avatarJ.R. Heimbigner

Summary

The web content presents 21 productivity hacks designed to enhance work efficiency, reduce stress, and create more personal time.

Abstract

The article discusses the challenges of maintaining productivity in a demanding work culture that often exceeds the traditional 40-hour workweek. It emphasizes the importance of efficiency and work-life balance, offering a curated list of 21 productivity strategies sourced from reputable business and lifestyle publications. These strategies include adopting the 80/20 rule, writing a productivity creed, prioritizing tasks, creating routines, reducing task lists, tapping into inspirations, and working in focused intervals with regular breaks. The author, J.R. Heimbigner, shares personal experiences of applying these hacks, which have led to a transformation in personal productivity and stress reduction. The article encourages readers to implement these tips to improve their work-life balance and overall well-being.

Opinions

  • The author believes that only a small portion of daily tasks significantly contributes to overall results, advocating for the 80/20 rule to streamline work.
  • A personal productivity creed is suggested as a motivational tool to reinforce a self-image of high productivity during challenging times.
  • Prioritizing tasks early in the morning is seen as crucial for taking control of the day and reducing stress.
  • The article suggests that a consistent morning routine can lead to small wins that boost motivation throughout the day.
  • It is opinioned that reducing the number of tasks on a daily list to what is truly essential can prevent unnecessary work and disappointment.
  • The author emphasizes the importance of working on the most challenging tasks before lunch to capitalize on higher morning productivity levels.
  • Working in 60–90 minute intervals with breaks is recommended for maintaining peak focus and preventing burnout.
  • Automating repetitive tasks, such as email responses, is advised to save time and reduce cognitive load.
  • The use of phones for direct communication is encouraged over lengthy email exchanges to resolve issues more efficiently.
  • Setting timelines and working backward from deadlines is presented as a method for more efficient task management and goal achievement.
  • The author advocates for single-tasking over multitasking, asserting that focusing on one task at a time conserves energy and improves outcomes.
  • Establishing systems to minimize distractions, such as using headphones or a "Do Not Disturb" sign, is seen as essential for maintaining focus.
  • Self-care, including proper nutrition, exercise, and meditation, is considered vital for sustaining productivity, especially in high-demand work environments.
  • The author acknowledges a personal struggle with staying hydrated and suggests that drinking water is a simple yet often overlooked way to improve physical and cognitive performance.

21 Ways that Make You More Productive and Create Massive Margin

Source: Pexels

Over the last month, can you think back to what your work hours have been? Have you been settling into the traditional 9am to 5pm job? Or more than 40 hours a week? Do those hours feel excruciatingly stressful or productive? Our work cultures today, seem to work us more than ever before. It devalues the family time and focuses on being more productive with less.

While every job has it’s very own issues and perks, I have been learn about productivity habits for my day job. My job is fast paced, highly detailed oriented, and typically calls for more hours than our standard 40 hour work weeks. It ebbs and flows with the seasons and we are currently growing which mean a lot of positive turnover. And yet, with more new people, the same time constraints, and continual workload growth it feels more and more overwhelming to myself and my coworkers.

This lead me to research productivity habits to help increase my productivity and hopefully create margin with less stress. Below is a list of productivity hacks found in articles from Forbes, Lifehack, Fast Company, Inc.com, and Entrepreneur. I have curated and applied these to my life and work, and it is amazing what happened.

21 Productivity Hacks to Make You More Productive

1) Follow the 80/20 Rule.

The 80/20 rule denotes that only 20% of what you do everyday produces 80% of your results. Essentially, try to breakdown all the tasks you do in the day, and remove 80% that produce your mere 20% of results. This changes everything I do on a daily basis.

2) Write a Productivity Creed.

This is unusual. However, this helped in the hard times. “I, state your name, am the most productive person in my office. I move quickly between tasks, and accomplish what matters most.” Keep this with you and when you are starting to lose it, go back to the creed.

3) Prioritize Your Day First Thing in the Morning.

Don’t let others decide how your day will turnout. This is a major contributing factor to my stress levels and productivity struggles. Take a few minutes first thing in the morning and choose your action for the day.

