Nearly everyone wants to figure out ways to have a more productive workday. Productivity really boils down to your habits. Ridding yourself of bad habits is just as important as developing good ones. If you’re having trouble staying productive then you’ve come to the right place.
If you want to have a more productive workday you should adopt these six habits.
Avoid That Snooze Button
The start of your day always begins with that lovely sound of your alarm. The hardest habit to break is hitting that snooze button first thing. However, if you’re able to break that habit it’ll do wonders for your productivity.
It’s going to suck at first but trust me you’ll get used to it. A good strategy is to have a morning activity planned and ready the night before. For example, I like to get some exercise first thing in the morning. I make it easy for myself by prepping a meal and my gym bag the night before. That way as soon as that alarm rings I grab my pack and food and I’m out the door.
Use Tools to Stay Organized
If you’re like most people you have trouble keeping your busy day organized. Luckily for you there are plenty of tools out there that will help you stay on track. For example you can use a calendar application that may help automate your schedule and time management.
Most of these products are super easy to use and come with free starter packages. Don’t try to go at it alone, trust me.
Don’t Be a Perfectionist
It’s common for us to get caught up with making things perfect. Whether it’s your hair in the morning or a progress report for your team it just needs to get the job done.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t put your best foot forward. I’m saying it’s important to finish the task at hand in the most efficient way possible so you can move on to the next.
Utilize Wasted Time
The most productive people know that no single minute in their day is worth wasting. For example your flight may get delayed a few hours. Most would spend time arguing with the airline requesting a new flight. Sometimes it’s urgent and needs to be done. However it’s often a pointless argument.
If plans change throughout the day and your schedule gets a bit mixed up make sure to always salvage wasted time. Maybe answer some emails or get ahead on other projects. Time is your most valuable asset so don’t spend it, invest it.
Know When To Quit
One of the greatest skills you can learn is to know when to cut your losses. Often times people grow so attached to certain projects or tasks that their judgement gets clouded by emotion. Sometimes you’ve done all you can and it’s time to move on to the next.
This skill takes time and it takes a few hard-lessons to really learn. However once you get into the habit of constantly evaluating your current state you’ll be fine.
Find Your Time to Disconnect
Nobody can work for the entire day. Those who do are actually doing more harm than good. It’s really about performing at top productivity during the hours you work rather than just working more hours. If you can achieve what you set out to then you’ve done enough.
Once work is finished you should always find time to disconnect. During that time you really need to be disciplined. Our mobile phones have basically become a part of our bodies these days. That said you may want to put it on silent or even put it in another room during this time. Watch one of your favorite shows or spend time with friends and family. Remember, achieving proper work life balance is a major key to success.
Final Thoughts
If you want to be more productive there are plenty of strategies you can pursue. Changes won’t happen overnight but if you take things one step a at a time you’ll see results before you know it. If you can adopt some of the six habits above you’ll be well on your way to a more productive workday.
Renzo Costarella
Renzo Costarella is an entrepreneur, avid learner, and startup enthusiast currently living in Silicon Valley. He consults for several startups in the Bay Area and is pursuing a few ideas of his own.