A productive day takes planning and effort to make happen. You have to know what you want to get done and then you have to do it.
I’ve had many days where I was disappointed my day wasn’t as productive as I hoped. And usually one of the main reasons why was because I didn’t have a schedule.
But every time I put together a schedule, it was usually easier for me to get a lot done and go to bed with satisfaction.
Along with a schedule, you have to have an idea of what’s important for you to get done.
You won’t always get everything in your plans completed, but if you get the most important stuff done, you can still feel pretty good.
Here are some good tips that’ll help you to have a productive day.
1. Schedule your day
As mentioned in the intro, setting up a schedule is a critical part of being productive. When you have things written down to do in your day, it’s easier to remember to get them done.
A schedule also gives you some structure to your day. You set up a time to get certain things done rather than just figuring it out as you go along.
That saves you time and energy you’d be wasting being undecided about what task you’ll be taking on next.
Apart from money, time is one of your most valuable currencies you have. A schedule helps you to use it more wisely for a more productive day.
Take time to sit down at some point in the afternoon or evening and write down the tasks you want to get done.
Then give each task a specific time period you’ll complete them. One interesting thing you can include in your schedule are naps.
Researchers find that a 30-minute nap can increase your productivity and even prompt you to save more.
Related: Time Management – 5 Ways To Manage Time Wisely
2. Know what your priorities will be
Make some kind of note or indicator in your schedule of what your top priorities are for the day.
I usually have about two or three big things I plan to get done in my day. I try to make sure if nothing else gets done, I at least got most of the big stuff done.
It can help you feel less overwhelmed about not completing all of the tasks that you scheduled.
If you unsure of what to prioritize in your day, the article below can help you determine some for your life.
Related: What Top Priorities in Life Should We Have? (11 Examples)
3. Have things organized in advance
Small decisions and tasks can sometimes take up more time than you need and make you less productive.
As an example, if you don’t have a uniform for school or work, we can often take a lot of time picking out what we want to wear.
Instead, choose to pick out the clothes you’re going to wear and lay them out for the next day.
Another small task that can cause us to use up too much time is deciding what we’ll eat for breakfast.
Personally, I eat the same breakfast every day, but I know some people like to add a little more variety in their daily meals.
You can prep your breakfast for the week so that way you can microwave it or heat it up on the stove real quick.
Think about all the other small tasks in your day and find a way to plan ahead for them so they don’t take up too much of your time.
4. Be prepared to be flexible
Being prepared to be flexible means having some kind of back-up plan in mind if certain things don’t go according to schedule.
You could pick out a task you’ll move on to if you’re unable to do the one you've scheduled in your day.
You could also decide if you don’t finish a certain task within the time frame you selected, you’ll just move on and get back to it later if you have extra time.
More times than not, things won’t necessarily go as you planned them. But the really productive people know how to adjust to changing circumstances and still get a lot done.
5. Set yourself up to have high energy
Beyond managing your time well, another critical component of productivity is having a high energy level.
If you don’t have your energy levels high, it makes it harder to stay focused and get your tasks done in an efficient manner.
A good way to set yourself up for high energy to start your day is to make sure you get enough sleep. The sleep foundation advises adults to get about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.
For myself, I know when I don’t get that much sleep, it’s usually hard for me to get much done in my day because I feel sluggish.
If you know you’ll have to wake up early, make sure you sleep early enough to get the amount you need to feel refreshed and energized.
Besides sleep, food is an important source of energy as well. Make sure you have a proper breakfast and lunch planned out in your day.
You can read this great article on 10 breakfast foods to boost your energy and another one on 5 energy-boosting power lunches.
Final thoughts on productivity
Having a day that’s productive is all about keeping your time managed well and your energy at a high level.
If you do those two things well, you can have some of the most productive days of your life and accomplish more.
As we live in a technological world, you might find these productivity apps useful as well to keep yourself productive.
Believe in yourself that you can organize your day and your life to be as productive as you want it to be.
Inspirational video on having a productive life
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