4) Create a Morning Routine.

This can be at home too, but I do the same four to five tasks every morning when I come to work. These will lead to small wins that will get you motivated.

5) Reduce Your Task List.

Do we need to put 20–30 tasks into a day? No. I am super guilty of creating more work for myself for greater disappointment. What is essential? Create your task list for three to five tasks which are most important.

6) Tap into Your Inspirations.

What motivates you? Try to add these to your day to help you move through your work. Find a few motivators in your current role and keep them in eyesight as your work on the hard tasks. Mine are similar, but change day-to-day.

7) Work Your Most Challenging Tasks Before Lunch.

Even if you are not a morning person, people tend to be more productive and motivated in the morning to get through these harder tasks. If they are time consuming, make sure you leave time in your schedule.

8) Work in 60–90 Minute Intervals.

This is maximum focus time and then take a little break. And go back to work. I have found any longer and it wears me down. Any shorter, and I don’t focus long enough.

9) Take More Breaks.

Take small breaks after your 60–90 minutes. Walk around your building. Read a book. Pray or meditate. Drink some water.

10) Automate Everything Possible.

I created about ten canned responses for my usual emails received in my inbox. Have those in a word document or save them to Outlook and pull them up when they apply. This saves me a lot of time.

11) Reduce Your Email Work.

In my job, this can lead to resolving some of my work by answering every email. But we receive so many extra email that don’t amount to much. If you are going back and forth with someone beyond two reply, just call them.

12) Use Your Calendar.

To do lists are great. What I have found though is scheduling eliminates procrastination and allows me more focus when the task comes up. Don’t To Do it, schedule it.

13) Use the Phone.

Email isn’t meant for conversations. And we will typically be more succinct on the phone than through messenger or email conversations. Make the call to get what you need.

14) Set Timelines.

Some of us work where there are deadlines set by others. And some of us create our own deadlines. Have a deadline and figure out the timeline it takes to get there. This will help drive your work product.

15) Work Backwards.

Focus on the deadline or goal, than work backwards, setting tasks, events, and milestones. This will help you get there more efficient and always know where you need to go.

16) Think of Your Day in Minutes, Not Hours.

For most of us, we like to set things in hour or half hour chunks. However, it is the individual minutes that move us forward. Don’t set 15 minutes for a call that will only take five. Now, you won’t waste ten minutes.

17) Stop Multi-Tasking.

We really cannot think of two things at once. Most of us have the ability to switch back and forth. However, that expands energy that takes away from focus. Just do one thing at a time and it will be done.

18) Create Systems to Curb Your Distractions.

People coming to chat for no apparent reason? Put headphones in and turn your back to your cubicle entrance. Cuts down on the random visits that can take five to fifteen minutes of your day.

19) Do Not Disturb.

It’s ok to tell your coworkers to not disturb you when you are working your hardest tasks. In fact, you will likely get through those tough ones more quickly.

20) Practice Self Care.

This is hard when our jobs demand more than 40 hours a week, we have families, and other commitments. Get up in the morning, start your day with a good meal and exercise if you can. Or at least some form of personal meditation.

21) Drink Water.

I’m the worst at this area. My wife lets me know it because I don’t even realize how little water I drink in the day. It will help your body feel better and your brain work easier.

When I wrote the first draft of this post, it was at 3am on a Saturday because I woke up so stressed about my work product at my day job. My productivity, which we term efficiency has been may biggest opportunity. Realizing I needed to jumpstart this area in my life I took to Google and started to write.

These are some of the best tips no one ever told me about doing at my day job. You and I likely desire to be good at our work. Some of us want to create more margin for our families or side hustles. Most of us don’t want to be stressed out to the point that we wake up at 3am worrying about it.

I have been implementing these for the last month or so. I have gone from struggling to get my work done in 50–60 hours a week to getting out of the office on time and having more time for the things I want. Try them out. I know they will help you too.

Visit J.R. Heimbigner at www.jrheimbigner.com

Productivity
Hacks
Prioritization
Goals
System
Recommended from ReadMedium