10 Tips for Immediate Productivity Results
Written by Al at 7P
Are you drowning in work? Do you consistently end your day with things on your to-do list that you wanted to get done but never got to? Has your productivity in your day job been reduced to the point that you regularly work nights and weekends? Let me ask: if someone gives you yet another project to work on now, will you scream?
My friend, I’m here to tell you that this lifestyle is not sustainable. Consider these 10 tips which might help give some immediate relief and help you ride those waves of work.
- Check messages only twice a day: People spend 28% of the day on interruptions and recovery time (roughly $650 billion a year in the US). To get some of that 28% back, limit the frequency of checking messages. This includes email, voicemail, and tweets (for you twitter users). If it’s urgent, they’ll call.
- Put first things first: Of all the things on your to-do list, there’s likely just a select few that are truly important. Remember, urgent does not always equal important. I highly recommend the story about the big rocks to illustrate this point.
- Use one master to-do list: Post-it notes were supposed to help people keep track of things, but a lot of time can be wasted trying to get info that’s on stickies scattered everywhere. Use the same device to consistently capture what needs to get done. It can be on paper or stored electronically, but it needs to be consistent.
- Focus on tasks that you’re good at: If you want to work fast, do the tasks that you do well. These tasks are in line with your strengths. Seems simple enough, but surprisingly this tip is often ignored.
- Say “no” more often: Less is more. Don’t waste your time on things that suck your time and energy but give no value.
- Delegate: OK, so you’re faced with a task that you’re not good at, but you can’t say no to it. Find someone who is good at it and delegate it.
- Procrastinate on purpose: It goes by many different names. Proactive procrastination, creative rescheduling, structured procrastination. The main objective is that you’re not doing nothing, but instead you’re simply doing something else.
- Batch process your jobs: You can increase your productivity ten-fold if you batch process your small jobs and do them all at once.
- Only worry about things you can control: Why waste time and energy worrying about something outside of your sphere of influence? Worry less, because you’re more productive when you have a positive attitude.
- Get enough rest: Allow yourself more sleep. Take additional breaks. Take a vacation. If you allow yourself proper rest, you’ll find you can do more in less time.
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Yes, less is more. I try not to plan too much and to allow some space. But somehow, there will always be things cropping up during the last minute. I also get frequent cases of runny nose due to insufficient sleep. Bad huh? I can only say that your tips are timely advice for me!!
Evelyn Lim’s last blog post: Planet Of Dreams
Hi Al,
I sure needed to hear this today. I feel like I am so far behind. Looking at your list, I can see I need to put first things first, focus on what I’m good at, say no more often, and procrastinate on purpose.
Also, for me, getting a good nights rest is essential so I can perform at my best the next day.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post: NBOTW - Everyday Is Father’s Day
These are dynamite tips on using time more effectively, Al.
Just now as I increasingly follow more blogs and undertake more blogging-related tasks, I find that time is fast becoming a precious resource.
The way to go seems to be batch-processing… I’m going to try to implement it early on.
I think the sooner one adopts good practices, the easier it is not to stress about time management.
Thank you for pulling this list together, Al.
i had to sample with number 1 for a few hours yesterday. i’m on an email list at work and they were flying in and i felt the need to answer them all until it got overwhelming and finally i had to close the program so i could get my work done. change is not going to happen that quick for me, but its a good reminder to start putting myself on a schedule with my email at work.
thanks.
Hi Al - Thanks for the tips. I think batch processing will help me a lot. I was doing ok with time management after reading Eat That Frog. Trouble is, when I have a huge horrid frog I don’t want to deal with - I ignore my to do list totally.
I have one of those frogs from a previous business. Once it’s done I guess it will be easier to do things that don’t involve frogs I don’t like.
I totally agree on post it notes. I banned those a long time ago. People would stick them all over my computer and they would get lost.
Procrastinate on purpose - I am the type of person, that when I receive a task from my boss, I do it. I quickly learned that this is a huge mistake. I don’t know if this is unique to government jobs, or to senior management in general, but I would do the job only to have my boss say, “oh, that’s not really what I want after all. I want this.” I have learned to sit on any task assignment for several days, get back to my boss to see if his thought process has changed, and then proceed. Only I proceed with caution and give him a draft, because when he sees that he’ll probably realize that even that isn’t exactly what he wants. Anyway, the point being, I have to give my boss time to mull it over, otherwise I waste a lot of time on re-work.
Urban Panther’s last blog post: The Panther goes oopsie daisy
I think i need to learn how to say no to anything
i have been spending most of my time in stuff that not doing any good to me or my blog
but i think now I’ll have to stop all those activities and use my time wisely
Sunil Pathak’s last blog post: 7 Ingredients Of Magnetic Blog:
@Evelyn: I think I know the experience you’re going through regarding the last-minute issues that come up. Sometimes I find it that people come to me with these requests and I end up working hard because of their lack of planning. These types of incidences decreased when I simply reject these requests and tell them to come to me in a timely manner. Other people’s expectations may need to be adjusted when it comes to last-minute requests.
