eat or just clear your head.

Tips

• If there is a lot to do, set aside a day when you don't plan and turn it into a productive day!