Productivity comes from the inside out. If you’re stuck in a productivity slump, you can find your way out of it to better use your time and get more done. Here are five simple things that productive people do to accomplish more of what matters to them every day.
Know what you want
Productive people have a clear picture of what’s important to them and what they want to accomplish
- They never jump into work without knowing what’s most essential
- Being aware of their wants helps them fill gaps in their days with work chats, emailing, or low-priority tasks
Take intentional breaks
These intentional breaks can help you be more productive, restore your motivation, and help you make better decisions and reach more creative results.
- Taking purposeful breaks will give you the energy to stay productive throughout your workday and week-and make taking draining, unintentional breaks less of a temptation.
They choose to say no
Even extremely productive people can’t do everything
- In order to get the most done, productive people aren’t afraid to decline, defer, or delegate any items that aren’t aligned with their priorities
- This could look like declining certain meetings or projects directly or taking a softer approach, like letting other people answer Slack group messages
assert their needs
Productive people don’t ask for permission to focus on their priorities, they just begin
- This could look like starting in on their top project after a quick email check or even doing their own key work before looking at email at all
- Others-centered requests only in the afternoon
- In all of these scenarios, productive people believe their own work is of value and don’t feel a need to wait until everyone else is taken care of
Get adequate sleep
When you’re tired, it can be that much harder to get and stay motivated, especially when your work is challenging.
- Know when to go to bed and when to get up, and don’t wait for permission to get some shut-eye
- Don’t allow electronics to steal your sleep time
