As the blog grows, I find myself working from home in front of the computer more often than ever before. There are days I feel I am just being “busy” and not so productive. I think we have all been there. I put together a list of 5 tips that help me when it comes to being productive. You can use these to apply to your work/life balance. If you have any tips that help you that aren’t on the list, please comment below and share.
My most productive time is between 7 am – 9 am. This is not for everyone, I totally get it. I am more productive with less distractions. I do get the occasional phone call from my sister heading into work but that is pretty much it. I get more done during this time than any other time in the day. I schedule a workout at 9 am and I don’t feel guilty because I have already gotten so much done.
When I am doing my two hours of writing in the morning, I leave my phone on the charger. Less distractions leads to higher productivity. No checking instagram, facebook, or texting with friends.
If I am constantly checking emails when they pop up, I would never be productive. Some things require immediate attention but not all things. Pick a few times of the day when you can devote to your inbox and then go back to work after 15-30 minutes later after you have tackled what is most important.
This has been the most helpful to me. I am not sure where I first read it so if you know who came up with this first please let me know so I can credit them. Set a timer. I typically choose 30 minutes. I turn off my phone and put my head down to get work done without distractions. It is usually a task I don’t want to do but need to get done. This also helps when cleaning the house. I put on music and set the timer. The house is clean(er) and I feel so much better. This is called the Pomodoro Technique.
I still use an old school journal more than my phone for notes. If I have a busy day ahead, I will make a to do list for the next day. My Business Coach recommended that after each task, I write how much time it should take me. 10 minutes, 15, 30. When I have 10 minutes in the day if my meeting is running late, I can refer back to the list and squeeze in a quick task. This saves me from jumping on pinterest of Instagram to pass the 10 minutes and I am way more productive!
Do you want to see more of these or should I just stick to Paris?
The two things that keep me organized and productive each week. I love writing things down on paper.
If you enjoyed this, don’t miss Mastering the Art of Sleep and My Morning Routine