5 daily habits that will make you more productive

Do you find your mind wandering when you should be focused more on completing the tasks on your to-do list? 

Everyone goes through ebbs and flows when it comes to productivity, but if you want to stay motivated at all times, here are some daily habits that will make you more productive:

Plan for the next day

Instead of creating your daily to-do lists in the morning, spend 10-15 minutes putting them together the night before. This will help you organize your day so when you wake up, you can hit the ground running instead of wasting time trying to figure out where you need to begin.

Leave work behind at lunch

It may seem counterproductive to leave your work behind during lunch every day, but it will actually help keep you on track and motivated for the remainder of the day. You don’t have to go to a restaurant in order to leave work behind as long as you remove yourself from your typical work environment while you eat your lunch. Imagine this as being the equivalent of hitting the refresh button your day. Once you are back at your desk, you will feel rejuvenated and rested so you can enter the second half of your day at full speed.

Finish the task you’re dreading first

Is there something on your to-do list that you’ve been putting off because you’re absolutely dreading it? Perhaps it’s placing a phone call to a frustrating client or sending reports to your wholesale distributors. Regardless of what it is, each morning, figure out which task you are least excited about—and then do it first. If you leave it at the end of the day, you will find every excuse to keep putting it off until the next day. Plus, you will have to deal with the thought of having to do this unpleasant task hanging over your head while you work on other projects. Getting this task out of the way will give you a boost of energy that will power you and make you more productive through the rest of your day.

As you start your day, accomplishing the most difficult tasks lightens your load more and makes you a lesser procrastinator. (Source)

Discuss your deadlines

When someone sends you a task, respond and let him know when it will be complete, even if he’s not asking for an update. Most people are more productive when they know they have to finish something because of an upcoming deadline. If you take the initiative to set deadlines for yourself—and then tell other people so they can hold you accountable—you will increase your productivity exponentially.

Reward yourself

Plan out little ways you can reward yourself for making progress on your to-do lists. Every time you finish a larger task, give yourself a 15-minute break to check social media, text a few of your friends or go for a long walk to clear your head. Knowing you can earn these rewards by continuing to work will help you stay focused even when you feel like calling it quits.

What do you do on a daily basis to keep yourself motivated? Share your favorite strategies in the comments below!

—

DISCLAIMER: This article expresses my own ideas and opinions. Any information I have shared are from sources that I believe to be reliable and accurate. I did not receive any financial compensation in writing this post, nor do I own any shares in any company I’ve mentioned. I encourage any reader to do their own diligent research first before making any investment decisions.