How to Be More Productive
By Sara Butler
Many people seem to work best under pressure, and while that’s admirable it also allows some things to fall through the cracks. Waiting until the last minute to get things done can be stressful and lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, which may end up with you avoiding things you know you should get done altogether. Here are a few strategies you can use to keep on top of the things you need to get done in your life and be more productive too!
Make a List
Channel your inner Santa Claus, because you should be making a list and checking it twice! Write down every task you need to do, from the essentials to the ones that can wait a while. Try to create a new list every day by sitting down the night before and outlining what you need to get done, where you need to be, etc. It doesn’t have to be broken down hourly or anything, just write down what you need to accomplish on a given day and then focus on taking care of business!
Take Tiny Tasks to Task
It’s the little things that can add up quickly, so make it a general rule that if there’s something you need to get done that will take only a couple of minutes to complete, just do it as soon as you can. Don’t put them off and let them hang over your head.
Bring Out Your Dread
Everyone has tasks they just dread doing. Maybe it’s paying your bills every month or balancing your checkbook. Whatever the task is that you dread doing, just take it by the horns and get it over with. Put the things you dread doing at the top of your to-do list so you can knock them out and then go on with your day without letting the dread build up!
Don’t Multitask
This may go against the grain, but when you multitask it may actually take you longer to accomplish something than if you’d just sat down and finished it on its own. If you try to work on several things all at once you may end your day with a lot of things partially accomplished instead of several things just done and marked off the list!
These are only a few small suggestions to help reduce stress in your life and help you to get things done. Remember, lowering your stress level is good for your health and your happiness, so make sure you find ways to get the stress monkey off your back for good!