How to Be More Productive

If you don't know Ladies, does this scenario sound familiar to you? Each day, you start out with a "to do list" (either written down or in your mind). You do your best to create a list of things that you can realistically complete in one day. But by the end of the day, some (or maybe even all) of the list is still unfinished. What gives? Why is it so hard to improve your productivity and get rid of time-consuming distractions that keep you from accomplishing your goals?

The good news is that you're not lazy or incapable. Part of your problem could be, and the other part could be a lack of knowledge about how to be productive. Everyone can become a productive person once they learn a few strategies and productivity tips that can help them knock their daily routine out of the ballpark.

You might also consider taking nootropic supplements (such as Herpower) to increase your creativity and motivation for productivity. If you feel like it's time to learn better time management, here's how to be productive and purposeful in your professional and personal life.

Productivity can mean different things to different people. To your boss, productivity might mean working at least 18 hours per day. To your grandma, a productive day might be as simple as cooking healthy meals, cleaning the house, and visiting with family.

If you're looking for ways to improve productivity in your life, your goal should be to define what that means for you. Does it mean accomplishing a long list of things or just a few things you deem highly important? Becoming more productive can be as simple as wasting less of your time on things that don't really matter.

Contrary to popular belief, being productive doesn't necessarily mean running around like a madwoman. In fact, being too busy can actually have a detrimental impact on your productivity goals by causing you to get burned out.

Productive people have learned how to define the most important processes in their lives. You may be surprised to discover that some of the most highly productive people are also the calmest because they've learned how to remove unimportant busywork from their schedules. They've developed highly effective time management skills and have learned how to become hyper-focused on the things that matter most to them.

If this sounds refreshing to you, keep reading! You'll learn some of the most useful productivity hacks used by successful people

Ramping up productivity sounds good in theory, but is it really worth it to learn time management techniques? We'll let you be the judge of that after you look over the following benefits associated with productive living.

• Improved confidence
  
  
• Decreased feelings of guilt
  
  
• Easier time achieving your goals
  
  
• Improved self-discipline
  
  
• Feeling of accomplishment
  
  
• Greater sense of purpose
  
  
• Improved happiness and quality of life
  
  

In addition to these awesome benefits, living productively can enrich your life and the lives of those around you. It feels so much better to be productive than to waste a lot of time every day. Keep in mind that relaxing and taking much-needed time for yourself is just as important as increasing your overall productivity. Rejuvenating your mind and body can hardly be considered "wasting time"!

When you're first learning how to be productive, remember that slow and steady wins the race. It takes time to develop productivity skills, so go easy on yourself. Thankfully, there is a lot of expert advice out there about how to boost your productivity level and exercise your time management skills.

Some of the most successful people in our generation learned how to make the most of their work hours and boost their productivity. Many of them have shared their secrets with us so we can take the same steps to meet our productivity goals.

Steve Jobs, the infamous founder of Apple, was a big proponent of minimizing distractions to obtain greater focus and make the most of the limited number of hours in a workday. He recommended improving focus by "saying no to the hundred other good ideas that are there." His top strategy was to focus on the one or two most important things while letting go of hundreds of less important things.

Mark Zuckerberg, the New York-born co-founder of Facebook, says you need to set a goal and make space for it. This is one of the best ways to boost your productivity. Everyone has the same amount of time in a day. Some make better use of it than others.

When you're learning how to be productive, remember to make time for the daily tasks that matter most. Prioritize those to be sure they get done, then fill in extra time with smaller, less important tasks.

Another great productivity tool comes from David Allen, the author of "Getting Things Done." As the name of his book suggests, David is a time management guru. He came up with the two-minute rule, which is a simple, but brilliant, concept.

Applying the two-minute rule may help you avoid procrastinating so you can start actively achieving your goals. The two-minute rule dictates that any essential task that will take two minutes or less should be done right away instead of being put off.

This is a great way to get small tasks out of the way first thing in the morning. It's often a mountain of small tasks (such as responding to an email, watering a plant, or feeding a pet), that can overwhelm us when they clutter up our "to do" list. Getting them out of the way first can help us feel better prepared to face the more daunting tasks of the day.

Developing productive habits doesn't have to be complicated. Once you establish a productive routine, it becomes easier to conquer each day like the highly capable woman you are.

Here are some small changes anyone can make to their daily routine to become more productive at home or work (or both!):

• Wake up five minutes earlier than you normally do so you can create a schedule for your day. Be sure to set realistic goals and prioritize specific tasks. If you give yourself just five more minutes in your morning routine to create a plan, you're much more likely to reach your productivity goals.
  
  

• Reduce your screen time. It sounds so simple to cut back on screen time, but for many of us, screen time has become an addiction. Even if you decide to just take "a few minutes" to browse through your social media platforms, it's easy to lose track of time and end up mindlessly scrolling through feeds for hours. We know. We've been there. Even if your screen time is limited to professional responsibilities (such as writing emails or creating spreadsheets), it's important to give your eyes and brain a short break every 20-30 minutes. Staring at a screen for too long can cause eye fatigue and squash your creativity.
  
