When the New Year rolls around we are all thinking of our New Year’s Resolutions and what great things we’re going to accomplish. For about a week or two we might even stick with those New Years Resolutions. And then they slowly fade away and before long we end up with the old habits and patterns.
I know because I have been there myself. But a few years ago I started trying some new ideas to keep me motivated and get more accomplished. These are easy ideas that you can implement as well. So today I want to share my 5 favorite, easy ways to be more productive.
5 Easy Ways to be More Productive…
Create Goals instead of wishes
For most of us, resolutions are really just wishes. We wish to be thinner. We wish to be more organized. But there’s really no meat behind wishes. Instead, create goals for yourself. Very specific goals. Goals should be achievable. For example, you might want to be thinner but to be specific you might want to lose 10 pounds this year. Now you have something to work towards. All you need to do is lose 1 pound each month and you will achieve that goal.
Each goal you set should be actionable and measurable. It also helps if you set a deadline so that you know the endpoint. And you are more likely to accomplish your goals if you break them down into smaller, bitesize pieces. One of my goals this year is to attack my nemesis…the dreaded paper piles in my office. To achieve this goal I am going to spend just 15 minutes each night sorting and organizing those papers until I can either discard or file them appropriately.
Post your goals where you will see them daily so you are reminded of them frequently. Out of sight, out of mind is why so many New Year’s Resolutions go by the wayside.
Related: The Last Gift of the Year
Use Time Blocking to stay on task
This has been my best strategy for getting more accomplished. Multitasking is a fail for so many of us and yet we still buy into the belief that we should be able to do multiple things at the same time. With time blocking you set a specific amount of time for just one task and you work on it completely without getting distracted by other things. For example, I block off 1-2 hours every morning to write. I don’t do anything else but write during that time. At night when I’m cooking dinner, I don’t work on the laundry or answer emails or do anything else. I would burn the dinner, forget about the laundry and send the wrong email. So I just cook dinner.
How do you set up time blocking? Create a list of all the activities you do each day. For example, you cook the meals, pay the bills, clean the house and go for a walk. Set aside specific times of the day to accomplish these daily tasks. Then just focus on that one thing. Be sure to include time to accomplish your new goals for the year.
An important point with time blocking is that you need to remove the distractions that will interfere with your goal. This means you should put your phone down. Don’t try to read your text messages while paying the bills. Don’t check out your Instagram account while cleaning the bathroom. You can set aside specific times for that or use your phone as a reward when you complete your task.
Related: 5 Ways to Make More Time
Buy a pair of sturdy but comfortable shoes to wear when working
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This might seem a little weird but I will tell you that you will be a lot more productive if you get dressed for the day, including a good pair of shoes. I find if I keep my slippers on I am more likely to get a slow start to my day. This is the same for your clothes. If you sit around in your robe instead of getting dressed you will be less likely to get your work done. So after your first cup of coffee, get dressed from head to toe.
I purchased a pair of Sketchers Walking Shoes for my “indoor” work shoes. These are my inside the house work shoes. They’re very supportive and easy to slip on. It’s amazing at how motivating a good pair of shoes can be.
Share your goals with a friend
We are often able to accomplish more if we are accountable to someone. So find a friend who also struggles with sticking to their resolutions. Then you can keep each other on track. Make a date for coffee once a month and check each other to see if you have met your goals for the month. You can also text each other at the beginning of the week to see what you want to get done and then check in periodically to see how things are going.
Create a planned Reward for when you accomplish a goal
You might have daily rewards as you move through a goal but determine a special reward when you achieve the overall goal. When you lose that 10 pounds, buy a new pair of jeans. You finally get that bill paid off, treat yourself to dinner out. After I get my paper piles dealt with I’m going to buy some new baskets to file the necessary papers in to help prevent the paper piles from building up again.
Determine what your reward will be in advance so that you have something exciting to work towards. If you have a massive goal, you might need an extra special reward.
These 5 suggestions are easy to do and if followed consistently can help you to achieve success with your goals. So next year you won’t have to start over with the same old resolution that didn’t get accomplished this year. Instead, you’ll be able to move on to some other projects and plans. Once you begin to achieve success the process gets easier. And it’s so exciting when you can share with your friends and family all of the wonderful things that you accomplished during the year!
As we celebrate this wonderful New Year, take some time today or this week to sit and reflect on what things you would like to accomplish. Choose 3-5 things that you would like to do this year and begin to follow these 5 easy ways to be more productive. I created a Goal Setting Worksheet to keep track of my goals and the steps I will take to make them happen. If you would like a copy of my worksheet, just sign up below.