Do you find yourself saying things like “I don’t have enough time to get everything done?” Do you always feel busy, frazzled, and overwhelmed, or like you don’t have enough time to spend with your family and friends?
Believe it or not, there are some simple mindset shifts you can make to learn how to be more productive. Just making a few simple changes in your mindset will bring about big results.
Think about the most productive people you know. They seem to be able to do it all and still have time to relax. How is that possible? We all have the same amount of time in our day, 1400 minutes to be exact.
In this post, you will learn 23 mindset shifts you can make to be more productive so you can have more time for what really matters to you. You will also learn how the things you are currently doing are preventing you from getting what you want done and what to do instead.
Table of Contents
1. Perfect is Not Possible
Perfection is one of the biggest obstacles to productivity, and it is something that I have struggled with as long as I can remember. Perfectionism makes it hard to get started and often leads to procrastination. Perfectionists waste time and are less likely to try new things and take risks. It is important to do a task well, but when you focus too much on perfection, you won’t accomplish much because perfectionism magnifies the amount of time you will have to spend on a task. This will also likely lead to burnout and cause other tasks and projects to be postponed.
It can be hard to let go of the need to be perfect. It is an ingrained habit for some people. We have always been taught that being perfect was a good thing. For example, getting perfect grades in school. However, productive people learn to stop expecting perfection and instead opt for getting things done.
2. Busy Doesn’t Equal Productive
Being busy doesn’t mean that you are being effective. This is a lesson that I really needed to learn. As a teacher, I would work long hours, usually staying 2 hours later than my colleagues, and I would also go to my classroom on the weekend. I began wondering how my colleagues could leave so early and still be ready for the next day. The truth is I was working much harder than them, but I wasn’t working smarter.
One person can be very busy working on a task for hours while another person can get the same task done in a fraction of the time by focusing on being efficient. Just because a person is constantly working, doesn’t necessarily mean they are moving closer to any of their goals. It may feel like they are getting a lot done, but what are the results of that work?
Some people use busyness as a badge of honor. Busyness is nothing to be proud of; if you are constantly busy and working long hours it likely means that you are sloppy in your time management. Instead of focusing on the quantity of work, focus on quality. You will find that you will actually get more done.
3. Multitasking Is Not Effective
Are you the type that tries to do laundry, cook dinner, clean the kitchen, listen to a podcast, and help your kids with homework all at the same time. I always thought that if I was juggling several tasks at once I was being more productive; however, this was not the case.
When you try to do two or more things at a time, you won’t do either well. The human brain was not designed to switch between tasks quickly, especially if those tasks require high amounts of concentration. It’s tempting to try to save time by doing multiple things at once, but this is neither efficient nor effective.
Multitasking tends to make low quality work because you miss out on details and make more mistakes. Instead of multitasking, just focus on one goal at a time; you will be able to work more quickly, have higher mental clarity, and will be far more effective. You will be surprised how much more you will get done!
4. Potential Distractions and Time Wasters Must Be Controlled
Productive people don’t allow themselves to be distracted. Turn off devices, exit out of tabs on your computer, close your office door, silence your phone, and turn off the tv. Also, having a clean working space can really help limit distractions and will create an environment that better lends itself to focus and concentration.
When you get interrupted by something as small as an email or a text message or a co-worker coming into your office to ask you a question, it can take you about 20-30 minutes to fully regain focus. Think about how many small distractions happen over the course of the day. This adds up to a significant loss of time.
Planning your day the night before and having a schedule will help you to easily recognize when distractions are keeping you from sticking to your plan.
5. Make the Most of the Time You Have
Productive people highly value their time and look for ways to use it wisely. They realize that small changes can add up to large time savings. For example, if you wake up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and watch 30 minutes less of TV. These changes alone will give you an extra 4.5 hours every week.
6. Focus Your Effort in the Areas That Lead to the Biggest Results
Productive people also follow the 80/20 principle, also known as Pareto’s principle. This is the principle that 20% of the effort produces 80% of the results. They focus their efforts in the areas that lead to the biggest results for their end goals, and they let some of the less important things slide. It’s not worth stressing over and wasting time on the smaller details that only bring 20% of the results.
