Productive not just busy. We can all honestly say “I’m busy today” or “I’m so busy”. I have some tips that can help you today be more productive!
How is it possible to be productive? Looking at how others function, looking at the morning process, or the work process has been a learning point for me. I ask friends and family or co-workers how do you get started in the morning? How do you do laundry ( I asked women with a lot of children this question over the years).
I’ve found out a lot of funny information. And I have found out information that has been extremely helpful.
And asking questions because answers bring clarity and clarity brings solutions.
The truth is over the years we can all agree some things work and some don’t. For example turning off the alarm clock and sleeping in on a work day: DOESN’T WORK. Clarity works because it helps you see “yes this works for me, or no this will never work.”
I’m a morning person so scheduling a project after 8PM doesn’t work for me. I found out early in my life I was a morning person (more energy to get things done and be productive) and evening ended up with me being in tears because I hadn’t planned my day well and I had to finish a report, or type meeting notes for the next day, etc.
Being Productive: working towards a goal, and that goal leads to completion. The steps that lead to completion of the goal also lead to a level of accomplishment.
Productivity Tips
- Write down and make a list. List what you need to accomplish and finish.
- Write out steps that need to be covered and not missed
- It may be wise to do the harder things first and get them out of the way.
- Turn off your distractions: phone, tv, noise makers. It is hard to think your thoughts in order when you keep getting interrupted.
- Create your top goals. For example the most important might be structured like this: Put gas in the car (so you can get where you need to go), put money in the bank (so you can pay for your food that day, travel expenses) and then stop at the post office, grocery store, and coffee shop. Putting your important activities first so there is a basic order. If you run out of gas, or you don’t have money in your account at the grocery store then you are frustrated….for the rest of the day.
- In the big picture decide what needs to be done right now, then give your secondary tasks a place on your list.
- Finally, cross off the items that are “done”.
- Decide when to be productive.
- Mine is early morning. At night I am toast so I do not ever schedule a big project at my empty time of day. I fill up early in the morning and Im ready to do tasks, projects, work. I am productive then and I am not productive after 7:00PM. Be good to yourself and schedule time to be productive when you are the most productive.
- Ask for help. Do what you are able to do. If you need to move a couch you would ask for a second pair of arms to help negotiate a large piece of furniture. It is often better to ask for help when doing a bigger task.
- Last tip is, when being productive it is good to focus on one thing, or stay in one room at a time. When you walk through the house, you get distracted or get off course. For example if you are working on paying bills in one room but you need to go get the mail you just brought in the house, and that trip takes you past the dog good bowl that is empty, a basket of laundry, an empty coffee pot that is still on, you will likely get distracted and perhaps 30 minutes later remember you were paying bills. Now the computer screen went off, and you have to log back in…and the process is because you left the room and got distracted.
Sometimes I wonder what I did last week! Do you wonder what you did last week? I want to encourage you to focus some time on what you want to accomplish not just writing down a to do list.
Productive NOT just busy
I get distracted. Distracted with what should be done, the house needs to be picked up, I need to pay a bill, make lunch, check my work emails…and long the way I get distracted. I get busy with distractions.
Each day I try to give myself a plan. A game plan. A way to be productive. However life does happen and distractions do come, and some times handling it in a positive way is the best way and not imploding because of the distractions.
I have created a list of productivity tips. I’ve read a lot on this topic and I’ve added some ideas along the way.
I also have some great free printables that have checklists and to do lists for you. Find them HERE
Download these tips for being productive and some great scriptures that will be certain to motivate you to a better day.
- How to Plan Your Day – Simple Actionable Steps
- Making Goals & Maximizing Daily Time
- Add Time to Your Day part 2
- Changing Directions 3 Steps Forward
- Writing for Personal Development
I also did some homework and looked up some great scriptures on productivity, seasons, getting things done, working towards goals. Here are just a few scriptures you can also click on the image and download and save for your personal use.