@Barbara: Yes, get your sleep and rest, and don’t forget your vacations, too! You must be the hardest working blogger there is, so don’t forget to reward yourself with a nice trip somewhere
@Scott: I agreed that batch processing is indeed a powerful technique for productivity. When it comes to blogging, there’s so many different activities to do that batching them together is the only way to get things done. Thank you for the feedback!
@Natural: It pained me to read your comment because I sometimes see that happening myself. I learned that when more people are added to the CC list, then more email noise gets generated. All my work emails have my phone number as part of my signature, so I have no problem being delinquent with email responses.
@Cath: Hmm, I gotta read that book. I keep coming across people who read it and enjoyed it. It sounds like that “big frog” on your to-do list derails your other tasks. Can it be broken up into smaller, more manageable frogs?
@Urban Panther: I know exactly the problem that you have, and the issue of managing our managers is a whole problem in and of itself! You can be an entrepreneur and still have this problem, because your customer then becomes your manager. Congrats on figuring out how to use procrastination to your advantage!
Hi Sunil,
I think the key is to realize that when we say “yes” to something, we implicitly say “no” to all the other things we could have also said “yes” to. When we realize that we’re already saying “no” without realizing it, it becomes easier to say “no” when we need to.
Good tips Al. Limiting the frequency of checking messages and the like really makes sense. I never thought of it that way before.
And not worrying about things we can’t control is so true. That will compromise productivity because that is energy being diverted to an area of no returns.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post: Why Having to Say Hello Twice can Be So Awkward
Hey Al
Cool tips, I’m loving all of them and productivity is very high on my list of things to master. I like no.10 as I am learning the most as it is vital to decent productivity.
Also, a “little” positive procrastination is good otherwise I wouldn’t get to read your fab blog
and YouTube would be no more!
In love, light and abundance x x x
Lola Fayemi / Nourishment for your spiritual awakening’s last blog post: Simplicity tip: Are you nourishing or depleting?
Hey Al saying NO seems to be working it’s way around these days and better advice does not exist anywhere.
Why worry at all?
Tom Volkar / Delightful Work’s last blog post: How to Honor Your Commitments
A third of my day is spent on interruptions? Wow, that’s crazy.
I love these tips. I really need to learn to say “no” more often!
Vered’s last blog post: Aging: May I Please Get Off This Path Now?
Hi Al - You’re right - it is derailing everything else. I’ve started to break it up and make it more manageable.
You would love the book but I’m guessing that you know lots of stuff that’s in it anyway. It’s a really short read.
I like this article since i am stucked in the middle of nowhere, lousy job, worse boss and worst, i lost myself at my job. I have been working for two years, while i found myself in a terrible company with a terrible boss. I sufferred a lot, i stayed very late into night, and got only four to five hours sleep a day. And i could not get myself to bed till three or four in the morning. I am trying to find ways out for myself and after reading this, i kind get a little hint where i should go in terms of job. Thanks pal!
@Bamboo: Reducing the frequency of checking messages was one habit that really took a lot of effort, but I found it to be a tremendous time saver and I never really felt any repercussions from it.
@Lola: yeah, procrastination has gotten a bad rap, hasn’t it! As long as the other task we’re doing is also constructive then it’s all good. I browse Flickr a lot for my procrastination and I make it productive because those breaks are when I find the pix to use for the blog articles. Oh, and thanks for making the time to read my humble blog
@Tom: Agreed, I think the message of saying “no” as well as the general theme of “less is more” should be conveyed more since I think there is a general need to emphasize quality over quantity. Thanks for catching that… the fact that the list emphasizes what to do as well as what not to do was on purpose.
@Vered: Yeah, it’s a bit shocking how much time we lose on interruptions. I notice it the most when I’m working on something and developed a rhythm, only to get interrupted and to lose that flow I had.
@Cath: Some of the best books are those that are a quick read. I’m trying to be a bit frugal with books so I’ll first see if my local library has a copy, and if I really like it I’ll buy my own copy. Good luck with your frogs!
Hi Eric,
Wow, that was a very revealing story you shared. I think the fact that you recognize your situation as being unacceptable was very important, because positive change can’t happen until we reach that point.
I don’t think I have to tell you but clearly you need to get out of your current situation. Start taking care of yourself first, since this company doesn’t seem to be taking care of you. I’d love to hear about any updates with whatever progress you have towards a better job and a better situation.
Al!
I agree with saying NO more often.
As hard as it may be, it frees up time…
Hi Axel - yeah, we’re not wired very well to say “no,” but once we realize that we already say “no” to other opportunities when we say “yes” to something, it helps us to be more purposeful with our commitments. Thanks for the feedback!
Yes, I could do with this list as a reminder. I was doing really well a few months ago at prioritizing time off without feeling guilty and keeping my work, blog and commitments in perspective, but these days I find myself doing lots of busy, useless action and feeling compelled to check and respond to emails.
Even when I tell myself to take a tea break and not look at the computer screen, I often find myself thinking “Well I haven’t checked Mr X’s blog yet, I must read that and write a comment”. Then I go work on a job, then I start jotting down ideas for a post and before you know it I haven’t left the bloody computer for 4 hours straight. It is impossible to be productive, happy and well with this kind of lifestyle.
