Top 7 Tips to Live By If You Want a Productive Life

Virgil said, “Time passes irrevocably.” This means once time passed, you can never get it back. This quote also tells you that need to use your time wisely because it is something you cannot go back to even if you want to.

That’s where the problem lies. With a lot of things on your plate, how can you make the most out of your time and live a productive life? Perhaps, these tips could help you with that:

Start early

A 2008 study revealed that students who start their day early had higher grades compared to those who are evening types. It turns out that those who have better grades in school get into better colleges, which also leads to better opportunities.

Starting early will also make you more persistent and procrastinate less because you are more proactive when focusing on the task at hand. Since you have more quiet time in the morning, you are able to do more as well; hence more productive.

Create a list

Since you started early, why not take this as an opportunity to list everything you need to do for the day? You don’t have to make a long list. Focus on three important tasks you need to do to for the day to make you feel that today was a good day. Priority is key if you want to live a productive life, so you should know which tasks require your highest immediate attention and move on from there,

Maximize productivity tools at work

Have you heard of productivity tools? These are tools that boost your productivity because it streamlines certain tasks, thereby making work easier and more efficient for you. The good thing about these tools is that it allows you to focus on other equally important tasks; hence making you do more than your usual.

There are many productivity tools available, depending on your line of work. There is a tool for social media management, accounting and bookkeeping, and management of contacts. If your job requires you to create graphs and dashboard to help present data, there are also available tools that will make your life and more productive.

Still, don’t rely on these tools 100 percent – you can work the old-school way. Consider making your own custom notepads. You can use them to write to-do lists and reminders. The purpose is to reduce work to make you more productive, but not do the work for you.

One task at a time

Most people tend to do several things all at the same time. Unfortunately, multitasking only slows you down and prevents you from getting things done, which affects your productivity as well.

If you want to live a productive life, then make sure to focus on one task first and then move on to the next one as soon as you’re done. This will enable you to do more within the day instead of juggling everything on your plate.

Which task should you do first? That depends on you. You can do the hardest or top priority task first or start with the least demanding task so you will be able to cross more on your list. The choice is yours.  

Take a break

Are you serious about having a productive life? Getting things done before lunch break can be a good determinant for productivity, but you’ll notice that your energy levels are going down the drain even before your afternoon coffee break.

How can you sustain your productivity? Make sure you take breaks in between work. It could be a one-minute stretching, talking to your co-worker for three minutes, or taking advantage of the company’s 15-minute coffee break. Whatever it is, relax, take a break, and breathe. You deserve it.

Learn to say no

Admit it. Saying no is one of the hardest things you can do in your career. You want to show the world that you are capable, but sadly, this could take a toll on your productivity.

Therefore, know your limitations and learn to say no if needed. If you feel that you can no longer add more tasks, then say it and be nice about it. Pleasing people at the expense of your productivity is not a good thing. Finish what you need to finish first before you do another task. This won’t affect your productivity as well.

Be realistic with your “Tasks for the Day”

Do you get that fulfilling feeling every time you see that all of the tasks you listed were down? As much as you want to do 10 tasks within the day, you are only human and you also get tired.

In that case, be realistic with your list and only write the things you can actually do within the day. Seeing a lot of tasks on your planner would encourage you to add more to it because it looks nicer, but can you handle them all? Remember that when it comes to productive life, more is not always better.

Living a productive life doesn’t happen overnight, but it is doable and achievable. Keep these tips in mind so that you will always be reminded on how to live a productive life.