Tips and Tricks to Manage Stress and Keep Me Productive Every Day

Do you know people who are not busy? It feels like there isn’t enough time in the day. Well, you can’t get things done in your life if you’re always in a rush. The world is full of distractions and you’re even more distracted than before. So how can you get things done when you have so many things on your mind?

There are many ways to maximize your time and get things done quickly, some of them are more effective than others. Check out this list of productivity tips and tricks to help you increase your productivity in a jiffy.

Productivity Tip 1: Set goals.

Why is it important? The first and most important tip to increase productivity is to set goals. You need to have something to work towards. This could be anything from ‘lose a stone in weight’ to ‘recite a Shakespeare sonnet’ or even ‘get to work on time. You need a goal to motivate you and to give you something to work towards. Sit down and set at least 3 goals for the day. If you’re working at home, make sure you have a clear vision of what you are going to achieve today.

It’s also a good idea to make your goal realistic. Don’t set yourself a goal to ‘lose a stone in a month’ if it’s something you have never achieved before. It will be too stressful.

Productivity Tip 2: Write it down.

Take note of everything you need to do so that you’ll never forget anything. Write them down on paper, on your phone, or on your computer. Being able to physically write down your tasks helps you feel more committed and accountable to complete them.

Productivity Tip 3: Create a to-do list.

A To-do list is an effective way of keeping your tasks on track. Start your day by creating a to-do list in checklist format with a list of your daily tasks and try to tick them off one by one.

Keep your to-do list short. It’s good to have a long to-do list as it shows that you are a hard worker, but there is a limit to how much you can take on in a day. Long to-do lists are intimidating and you will feel demotivated and put off by them. So try to keep your to-do list to a maximum of 5 tasks a day (more if you are really motivated!).

Strictly stick to your to-do list, don’t allow yourself to be distracted by anything else. Make sure you are only doing the work that needs to be done and not anything else.

Use action words in your to-do list such as chat with, make, check, recruit, and re-read. These will force you to take action, instead of just thinking about it. Immediately check off tasks that have been completed.

Productivity Tip 4: Be organized and prioritize your tasks correctly.

You should take the time to prioritize your tasks so that you can working in the right order.

• Do you have some tasks that you need to complete immediately?
• Do you have some tasks that you can put off until later?
• Do you have some tasks that you can delegate to someone else?

Identify what’s important and focus on the most important task as the top priority. If you’re not sure where to start, try this: Prioritize your to-do list by urgency and importance. If something is really urgent and really important, it goes in the first 30 minutes of your day.

• Is there some task that you need to complete first?
• Is there some task that you should complete last?

Productivity Tip 5: Schedule and keep track.

Most of us tend to waste time in the morning before work. We check emails, social media, and other things which are not really important. If you keep your schedule organized, you can save a lot of your time. Schedule your day to work at a set time so that you have more time.

Planning your day the night before can be very helpful. If you know what you would be doing the next day, then you can organize your day and get the things done.

Keep track of your time using productivity apps or task management app like Toggl, Timesheet, or Rescue Time to keep track of your time. This will help you to see how much time you are spending on different tasks.

Productivity Tip 6: Do not multitask.

Multitasking has been shown to reduce effectiveness. In fact, you are actually less effective when you multitask because you cannot do two things at once, you can only focus on doing one thing at once; you just switch back and forth between the two. Instead of trying to do two things at once, you need to focus and concentrate on one thing at a time.

Productivity Tip 7: Use the Pomodoro technique.

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. It’s named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato) used in the technique. The technique uses a timer to break down your tasks into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.

Google’s own internal analytics confirm the effectiveness of the technique. Employees who used Focus Mode for two months were 12% more productive overall and 15% more productive in the afternoon. Focus Mode is a new way of getting things done that’s worth looking into.

Productivity Tip 8: Avoid distractions and interruptions.

Distractions are a productivity killer and they can be anywhere. It could be your smartphone, social media or your office co-workers. Whatever the distraction is, get rid of it. You need to be focused on the task at hand to get anything done. Don’t let other people’s problems become yours.

Productivity Tip 9: Tidy up workspace.

A good working environment is the first step towards increasing your productivity. A messy workspace can lead to an unproductive day. When you’re working, you need to have a particular corner you work at, and you need to keep your desk as clean as possible. Having a clean workspace will help you stay more focused. A cluttered desk can easily distract you.

