4 Productivity Hacks That Actually Work

Simple Productivity Hacks That Actually Work

Organization isn’t just for our physical space. We also use it to be productive and live our day to day lives in the most efficient and effective manner. In this post I share my top 4 productivity hacks that actually work and keep me on the right track as I juggle a full life as an entrepreneur, mom and partner.

Productivity Hacks That Actually Work #1: Batching

When it comes to having a task list that is a mile long it tends to become overwhelming especially when the tasks do not seem to follow any sort of order or system. What has worked for me for many years is to group like kind tasks together. Instead of emailing and then making a phone call and then squeezing in a quick grocery stop all in one go, I have found that grouping similar tasks together keeps me both motivated and structured to complete the tasks.

For example, if I have several phone calls to make, I will set aside time to make all the calls at one time in succession. This gets my mind in the right frame and setting for the task at hand instead of bouncing around from task to task. Another example is grouping errands together by geography. Instead of hitting a bunch of different stores in different directions, I group the tasks together by location in order to save time and money for gas.

Productivity Hacks That Actually Work #2: Time Blocking

We all have a right and left side of the brain, yet to weave between tasks that are right brain centric verses left brain centric is challenging to say the least. This is why we block our activities according to how our brains will be used. If the task is analytical and logical in nature, group these similar tasks together. One example is going through your personal finances. This activity may be best suited grouped together with other similar tasks. You may document all your expenses for the week while managing your budget and balancing your checkbook.

Alternatively, if you are creating social media content for your business, like I often do, this activity could be done together with writing and photography which is all similar in the sense that the tasks are creative and inventive in nature. It will require less brain power to group these similar tasks together allowing for better work flow and productivity. To take it a step further, if your schedule allows you could work on creative tasks on one day and then analytical tasks on another day. This can also be split up within a given day as well. Split the day up by morning creative tasks and afternoon analytical tasks. Try this out. It might work well with your schedule and your brain.

Productivity Hacks That Actually Work #3 : Set A Timer

Setting a timer is such a simple task, but many people do not utilize this powerful tool. If there is a task that has been gnawing at you and you’re having trouble getting started, set a short timer. For example, if you were having a difficult time cleaning up after dinner, try setting a manageable timer such as 10 or 15 minutes so that you have a designated start and end time.

Commit to this short window of time to tackle the task. When you reach the end and the timer is ringing, you can then choose to continue the task if it isn’t finished or stop for a break and then set another manageable timer again to complete the task. In our minds, we might perceive a messy kitchen as such an overwhelming task to complete. We might even over estimate the amount of time it would actually take to compete the job. That’s why setting a timer of short durations can literally change the game when it comes to tackling a task that we want to procrastinate.

Productivity Hacks That Actually Work #4: Boundaries With Email

Receiving emails all day long and then reactivity responding to emails all day long is quite an exhausting task. Setting limits and boundaries around when you read and respond to emails is a game changer. Delay and resist the temptation to check emails first thing in the morning. This one activity can throw off everything you already had planned for that day because you become in reactionary mode rather than productivity mode with your planned tasks.

Check your emails at a set time in the day. For example, commit to reading and responding to emails at 10AM and then later again at 2PM. Setting these boundaries when it comes to emails can help you address the tasks you want to tackle rather than reacting to how others want to use up your time. This tip definitely takes time and diligence with setting boundaries, but I have seen it change the structure and course of my day. If you are concerned about the individual that sent you an email, create an auto-response notice that shares when you will likely respond back to them during the window of 10AM and 2PM.

Similar to organization of your space, using systems and setting boundaries will make your day-to-day activities more streamlined and likely more productive. Learning the skills to organize our space truly go hand and hand with other areas of organization in our lives. That’s the beauty of investing in ourselves to learn new skills and structures. Share with me your go to tips and hacks on getting organized in your schedule and daily life. I would love to hear them!

Tidy on and tidy strong, my friends!