When they look at the tasks on their to-do list, they don’t try to do it all, they decide if they can delegate, automate, streamline or delete any of them to manage time more efficiently. This way they can focus their attention on more important tasks. Read here to learn all the ways you can automate and streamline tasks.
7. Routines are a Must to Be More Productive
Productive people also make the most of their time by following routines. Morning and evening routines set you up for success and increase productivity. Routines allow your brain to work on autopilot. The more the routine is practiced, the less you need to think about it, and the more time you will save.
8. You Can’t Do It All
Productive people know their priorities, and they know how to say, “no.” Saying no can be difficult sometimes, but the truth is, every time you say yes to something, you are simultaneously saying no to other things. When you think of it that way, it helps you to be more mindful of every decision before you say yes or no.
You only have 1440 minutes in a day. Productive people know that they can’t do it all, so they prioritize what is important to them and do only those things.
When you say yes to things you don’t want to do or that are not important to you, you are taking time from the things you do want to do. Look at your to-do list. There are likely things on your list that are not really that important and can just be eliminated. Stop doing things just because you have always done them or because you think it is expected of you. Really think about everything you do each day and what you can cut out. Doing less and not overscheduling your time is key to being more productive.
9. Focus on the End Goal
Keep your end goal in mind to keep your motivation. For me, it is having more time to spend with family, being less stressed, and having more mental clarity so I can devote all of my attention to my priorities instead of running through my endless to-do lists.
If something comes up that doesn’t support your goals, think carefully before adding it to your schedule. Don’t lose sight of the big picture by spending too much time focusing on the details. Ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time? Is it bringing me closer to my goals?” If your actions aren’t linked to your goals and priorities, then stop doing them. Remove any non-essentials.
10. Stop Using To-Do Lists
Have you ever noticed that your to-do list never ends? Your small less important tasks get done, but your larger goals and tasks perpetually get pushed back to the next to-do list, never to be accomplished. Instead of working from a to-do list, it is much more productive to work from your calendar. If you want to get something done, choose a day and time and schedule it on your calendar.
To-do lists are not helpful for most people because they are not time-bound. Most people do not decide how much time they are going to allow for things on their to-do list and what day and time they are going to do it. When they have a little time, they usually choose tasks to do on the spot instead of planning ahead of time. This is why 41% of items on a to-do list never get done at all!
When you just use a to-do list, your brain is constantly thinking about every task on the to-do list. When you schedule your to-do list onto a calendar our brain only needs to think about the tasks that are assigned to the particular day.
I highly recommend doing a brain dump instead of a traditional to-do list. Brain dumps have singlehandedly helped me increase mental clarity and efficiency, lower stress levels, and eliminate overwhelm. You can read detailed steps on how to do a brain dump here.
11. Turn Your Goals Into Action Plans
Instead of leaving large goals on your list, create an action plan by breaking that goal into manageable steps. Instead of just leaving “start a blog” on my brain dump list, I need to break that down into actionable steps. I would add things to my list such as choose a website host and WordPress theme, design my website, learn how to make Pinterest pin images, outline, write, and edit posts, learn about search engine optimization, etc.
When you have actionable steps for all the larger goals in your brain dump, schedule all the tasks into your calendar starting with the most important tasks. Give yourself a specific block of time to finish the task and stick to it. Then throw your to-do list away! Contrary to what you might think, living from your calendar instead of your to-do list will create a sense of freedom; it will not make you feel limited and structured. You will find you will start accomplishing your goals and will have much more free time.
12. Stick to Time Limits: Parkinson’s Law
Give yourself a specific block of time to get a task done and stick to it. When you know exactly how much time you have to get something done, you will start working more efficiently and will stop wasting time on distractions like email, social media and text messages.
Parkinson’s Law states, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. If you give yourself 1 hour to clean the kitchen, it will probably take you around an hour; if you give yourself 20 minutes to clean the same messy kitchen, it will probably only take you around 20 minutes to clean.