  

• Complete your hardest tasks first. These are the tasks you put off because they're challenging and you don't want to do them. But keep in mind that procrastination can mess up your productivity goals. When you put off your hardest tasks (which are often also your most important tasks), you tend to be slower at completing your other tasks. On the other hand, if you do the hardest task first, you're more likely to finish your remaining tasks more quickly and willingly. Procrastination is not your friend, girl, so don't give in to the urge!
  
  

• Schedule in time for yourself. It's good to increase productivity at work, but don't forget to prioritize self-care as well. Schedule a regular massage or a warm bath so you know that your mental health comes first. Taking good care of your mind and body will ultimately help with your increased productivity goals. It's easier to be creative and focused when your body and mind are well-rested.
  
  

• Try productivity tools. This is one of the most important tips you can follow for increasing productivity. Tools such as Dropbox and Trello are designed to help reduce your workload and organize your tasks and schedule. Some tools may work better for you than others, so don't be afraid to experiment. Once you find the most effective organizational tools for your needs, you may wonder how you ever got by without them.
  
  

• Make time for ongoing education. Reading, attending conferences, and engaging with fellow professionals in your industry can get your creative juices flowing. Creativity can lead to increased productivity when it is harnessed effectively.
  
  

• Eat a good breakfast. Fueling your mind and body first thing in the morning can boost your energy levels so you're ready to start the day off with a bang. It's also a good idea to get your body moving soon after you get up. Physical exercise can get your blood pumping and your ideas flowing so you don't roll into work looking and feeling groggy.
  
  

• Dress like you mean it. If you dress sloppy, you're more likely to feel and perform sloppily throughout the day. Even if you have a remote job and you don't plan to see a single soul while you're working, the way you dress still has an impact on your perception of yourself. If you want to make the most of each day, dress the part. Don't forget to fix your hair and make yourself look presentable. You'll be amazed at how much more productive you are when you dress for success.
  
  

• Set hard time limits on some activities. For example, if you know you'd have no problem reading all day long, give yourself time limits. Use alarms on your phone to make sure you don't go over your self-established time limits for various activities that could potentially become time-wasters.
  
  

• Get enough sleep. Being productive takes a lot of brainpower. To make sure your brain doesn't start to get sluggish from excess work, make sure you give it a nice, restorative rest every night. Most adults perform best when they get at least seven hours of sleep. You may need more or less, depending on your body's needs. Play around with different bedtimes until you figure out how much sleep you need to feel fully rested and energized the next day.
  
  

Keep your workspace organized. Have you ever noticed how much more frazzled and disorganized you feel when your workspace is cluttered with papers and junk? Clutter can be a distraction and can cause you to feel less creative and focused at work. To combat these problems, take some time each day to briefly declutter your desk. If you do this every day, it shouldn't take you more than just a few minutes.

Try the Pomodoro Technique. This technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo back in the late 1980s. It's a time-management method that involves focusing on a single task for 25 minutes. When your 25-minute timer goes off, take a five-minute break. Each 25-minute session is referred to as a "pomodoro." Once you've completed four pomodoros along with their accompanying 5-minute breaks, you earn a longer break (between 15 and 30 minutes). Some people find this technique quite effective for getting intense, deep work done in bite-sized pieces. The simple act of taking a break every so often can be a very restorative practice.

So there you have it - some great productivity habits to help you reach your goals and improve your multitasking abilities. Choose one or two tips from the above list to implement today and see how your daily accomplishments improve.

Productivity goals can help give you a daily, weekly, or monthly marker to reach for in your personal and professional life. If you're not sure what goals to make regarding your productivity, here are some suggestions:

• Automation Goals: These goals can help you work toward automating as much of your mundane tasks as you can so you can focus on more mentally intensive projects. Organizational tools such as Excel and other apps can help you reach your automation goals.
  
  
• Process Improvement Goals: Are your processes currently inefficient? Measuring and improving your processes can help you get more output of work per hour.
  
  
• Prioritization Goals: This one can be tricky at first, but will make your life so much easier once you figure it out. Prioritizing your tasks is one of the most effective things you can do to ramp up your productivity.
  
  
• Time Management Goals: Time management is a huge challenge for a lot of us. It can be tricky to find the balance between work and relaxation or play. If you know you spend too much time chatting with coworkers in the lunchroom or playing on your phone during work breaks, you can make goals to cut back.
  
  
• Knowledge Goals: In many cases, improving your knowledge of something can help you complete tasks faster. For example, if your company is moving to a new product inventory system that you'll have to work with every day, learning how to use that system before it's even set up will help you hit the ground running.
  
  

These are all realistic types of productivity goals that you can strive to obtain. You can even make more quantifiable productivity goals, such as responding to a certain number of customer service emails each day or achieving a certain number in sales. Just make sure your goals are realistic so you don't set yourself up to fail.

Herpower contains nootropic ingredients shown to boost cognitive function and creativity. Creativity is closely linked to productivity. The more creative and innovative your mind is, the easier it will be for you to figure out ways to get more done in less time.

For more tips to help you win at life, check out Mixhers resources. You'll find real-world advice for all the female-related subjects that matter most to you. From managing your monthly bloating symptoms to boosting your sex drive in safe and natural ways, we have all the tips and tricks you need to be healthy and happy.