Productivity Tip 10: Break down large tasks into small ones.

A large task often seems daunting, and it is difficult to figure out where to start. The solution is simple: break down your tasks in a to-do list into smaller chunks just like break projects into manageable steps.

With a to-do list, there are only three things you have to do:

1. Write down everything that you need to do.
2. Break your to-do list into smaller chunks.
3. Focus to work on small tasks one at a time. When you are done, move onto the next one.

This is a great way to stay productive.

Productivity Tip 11: Take regular breaks.

Don’t work for hours on end. This is my favorite productivity trick. A lot of us think that working for long hours will help us finish our tasks faster. However, this is not always the case. When you concentrate for long hours, your brain gets exhausted and stops functioning properly. Working for long hours at a stretch can get tiresome and make you unable to concentrate properly. That’s when you start making mistakes and become less productive. It’s not just that, working for too long can also have a negative impact on your health.

Use a timer to set a periodic time frame to remind yourself for a break. You can also install a timer app on your computer to remind you of breaks. Myself, I like to work in 90-minute cycles.

Productivity Tip 12: Automate daily tasks.

Do you always find yourself doing the same tasks over and over again? Well, you can automate them using the magic of technology. This can be done in many ways. You can use IFTTT to automate tasks, or maybe you can use Zapier. The options are endless. Automating your everyday tasks does not mean that you should take away the fun of life. It just means that you should not have to spend 20 minutes a day doing a task that you would otherwise spend 2 minutes doing.

Productivity Tip 13: Delegate tasks.

If you are the one who does everything, you are actually slowing yourself down. Let go of the tasks you are not good at or delegate them to someone who is. By delegating tasks, you free up more time for yourself. Delegate tasks work to others when you are not good at them, enables you to focus on what you are good at and ignore the tasks that you are not good at.

Productivity Tip 14: Learn to say no.

It’s the most difficult thing to do. But you can’t seem to get anything done if you have too many things to do. By saying no, I don’t mean to say no to every request, but rather to things that are not a part of your to-do list. Learn to say no to tasks and requests that others throw at you.

Ultimately, you will be saying no to your own stress and time constraints. The key to keeping all these items organized and to being able to handle the stress of everyday life is to find a balance. It is extremely hard to be organized, despite your best efforts.

Productivity Tip 15: Get enough sleep.

You know how your parents always tell you to go to bed earlier and wake up early so you can get enough sleep? Well, they’re right. Getting enough sleep is the best way to start your day in a good mood. It will help you have more energy when you wake up and it will help you stay focused. This will make it easier to get the work you need to do during the day done and you won’t have to worry about falling asleep at your desk. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll be tired and your ability to make good decisions will be limited.

Productivity Tip 16: Wake up early.

This is the most popular productivity tip out there. Almost every productivity expert adores this habit and recommends it time and again. The reason is simple. It works. If you’ve tried every other productivity tip out there and nothing seems to work for you, try waking up early.

You’ll find that you’ll be more productive and you’ll be able to accomplish more of your daily tasks. To this day, waking up early remains my number one secret to productivity. I know that I’m not alone here.

One of my friends, Andrew, told me that he wakes up at 5 AM every day. Personally, my alarm goes off at 5:30 AM every day. I’m up, ready to go, and I start working at 6 AM.

Productivity Tip 17: Eat well and drink plenty of water to stay healthy.

You know the saying, health is wealth? In reality, our health determines the quality of our wealth. The more we take care of our health, the more productive we can be in terms of work and personal life. You should follow a healthy diet and take regular exercise. Being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean being fit. It means you should be able to do your work even with a minor illness.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your body hydrated. You’ll feel more energetic and you’ll be able to concentrate better.

Healthy food can be a great source of energy. Learn about the best foods to eat during the day and the best foods to avoid. Find out what to eat and what to avoid during the day for maximum productivity. Studies have shown that people who eat a high-fat diet, have more difficulty concentrating than those who eat a low-fat diet. In addition, eating a high protein diet can also boost your productivity.

Action

This is the most fundamental productivity tip of them all. I hope you enjoyed the article. If you did, please feel free to share it with your friends, family, colleagues, and other people you know. Thank you for reading and good luck!