The more time you give yourself to finish a task, the longer it will take you to complete it. If you give yourself the whole day to accomplish your to-do list and you don’t give yourself specific tasks and time limits, you will not accomplish much of anything because you will most likely try to multitask, be unfocused, and be walking around in circles.
13. Use the Pomodoro Technique to Boost Productivity
What is the pomodoro technique? It is a time management technique where you break the time working on tasks into 25 minute increments called Pomodoros. During a Pomodoro, you completely focus on only one task without any distractions or multitasking. After each Pomodoro, you take a 5-minute break for energy renewal. After 4 Pomodoros you take a larger break of 15-30 minutes. When you schedule a time to complete a project, think about how many Pomodoros you think it will take to complete.
14. Start Every Day with a Plan and Stick to It
“If you always kept your word to yourself, if you always did what you said you were gonna do, if you always followed through on your best-laid plans, if you always were disciplined in the actions that you wanted to take, how would your life be different than it is now? How would your life be different if you always honored your plans?” -Brooke Castillo, Life Coach School Podcast Episode 261.
How Would your life be different if you always honored your plans.
Brooke Castillo
Living from your calendar instead of your to-do list is only the first step. It won’t work unless you start doing what you say you are going to do. I highly recommend listening to Brooke Castillo’s Life Coach School Podcast Episode 261, titled Throw Away Your To-do List. I found it very motivating and helpful.
In the podcast, Brooke talks about how the brain can get in the way of getting things done. She gives the example that when it is 12:00 and your calendar says to clean the closet, your primitive brain won’t want to because it will want to be comfortable and do something like sitting on the couch watching Netflix and eating Cheetos, and your prefrontal cortex will start thinking that there are more important things to do and you can just clean your closet tomorrow.
It’s easy to come up with excuses for why we can’t do what we said we would do. If you don’t give in to these thoughts and stick to your plan, it will become an ingrained habit that when you say you’re going to do something, you will do it. Brooke says you have to learn to “overcome the urges in the moment…process an urge without acting on it.”
15. Break Difficult Tasks Into Smaller Actionable Steps
If you still find it difficult to overcome urges to not do what is on your calendar, break the tasks down into smaller steps. Brooke Castillo gives the example of not wanting to go to exercise. Instead of just writing exercise at 12:00 on your calendar, write change into exercise clothes and put shoes on at 11:30, fill your water bottle at 11:35, get your bag and your keys and get in the car at 11:40. When you break tasks down into smaller actionable steps, your brain will be OK with doing the easy things and soon the hard thing like exercising won’t seem as hard because your already ready and in the car.
Planning ahead is critical. Brooke says, “when you make decisions ahead of time, it takes the need for will power out of it.” If you are not working from your calendar and are trying to plan what to do on the spot, it will take more will power to do the productive thing vs something like laying on the couch.
It’s hard to make a productive decision in the moment when your brain is urging you to make the unproductive decision. If you already have it planned ahead of time, you just have to honor your plan, and it’s easier for you to not give in to those urges. When you plan ahead, you will find you will no longer feel so stressed and overwhelmed, and it will be harder to procrastinate.
16. Be Flexible
As you read in the last section, planning is very important, but it is also important to have some flexibility in your schedule. Include buffers and downtime. Sometimes even the best laid plans go awry. In that moment, we must learn to show ourselves grace and try again tomorrow. When things don’t work out as you planned, just go with it.
17. Failure is a Requirement for Success
Being OK with failure is crucial. People who are afraid to fail don’t take as many risks and don’t experience as much growth. People who view failure as the opposite of success get discouraged when their plans don’t pan out.
Productive people know failure is a requirement for success. For them, mistakes are life lessons. They are able to get out of their comfort zone because they know the way they are right now doesn’t have to be the way they are forever; they know and believe they can change and grow. Having a growth mindset and viewing failure as a learning experience is essential.
18. Complaining is a Waste of Time
Instead of complaining about things you can’t control, focus your time and energy on things you can control. Likewise, comparing yourself to others or envying others wastes time and leads to self-criticism. Complaining and self-criticism also wastes mental space.
