5 ways to be more productive in 2021

Photo by Carl Heyerdahl on Unsplash

Many of us strive to be more productive. We surf the internet and read books to try to figure out the best way to make our lives more efficient. I definitely fall into that category. I have been researching and trying to figure out how I can be more productive for years. Here are 5 tips that I have learned…

1. Plan everything. Planning makes our lives more predictable. With a plan, we are able to eliminate many variables that tend to side track us and make us less productive. What do I mean by plan everything? I mean plan your day out and keep that plan visible, plan your meals, plan your finances, plan, plan, and keep planning. I would highly suggest planning anything on a piece of paper instead of an electronic device. (The next tip will explain why.)
2. Eliminate distractions. Distractions are the biggest culprit to the depletion of our productivity. We live in a world that was built to distract us. It needs to be your goal to eliminate as many as possible. One of the biggest distractions is…….. You guessed it. Our Phones. People spend on average 3.1 hours a day on their phones. This adds up to 651 hours a month (30 days) on our phones. Imagine all the things that could be done. It is overwhelming to even think about. Keeping this kryptonite of a distraction in check is essential. I make sure to put my phone away when I am trying to be as productive as possible because I know that it will suck my time away faster than anything. Take control and eliminate your distractions.
3. Make mini-goals. When I say mini-goals, I mean make small goals that will move you forward to whatever ultimate goal you have. These small goals will help you not get overwhelmed by the ultimate goal. In Atomic Habits by James Clear, he talks about taking steps to make yourself 1% better. He tells a story about the British cycling team. They had been terrible for several years so they decided to hired David Brailsford. David implemented this system of improving 1% in different areas. All of these 1% changes bettered their team and they ended up becoming a dominate cycling team. These 1% steps compound and ultimately help you complete your ultimate goal just as they did for the British cycling team. These mini-goals (1% steps) will keep you productive and efficient.
4. Sleep. In order to operate as your most productive self, you must get sleep. Sleep is the most important thing that you can do for your productivity. In 2010, there was a study done that showed people who did not get enough sleep were significantly less productive. Sleep is your mind’s time to recover. If you are not letting your mind rest, it can not keep up. Get your recommended sleep and let that mind recover so you can get back to being productive.
5. Create Accountability. Accountability will help you stay productive. Having an accountability system in place provides some friction that enables you to stay productive. You can create accountability by asking a friend to check in on you or using apps like StickK (creates a monetary incentive to stay productive). Accoutability is one of the best ways to stay productive. It helps you stay driven to be productive. These small things can help you use accountability to stay on the track of productivity.

These 5 tips can help you achieve your ultimate productive self. Now get out there and be productive!