“What we do on a daily basis shapes our life, not what we do once in a while”
~unknown
Each of us starts our day with the same amount of time but what we do with that time and how much we accomplish depends solely on us and the choices we make each day. Let’s look at the habits of highly productive people. First of all, they have three important things in common: they’re organized, they set goals, and they stay focused. But there are other habits of highly productive people that you may not have considered. Keep reading to learn about five of the best habits to help you improve your productivity.
Stop Multitasking
Research has shown that multitasking impairs your performance. On low-level activities such as doing laundry while completing other household chores, it’s okay to multitask, but you can’t multitask when it comes to your higher-level, big-picture objectives.
It may feel like you’re accomplishing more but switching between tasks disrupts your cognitive processing. The most productive individuals devote specific time frames to a single project to achieve a deep level of mental focus and get the greatest possible results.
Treat Failures as a Learning Experience
The most successful individuals are not afraid to make mistakes. They go after what they want without overthinking the consequences, and each failure is viewed as an opportunity for growth. Taking chances is critical if you want to become productive, efficient, and self-assured.
Productive people learn from their mistakes and take measures to avoid making the same mistake in the future. The next time you find yourself feeling like you have failed, don’t waste time beating yourself up. Instead ask yourself: What can I learn from this? What can I improve?
Apply the 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule, also called the Pareto principle, says that eighty percent of your results come from twenty percent of your actions.
To improve productivity, you need to better understand which activities provide the best results. With that knowledge, you can focus more time on the tasks that actively move you toward your goals. Get rid of the tasks that have little to no impact on your overall efficiency and instead focus on the small number of tasks that will get you 80% of the results you desire.
Don’t over-commit
It can be tempting to say yes to every opportunity; you never know what it might lead to. And there’s nothing wrong with helping others … unless it sucks you dry or distracts you from doing what you’re supposed to do. I remember one minister talking about how God puts us on the road to fulfill our destiny but instead of going where we’re supposed to go, we stop and help fix the potholes that are in the road and ultimately never get to our destiny.
You can’t do everything. Overextending yourself can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and frustration. Plus, if you say yes to things that don’t help you reach your goals, you’re also wasting valuable time and resources.
Productive people know the value of their time and treat it like a precious resource (because it is!). To reach your goals, you must be deliberate with your time. We only get 1,440 minutes each day – don’t give that time away without considering how it will impact you and your goals.
Have a Morning Routine
Another habit of highly productive people is to have a consistent morning routine. This sets you up for success and improved productivity throughout the day. For example, starting your day with a hot cup of tea, 20-30 minutes of exercise, and reading or journaling can all help boost your energy levels, increase your focus, and create a more positive mindset. An easy but effective morning routine will set the tone for the rest of the day and help you maintain the motivation to get things done.
The usual understanding of productivity is having the ability to get a lot done in a brief period of time. While this is true, it’s not the whole story. True productivity means you have the ability to do high-quality, purposeful work quickly. This is the type of productivity that matters, not busy work that won’t matter in the long run. Adding these habits of highly productive people to your daily routine will enable you to do just that.
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