Get More Work Done in Less Time

Some people just seem to have this innate ability to get more work done in one day than you get done in a week. Maybe you brush it off by telling yourself that their work isn’t quality work, or that it’s not as difficult as your work or that they must not have any time for fun. Maybe some of that is true in some situations, but for the most part it’s not. Those who are productive and manage to move mountains in terms of crossing things off of their to-do list are the ones who have a secret; that secret is called good work habits.

Put Down the Distractions

I used to wonder why I seemed to take so much longer to get things done now than ever before. Am I becoming slower in my old(er) age, is work becoming more difficult? No. The answer is that I allow myself to become too distracted. My phone sits right next to me at my kitchen table (my office, as I like to call it) and every single time it vibrates with a new email, text or social media message – I check it. What a time waster. I’ve learned to put the phone on the kitchen counter where I can hear it should there be an emergency at my daughter’s school, but too far away to grab when it vibrates.

Reward Yourself with Breaks

If you spend all day slaving over your work and don’t allow yourself a little break, you’re going to become burnt out and seriously unproductive. Instead of spending three solid hours in front of your computer or at your desk, get up every hour or so and grab a glass of water, do a few yoga poses or just step outside long enough smell the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. You’ll feel a lot better and a lot more willing to work when you sit back down.

Focus

Focusing on one thing at a time makes it a lot easier to be productive during the day. Make a list and work on one thing at a time. You might be surprised how much time you waste multi-tasking instead of doing one thing at a time.