Most people think that being productive is all about keeping busy and working harder, actually it’s about working smarter and making the most of each day, so how do you increase your productivity?

At times some people seem to have twice the time; they have an uncanny ability to get things done. So to help you get more done in less time we at Improve Business Solutions sat down to think and by looking at our own habits and of those people that we work with and help, we have some easy hacks to share with you and for you to implement:

Stop Multi-tasking
Studies have shown multi-tasking restricts your productivity and that you get less done. Identify your Most Important Task (MIT) and focus on it for a couple of hours. Then move onto the next most important task.

Have an Email Routine
Don’t fall into the habit of checking your email throughout the day. Train yourself to schedule fixed times to process your emails quickly and efficiently. Decide your own frequency and stick to this routine.

Eat your daily Frog
Complete your worst task first thing in the morning. You know that list of tasks that you need to do but keep delaying, chose one for completion today and then move on to the stuff that excites and inspires you.

Prioritise tasks
Productive people are good at identifying tasks that are important, which can wait and what can be delegated. Otherwise little things that you think are urgent will get in the way of what really matters.

Put your phone down
Studies have shown that even hearing your phone buzz hurts your productivity by distracting you. When you have an important task / project to complete or meeting to attend put your phone on silent or hide it.

Touch a task once
Successful people when completing tasks try to “touch it once”. Whatever time the task requires deal with it there and then. Set a time for the task and deal with it then and once completed don’t come back to it.

Plan for tomorrow
As little as five minutes a day planning for tomorrow can yield significant benefits, gains in productivity and reduced stress. Once you have your plan set out, it’s all about executing it, make sure it’s realistic and achievable.

To implement them is not going to happen overnight as over many years bad habits have been ingrained into our working practices. Take one habit a week and work on it all week to bring it into your routine, once you feel confident that you have adopted this working practice or that it is now becoming your routine then focus on the next one.

At Improve Business Solutions, we have printed this in leaflet format and we keep it close to our desks as a reminder whilst working and it is proving to be extremely helpful.

Start taking your first steps to improving your productivity!