How to be Productive: Strategies and Apps
Being more productive is more than just doing more tasks. The most productive individuals don’t necessarily work for 12 hours daily or never leave their computers. Usually, they’re people who know that working “smarter” is better than working “harder.” In other words, those who take advantage of their time and energy when doing tasks.
Whether you’re looking to be more productive in the office or while working from home, it’s important to remember that it takes time to achieve success. Productivity takes time to master. It’s the result of habits you carefully cultivate and knowing your workflow and capacity to focus.
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In the following post, we’ll review the strategies and apps you can use to decrease the time spent on tasks significantly. We’re hopeful that they can help you hit optimal productivity levels.
Work in Short Spurts
The Pomodoro technique can help you work in short bursts. It’s a simple and effective technique, so it’s highly popular.
In the Pomodoro approach, you work non-stop for 25 minutes, rest for five minutes, and then go again for 25 minutes. The timer helps you stay focused on the job at hand.
While a timer helps keep you focused on your task, it also encourages breaks. To avoid stretching out a creative project over hours to days, avoid distractions like social media or email until your five-minute interval.
The Pomodoro approach is also helpful for non-creative work. Set your timer and work fast to avoid wasting time on social media. After 25 minutes, take a quick break and do something else.
Apply the Eisenhower Matrix
Do you feel you have countless daily tasks and don’t know which ones to prioritize? If so, the good news is that you can use the Eisenhower Matrix to filter the work that needs your urgent attention.
This management strategy was developed by Dr. Stephen Covey, and the whole idea behind it is that you can distribute your tasks in four quadrants comprising two axes: Urgency and Importance. Each quadrant gets values from 1-4, based on their priority.
Priority level one comprises “urgent” and “important” tasks. On the other hand, tasks that aren’t urgent and important can be set aside. The middle section consists of tasks that can be delegated to others or done later.
Do the Hardest Tasks First
Get your most demanding tasks done before lunchtime when your brain is still fresh. If you’ve got any meetings, hold them in the afternoon. Planning your workday this way can create a more efficient way to use your time.
Create a Routine
Perhaps you’ve gradually developed a few habits that ruin your productivity. However, creating a system can help you manage your distracting behavior. If you tend to compulsively check your emails, arrange a specific time slot for that. Otherwise, you’ll be distracted from achieving more critical daily objectives.
Find Time to Work Out
Whether you work from home or in the downtown office, set aside time to exercise or walk at least once daily. Just walk around the parking lot, in the park, or down the street. Trust me; you’ll find it more stimulating than anything on Facebook or Instagram!
And no, this is not about losing weight or keeping fit–though that’s not a bad idea! However, exercise can promote your productivity as it makes you more alert. Since it improves blood flow and heart health, you’ll be more focused, less anxious, and able to deal with stress.
Best Apps to Help Boost Your Productivity
While smartphones can be one of the biggest hindrances to productivity, you can use them smartly to increase your efficiency when doing daily tasks. Here are some of the top productivity apps on the market today.
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Kanban Flow
Focus optimization apps like Kanban Flow can help you increase your productivity via the Pomodoro technique. You can also use the Kanban Flow website if you’re tempted by social media or are distracted by email notifications.
Todoist
Todoist is a task-management app that can help you create and maintain an organized to-do list. What’s more, you can synchronize this list on all your internet-enabled devices. The app can also automatically schedule your weekly, monthly, or quarterly tasks.
Asana
Asana is a project management tool that helps business team leaders and owners move projects from conception to delivery, keep track of critical steps or items, and streamline communication.
Slack
Slack is a top workplace communication tool that allows project managers to communicate with their staff. It also lets you create ongoing communication channels for specific topics or projects.
RescueTime
RescueTime is a time-tracking tool that can help you improve your time management. It’ll help you know if you’re wasting time and where you’re wasting it.
Conclusion
There’s no magic cure for increasing your productivity. In most cases, the most productive people are those who find ways to beat procrastination and avoid distractions.
However, bear in mind that as you understand your working style, daily tasks, and challenges, it’s essential to adapt. The productivity strategies and apps you use today might not work for you in the future.
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