10 ways you can be more productive this year
It’s the 2nd quarter of the year already and you might be thinking, ‘have I been making a good use of my time this year?’
‘How far have I gone with some of the things I planned to do this year?’ These are some of the questions we ask ourselves whenever we want to determine if we are being productive or if we are doing the right things we need to do.
If you feel like you are not being productive, here are 10 ways you can be more productive this year:
Reflect
Reflect on your actions so far this year, at this pace would you be able to achieve things you set out to achieve. Are your actions reflective of what you hope to achieve this year? Are you closer to your goals or not? What are those things you need to do to take you closer to your goals? These are some of the questions you need to ask when reflecting.
Plan
Once you have carefully reflected, you need to plan towards achieving your set goals. For instance, how will you work daily or weekly to get you closer to your goals? What are some of the things you need to start doing? Break your goals into smaller goals or set milestones. Then also ensure that your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound). This ensures you are more committed and that you stay on track.
Set time for reviews
As you work towards your plan, you need to set out time at intervals to review your actions This is one of the ways to remain productive and ensure you are doing the things you ought to do in time. When you review, you immediately know when it is time to make adjustments or set new goals.
Cut distractions
Distractions hinder focus. When you focus on things you need to do, you get more done and become more productive. Do not try to multitask. Focus on achieving one goal before moving to the next.
Know what matters
You also need to prioritize. Do you need to do some things before doing others? Ask yourself, ‘is this what I am supposed to do at this moment?’. You need to audit your actions, and make yourself accountable – which means you do what you need to do and at the right time.
Be intentional
Be intentional about the things you need to do. For instance, if your plan is to write a short story today, then you need to ensure that you write it at the time you scheduled for it.
Automate
Automate tasks that might be taking up much of your time. For instance, do you need to set an email auto-responder to respond to people making inquiries concerning your business?
Results
Remember that productivity isn’t about being busy, it is about achieving results. And so, rather than focusing on being busy, ensure that you are achieving the right results.
Breaks
Don’t forget to take breaks and rejuvenate your body. This will also help you work more stress-free, as well as reduce burnout.
Review
Review and review. Review your work and your results so as to know things you need to get done. I know we have addressed this but it is highly essential. It tells you how far you have progressed and helps you plan ahead.
Let us know what you think? How have you accomplished your goals so far, what suggestions do you have for other readers?
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