What Are Your Tips for Higher Productivity?

Image courtesy of Boaz Yiftach / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     Sometimes it can be challenging to be productive. There. I admitted it. But, I know I am not alone. We all strive to be better, faster, and more productive, but it can be a challenge when there are people chatting nearby and distracting you, the person in the cubicle next door keeps asking you questions, or Facebook keeps calling you back with its siren call and tempting you to either cyberdrop (that's my new term for eavesdropping on the internet) or barrage your friends with TMI. As an independent freelancer who works from a home office, some of those distractions can be equally powerful, though different, for example: the unwashed dishes in the sink (and then after that the vacuuming that kinda needs to be done), kids, and the long open hours of...self management. With all of that in mind, I thought I would throw a few thoughts out about the strategies I use to help keep my nose to the ground (What am I, a dog?! Don't answer that.). That being said, I would really love it if you add your comments to the site below the article, or send them via email so I can add them.

Tip #1: Dress for success...but make sure success feels good.

I have heard that you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have, and I really love that concept. No matter how much we wish it were different, how we look and what we wear has an influence not only on how others perceive us, but also on how we feel and how productive we are. So, it's a fantastic idea to look great for work. However, if all you can think about is the blisters on your feet from those heels or how tight the waistband is on your dress trousers, that is not a good precursor for productivity. Make sure that you look great and also feel great so that you can focus on what needs to get done. Even if nobody else is going to see you because you work from home and conduct most of your business via the internet, it is really important that you get up and get dressed and feel like the successful entrepreneur that you are. As far as I know, nobody who is not an athlete ever achieved greatness in sweatpants.

Tip #2: Drink a lot of Water.

I sometimes have to try hard to remember to drink enough water throughout the day, not only because I know it is one of the best things I can do for my body, but also because I really believe that it helps me get my work done. If I try to sit at my desk for hours on end and bang out a lot of work, it can often be tiring and counterproductive. Yet if I am drinking water all day and taking frequent but short trips to the restroom, I feel hydrated and I have a chance to get up and stretch my legs and give my brain a two-minute break, which makes it easier to focus when I get back to my desk.

Tip #3: Work on One Thing at a Time.

I always get into trouble when I try to do too many things at once. I feel overloaded, and that can be almost paralyzing. I find it useful to focus on just one thing at a time. A useful tool for doing that is making lists with realistic tasks. For example, "get more clients" is not a realistic task, but "email the two new leads I got" is.

Tip #4: Separate Work Space for Work.

Mixing work with personal distractions doesn't work well. We all know which one usually wins. So, if you work at home, keep your office, or at least your desk, and your working hours sacred. Do not let personal business creep in. Likewise, in the office, don't make your office or desk a chatter zone or else you and you colleagues will be chattering all day. Use your work space for work, and when you just have to share a story, do it during a break time in a separate location like the office kitchen or outside.

I hope some of those tips were useful to you in some way, and if you are still reading, thank you! Go to the comment box below and add a note for me and my readers. Then...get back to work!