They say that it is not possible to achieve different results by always doing things the same way. If you want to improve your productivity you have to change habits.
In this article I will share with you a couple of habits that are helping me improve my productivity, which translates into an improvement not only of my work, but also of my own life. I hope that when you apply them you will be useful like me.
First habit: Place order
When we start a project we usually have to take care of everything and having so many things to do sometimes we don’t even know where to start.
We end up with exhaustion or frustration because of the weight of responsibilities. The best way to avoid these problems is to order.
Order your thoughts: Before moving forward with your project or undertaking a task, think about how you can be more efficient and create a workflow accordingly. We are used to “going crazy” believing that this is synonymous with productive work, when in reality it is the opposite.
“It is better one hour of good thinking than a year of work”
Digital order: Every day we digitize more and more. We use many tools and applications to create, process and share large amounts of information in various types of formats and devices. I recommend using as few applications as possible and centralize all the information so you don’t waste time looking for things.
I use Google Drive, Gmail, Docs, etc. Everything in the cloud in one place and few applications.
Order in the stationery: Invoices, payment receipts, forms, customer cards (yes, there are still people who use cards) in any commercial activity you have to deal with tons of papers, those papers must be ordered so Avoid wasting time and headaches.
Advice I sell .. (I still did not achieve this, I promise to do it in the current month …)
Added value: you will see that as you order some aspects of your life, little by little you will be ordering the rest!
Second habit: I set a schedule to work
This seems obvious until you start working on a project and gradually realize that you are not reached 24 hours a day.
Don’t work all day!
Before my days in front of the computer were endless. In the end I ended up frustrated by my lack of productivity and everything I had been left undone. I felt I needed a 48-hour day.
However, time was not my problem, but its use. Setting a time limit triggers our productivity even if it seems otherwise.
British naval historian Cyrill Northcote Parkinson warned of this matter and enunciated the ” Parkinson’s Law ” whose summary would be as follows:
“The work expands to fill the time available for it to be finished.”
In good romance … if you have 5 hours to do a certain task you will occupy them, if instead you only have 3 hours you will finish it in 3.
It is like when you study for an end, at the beginning you go slowly, summarizing and paying attention to everything, as the exam date gets closer you start to optimize time more and pay attention to what is important.
Third habit: avoid “time thieves.”
Being productive is not about being a robot, a lifeless automaton that only thinks about working and working. It’s about getting the most out of the resources and tools we have.
In point 2 I told you to set a schedule to work, now I tell you to work on that schedule. I am not being redundant to give more volume to this article, I mean leaving out all kinds of distractions and tasks that have nothing to do with work.
We usually work while answering WhatsApp, while reading mails, news or watching videos on YouTube. For some, working is what they do while doing everything else.
The world will not stop spinning by not answering a message, not looking at Facebook or Instagram. Time is our most valuable resource, don’t be robbed!
When it comes to work, work!
Fourth habit: Forget perfectionism.
You have to go to the concrete, as we say in Argentina “go to the bifes!”.
Lately, concepts such as lean startup and minimum viable product are in fashion , it is about “going out on the court” with what you have, not wasting time in secondary matters.
Do you want to make a blog to write about something you like?
Make a simple website and start. Do not expect to have the perfect website, super designed logo and professional studio photos.
Do you want to sell online?
Start in a social network, or in a marketplace while you are making your own online store and your business idea is valid. Do not wait to finish your ecommerce since your project will expand unnecessarily.
In addition, one of the benefits of getting started is to get feedback from people, which will allow you to refine your project according to the response of your audience.
Ojito! that it is not about doing things “to the bartola” it is about not delaying, of avoiding “Paralysis by analysis”
Fifth habit: Do one task at a time
Leave multitasking for your computer’s operating system. You do one thing at a time. As simple as that.
If you want to do several things you will not finish any or you will do them wrong.
A good way to work is to define a date and time for each task . In this way everything falls into its rightful place.
Once you do this the next thing is to stick to that scheme because otherwise, if you try to do everything at once you will move forward with the speed of a snail.
It costs, I don’t say it’s easy. We are used to swimming in an ocean of things to do, to top it off, the worker’s western vision is that of a person permanently stressed by the mountains of tasks to be done.
Relax, order and one thing at a time. It can.
Additional suggestion: Patience!
Patience, you will not change from one day to the next. For years I
have tried to follow my own advice to the letter and I cannot always.
However, never, and under any circumstances, under the arms I understand (and I know from experience) that ultimately and when everything fails both persistence and the desire to achieve our goals end up imposing and those things that seemed impossible finally become reality.
As I said at the beginning, I hope you apply and find these suggestions useful and remind me if you have any questions, leave me a contact on the form.
