I have been delving into the subject of habits and have been very fortunate to come across James Clear and his latest book Atomic Habits.
It made me think, what are the habits we can put in place to make us more productive?
Here is a list of nine that will give you a great start.
Planning
Plan the day, the day before. Map out the tasks for tomorrow. If you give yourself 15 minutes to do this at the end of your workday, before you leave the office, you can catch any problems/clashes/needs in advance.
Daily
What daily habits can you change in order to increase your productivity? What can you do more of or less of (for example, fewer cigarette breaks, fewer trips to the cookie jar, drink more water)?
Unless your job requires an immediate response to emails, check it only two, three or four times a day (not every two minutes). Set an alarm if that helps. Emails can be a major distraction and an unnecessary habit, so limit the time you spend checking the contents of your inbox. Run your email – don’t let it run you.
Turn your notifications to “off” on your computer and phone (visual, audio, and vibration). You can add a by-line to your email signature: something like, “I only check my emails twice a day. If it is urgent, call me or walk over and tell me in person.”
Handle
Handle each piece of paper only once. With each piece of paper, decide to do it immediately, dump it, delegate it, or diarise it for later (yes, that would mean handling it twice but you get the point).
Hardest
Do the hardest task first. As you get it out of the way, you free up energy that would have been otherwise used to worry and procrastinate, and it will fuel you with enthusiasm to keep going.
No
Saying “no” will establish clear boundaries. Someone else’s ‘urgent’ doesn’t have to become your ‘important’. Saying “no” with diplomacy and tact takes practice, but it’s all about how you communicate. When it comes to distractions and unhelpful habits, respect your own boundaries – say “no” to yourself.
Action
Are you feeling stuck? Are your plans or goals or dreams stalled? There is always something you can do to move them forward. Ask yourself what is the single next action you can take to make progress. Then act on it. Do something. Go. Start. Planning is all very well, but it is only action that will get you the desired result.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Lao Tzu
“Action is the foundational key to all success” – Pablo Picasso
Priorities
Get your priorities straight, then label items on your “to-do” list with A or B. A’s must get done today. B’s get done if time allows. Some B’s that miss out today will become A’s tomorrow.
Weekly Review
Schedule a review for a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Look over your past week. Notice what worked and what didn’t. Celebrate your wins. Catch anything that didn’t get done, and needed follow-up actions or communications. Diarise them. Now preview the week to come, and do the same. You will stay on track, nothing will fall through the cracks, and you will be primed for productivity until your next weekly review.
Les Watson, The Time Lord, www.getmoretime.com.au
