If you wake up and reach for your phone to check the weather, email, social media, and news, these 5 quick tips may help you waste less time and break these reactive habits holding you back.
Habits like starting your day off by sifting through half-a-dozen apps put you in a reactive mode and create a false sense of productivity.
To achieve a more productive start to your day you need to focus on being proactive on high priority items.
The best way to do that is to cut out all the distractions you’re reacting to.
Embrace time management 101 and leverage the benefits of the 80/20 rule with these 5 quick tips to help you waste less time in 2019:
5Plan More–Check Email Less
The old saying “plan your work and work your plan” contains a lot of wisdom.
Get into a proactive state where you’re focused and using your brain power to think about your priorities. Thinking about the right things is the first step to accomplishment.
The more you think about and break down big goals into smaller actions, the more progress you’ll make towards your goals.
Instead of waking up and checking email try this instead.
Before going to bed review what you have coming up the next day, jot down things you want to get done and work out a plan.
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When you wake up refreshed review that plan to orientate yourself and get you focused on your top priorities. Your subconscious mind may even help you figure out how to get stuff done while you sleep.
4Time Yourself
A great way to waste less time is to stay focused on one priority at a time. You can do this with the help of a timer.
Focus on one task for a set time. If you’re new to working in timed sessions try a 15-25 minute session. This is a good timeframe to start with.
You can use a Time Timer or an app like Focus to structure you timed work sessions.
3Take More Quick Breaks
You’ve probably heard this one before but before you dismiss it because it doesn’t sound practical with your busy schedule consider a quick break can be 10 or 20 seconds. When the timer rings after a timed focused session
Short breaks like this can help you reset and move on to your next item.
After a few timed focus sessions and you start feeling fatigued, go outside for a walk and refresh.
2Change of Scenery
Mixing up your work environment might help your productivity. Go to the library where no chatting or phone calls are allowed.
Go to a nice coffee shop loft or rent a cubical or private office at Regus or WeWork. Breakaway from distractions by changing your scenery to new inspiring scenery with an ambiance to get things done.
1Delete Apps
Stay away from unproductive apps. Don’t be afraid to delete apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snap, WeChat, and YouTube.
If you don’t need these apps for your job delete them off your phone and take back the time you would have wasted on them.