HOW TO FOCUS BETTER -
- Silence your phone
- Black out background browser tabs/notifications
- Mute your gmail with inbox pause - http://www.inboxpause.com/
- Clean your desk.
- Write down distractions to avoid them for later.
- Save articles and videos in Pocket - https://getpocket.com/
- Take regular breaks.
- Work in varied environments - parks, coffee shops etc.
- Sit by a window.
- Smell something pleasant like lavender.
- Set the thermostat for 70-77 Degrees F.
- Go for a walk.
- Get plenty of exercise, sleep and healthy food.
- Buy plants
- Listen to ambient music
- Meditate.
- Look at pictures of animals or nature.
HOW TO SAVE TIME
- Quit meetings or keep them to 15 mins.
- Delegate.
- Track where your time goes.
- Simiply your inbox with unroll.me
- Quit facebook ( partially )
- Automate tedious tasks
- Batch similar tasks.
- Try a dictation app
- Cut bad habits with a "stop doing" list.
- Quit multitasking
HOW TO PRIORITIZE
- Sort tasks by "must, should, want" every day!
- Write 3 most important tasks on a post it
- Do your #1 most important task first.
- Don't check your email until you've worked for 2 hours.
- Ask yourself "Will this task help me achieve a goal?" If not, cut it!
- "Can this only be done by me? Is it important?" Two NOs? Cut it.
- Write tomorrow's to-do list at night
- Use stephen Covey's prioritization matrix.
- Do creative work first.
- "Does this get me closer to my goal? " "Does it matter to my boss?" "Does it make money?" "Does it make my life easier?" "Does it have to be done today?" Sort to-do s base on # of yes'
GET MOTIVATED
- Break big tasks into bite sized pieces.
- Work on a big task for just 5 minutes
- Eat the frog .. ( Google it )
- Start a stickk.com personal contract
- If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it now..
- Find your biological prime time
- Make progress visible and celebrate small wins
- Don't break the chain
- Bribe yourself with rewards
- Strike a power pose.
- Keep a "done" list
- Eat chocolate
- Smile!
What do you do to stay productive?