I’m also a terrible multi-tasker. I’m out playing soccer with my kid and I’m wrangling with plot problems in my novel rather than being in the moment with him. It makes me feel so guilty because he should be the top priority, it’s just that I’m trying to cram so much in.
I think I need a lot more practice at this Zen stuff!
Kelly
Great tips Al! Thanks! My biggest problem is getting sidetracked. And not necessarily by other people either. I can just be working away and then need to investigate something that just popped in my mind.
Urbane Lion’s last blog post: How dirty are you?
@Kelly: I know where you’re coming from. There’s so much that we can do and so much that we want to do, but there’s only so much time. in the day. Time is like currency, isn’t it? We can go into a store and say I want and can afford to buy this or buy that, but I can’t afford to buy this AND that. Maybe we can’t afford both right now, but we can buy one of them now and the other later.
@Urbane Lion: Some of the best ideas come at unexpected times. Lately I’ve been a fan of this free service called Jott, where you call their number and they’ll transcribe your voice message, and you can email it to anyone such as yourself. It’s been *tremendous* in helping me capture the spur-of-the-idea moments! It will give me a reminder and I can do work on it later.
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Hi Al: One of the things I do is help my father with his properties and sometimes the phone just won’t stop ringing with people asking for all sorts of information. I can’t tell you how annoyed I get when I’m in the middle of a thought and someone calls to ask the same question for the umpteenth time. I schedule time when my cellphone and telephone are turned off. I know it annoys people to no end not to be able to reach me whenever they want to, but I don’t care. This “not caring” has been carefully cultivated (I used to care, a lot, if people were annoyed, but no more).
Marelisa’s last blog post: 30 Ways to Increase Your Creativity
Tomorrow morning, when I’m not running late for a meeting, I will start my day with a cup of coffee and by slowly reading this list. Thank you for reminding me to
s-l-o-w d-o-w-n.
Stacey / Create a Balance’s last blog post: Arriving at the Moment of Your Dream (Wordless Wednesday)
@Mare: More power to you! It is impossible to please everyone, and even if you gave 100% of yourself to others and 0% to your own needs, it’s still impossible. Drawing the boundaries for your own needs sometimes need to be done, and it looks like you successfully accomplishing that.
@Stacey: I hope you indeed get a chance to slow down. In fact, don’t just take a swig of that coffee, but savor it! We should all learn to work smarter, as opposed to working harder. Hope some of these tips help!
If only we could all understand how important it is to stay focused, but not crush ourselves under the weight of our responsibilities. It is so healthy to get up and take a moment to breath when there is a lot to do. Great post!
Performance Coaching: sometimes we are our own major sources of stress, aren’t we? We have to remember to maintain balance in order to have a sustainable lifestyle. Thanks for the feedback!
In my opinion i cant stop worrying things beyond my control because if a particular project is assigned to me and it flop the blame is all mine.
First things first. We must prioritize what we think matters more to us.
I found your blog to be very informative to, and if I ever need more information or tips on productivity , I will check back to your site.”
I click twice on Post sorry. I edit later but i can’t delete this message
Thank you…Genel Forum
Hello. I was reading someone elses blog and saw you on their blogroll. Would you be interested in exchanging blog roll links? If so, feel free to email me.
Thanks.
thanks
I shared on Facebook. Good article
Thanks…
I think i need to learn how to say no to anything
i have been spending most of my time in stuff that not doing any good to me or my blog
but i think now I’ll have to stop all those activities and use my time wisely
I like that advice to procrastinate on purpose. I sometimes do that, choosing to do something else first before tackling a more difficult job to prepare me to do the first one better. Nice to discover that there are names (proactive procrastination, creative rescheduling, structured procrastination) to call it by.
Thank you
Thanks
Very Nice 
Thank for sharing
You pointed almost every point i try work on every day. If you keep these things in mind you will not only get better productiv results, but you will also spend the day much more relaxed. thank you
thanks dude!
This is a great post, messages are the killer for me, for some reason I’m obsessed with checking email and website stats.
Also good point on the master to do list. One thing I heard somewhere is to write your to do list for the next day right before you go to bed. This allows your subconscious to work on the best way of tackling it while you sleep.
Glad I found your blog!
its a nice tips,i liked it
Nice
Thank you.
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I have long been a believer in simplification. If you just figure out what the important things are, just ask yourself whether or not whatever you’re doing is helping you with the important things.
I try to have a clean inbox. Every day I go through my emails, answer those that I can answer, delete those that I can delete, and either act on or put on my to-do list those things which help me towards the important things on my goals list.
It’s amazing how seeing a completely empty inbox every day helps clear your head. You don’t feel the pressure of having to get back to someone. You don’t feel like you’re not doing something.
[…] 10 Tips for Immediate Productivity Results Ever feel like you’re working hard but not meeting your goals? This list will help you get organized and get things done. Tips like not confusing “urgent” with “important,” and batching small jobs together and doing them at once are great ways to boost your productivity. […]
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