When you are trying to accomplish a difficult or time-consuming project or goal, you should have a positive mindset and look at what you have accomplished instead of focusing on the difficulty of what you are trying to do. When you spend your time thinking things like, “it’s going to be too hard,” and “I don’t know if I can do this,” and “I’m not good enough,” you are far less productive and are less likely to accomplish your goal.
It helps to break large projects into daily manageable chunks so you can see your progress and don’t get so caught up in the magnitude of what still needs to get done. If you truly don’t like how something is working, use your mental space to think of what you can do to change it instead of wasting time complaining.
19. Taking Care of Your Body is Imperative
Productive people value their health and dedicate time each day to taking care of their bodies. If you are unhealthy, it will be harder to focus. Fill your fridge with healthy, easy to grab meals and snacks to prevent urges to eat junk food or go out for fast food. Healthy meals boost energy levels so you can be more productive.
Include exercise in your schedule each day even if it is just a quick 15 minutes home workout. You can also incorporate movement activities in some of your breaks. For example, you could go outside for a quick walk.
20. Sleep Restores Energy and Sharpens the Mind
I used to think the secret to getting more done was to sleep less. Two years ago, I started putting more focus on sleep and making sure I slept around 8 hours each night. I couldn’t believe that I was able to accomplish more in my day even though I had less time.
Productive people know that getting enough sleep helps them work more efficiently. Taking time before sleep to unwind and let your brain decompress will improve sleep quality. Try things like reading, journaling, and stretching instead of watching tv or looking at a device. The blue light will affect your sleep. Getting adequate sleep will improve your health, mood, cognitive ability, and productivity.
When you enjoy a healthy work-life balance and take time for yourself, you will have more energy for your family, have more patience, be more organized, and be much more productive when it’s time to work again.
21. Breaks are Necessary and Important
Schedule short and long breaks in your day. When you take breaks, it doesn’t mean that you are procrastinating. Taking breaks actually cuts down on procrastination. It also allows you to refresh your brain, cuts down on decision fatigue, and increases creativity and productivity.
When your brain is overworked, it becomes less efficient. Movement breaks such as walking or stretching are very effective. You could also try things like drawing, eating a healthy snack, or going outside in nature.
The only time taking a break isn’t a good idea is if you are in a flow state. A flow state is when you are completely absorbed in your task, completely enjoying the task, and effortlessly concentrating on the task. In this case, wait to take a break until you are no longer in the flow state. At the end of the workday, productive people stop working and don’t bring their work home with them. They know there will always be more to do, and their work will be waiting for them the next day. As a result, they can be fully present with their family.
22. Take Time to Think
Productive people take time to think. They carry a notebook with them everywhere to write down important thoughts and new things they learned. They evaluate their day and eliminate inefficient things and things that caused stress and change what is not working. Each night they take a few minutes to review their schedule for the next day so they can be mentally prepared.
23. Small Changes Add Up To Big Results
In my journey to regaining health after a chronic illness, I have done so much research about health and wellness, nutrition, sleep, stress management, decluttering, and nontoxic cleaning and beauty products. Last year I became passionate about the idea of blogging and sharing all the information I learned with as many people as I could. But this passion came with a problem. As a full-time teacher, mom, and wife, I had no idea how I could fit in time for myself, let alone enough time to be able to start a blog. That’s when I started researching time management and productivity tips.
When I first started researching, I was overwhelmed by the amount of ideas I came across. Because of this, I chose to just focus on a few at a time, and it has changed everything! After applying some of the productivity tips to my own life I actually have enough time in my schedule to work on the blog for 1 hour each day, I am sleeping 8 hours a night, and I have more time to spend with my family and time to take care of myself. I am still in the beginning stages of becoming more productive, but I am excited about the changes I am already seeing!
Now What?
When it comes to learning how to be more productive, implementing even just a few of these productivity tips can make a big difference. After reading this post, what productivity mindset shifts are you going to focus on? Let me know in the comments section below. I would start by choosing 3 or 4 at a time. I’m currently focusing on using a calendar instead of a to-do list, trying to stick to time limits and plans, and knowing I can’t do it all. I’m also constantly remembering to be flexible and to not get discouraged with failure. I hope you find these tips to be as helpful as I did!
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