Favour Olusola
If you are anything like this writer, then you are reading this because you are having difficulty staying productive. In six simple steps, you will learn how to make the most of your day and get the desired result.
Can you remember the last time you found it difficult to stand up to the early morning alarm? That was probably this morning, except you got ants in your pants about something.
You must have heard of the popular quote “Focus on being productive instead of being busy”, yet you are wondering how? A large percentage of the 7 billion people on earth get worked up from being busy all day, only to realize that they have achieved so little or nothing.
Sometimes, looking at your schedule and your tasks list could get you unmotivated and confused that you end up doing everything except what you have to do. Truth is, even when you finally get on to work, you will probably still sleep at night feeling unfulfilled and unsatisfied with your work rate, and output.
Anyways, no need to feel bad or terrible, are we not all guilty of being unproductive at some point in our lives? We all have days when we lack motivation and it does not feel like anything can be done. One important thing to bear in mind is that to be productive is not always about doing more, but rather focusing on less.
Most times people think it is impossible to stay productive every day, and as much as being productive can be a real challenge, the good news is it is highly achievable.
Here is how.
IVY LEE’s 100-year-old strategy can help you live a more productive life. Despite existing for a century, the technique has remained the simplest, most strategic and efficient way to boost your daily productivity.
The Principle of the Method
To use all your performing potential and achieve high daily productivity, Ivy Lee recommends following these 6 steps:
- At the end of every working day, write down the six most important things you need to accomplish the next day. Do not write more than six tasks.
- Prioritize these tasks in order of their true importance.
- Ensure you start and concentrate on the first and the most important task on your list, the following day. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to the second task. Keep your focus entirely on that (bear in mind that multitasking makes you less productive).
- Work on the remaining 5 tasks the same way.
- At the end of the day, move any unfinished items to a new list of six tasks for the following day.
- Rinse and repeat this process every day.
In addition to these principles, it important to do the following:
- Have a to-do list and start your day with the task that needs urgent attention
- Stay focused and disciplined in your routine
- Avoid multitasking. Make sure you take one at a time
- Do what works best for you
Meanwhile, as a team lead or office executive, there are several project and workflow management software that can help you monitor tasks and deadlines, and also evaluate your performance.
These management software are also useful for grouping your documents, data and discussions onto one single platform, which is accessible from anywhere and from any member of your team. Read the Top 5 workflow management software you need to keep your team productive and efficient.
Like Dale Carnegie, when you have a lot of tasks to attend to, you should do the hard jobs first and watch the easy ones take care of themselves.
