Productivity is essentially the measure of efficiency of a person completing a task. We often think productivity equates to accomplishment but this often isn’t true. Sometimes we keep ourselves so busy that we never get around to working on our goals. Perfectionists especially have a tendency to do this, always waiting till everything is in order and just so before they can start working on their goals.

Want to be more productive? Here are five ways to get started.

Reflect and learn how you can become more productive in reaching your goals and do less of what matters least. Sometimes our goals and dreams somehow make it to the bottom of our to do list. What if you could change that around? How would that feel? We can’t just simply intend to be more productive. We have to take action. One of the first steps is to learn more, reflect, and create an action plan.

Turn off push notifications on your phone. There are so many distractions that take our attention away from what matters. It’s easy to get tied up scrolling through social media, retail sites, or news. When you give your attention and focus away to things other than your goals, it takes you further off track. It’s okay to set out time every day for these activities but don’t let them take over.

Identify your top three tasks for the day. By prioritizing your to do list and being able to recognize what is most important, you can become more consistent. These are just tasks – not major accomplishments. You are not going to start a business in one day or remodel the house. However, you might take that first step. Research creating an LLC or find a trustworthy contractor. Breaking goals down into tiny little steps and then completing three of those every day will, over time, get you to the finish line.

Establish morning and night routines that don’t involve going on your phone or social media. This is huge. When you wake up in the morning, give yourself enough time to open your eyes, think of what you are grateful for, stretch, get out of bed, clean up, drink water, exercise, complete a devotional, and listen to something positive. Once this is completed, then you can open email or start work or do whatever it might be. The point is to start the day off in a way that is healthy and positive to set the tone, pace, and mood for your day,

Plan out your day the night before. Night time routines are much the same. Turn off the television. Put away social media and your phone. Next, determine your three most important tasks for the next day and set out your planner, take time to read or do a relaxing activity, reflect on your blessings, and prepare yourself for a full night of sleep. The more you are mindful of managing your time, sticking to healthy habits, and being excited about the tasks that will bring you closer to reaching your goals, the more fun and beneficial these morning and nighttime routines become.

Goals include so many aspects of our lives – fitness, health, work, career, business ideas, family, friends, creativity, and more. Often times categories can overlap or we may experience an imbalance in one area and a deficit in another. It can truly be challenging to manage our days.

Using a calendar and/or journal and/or planner to brain dump all of your ideas and as a place to monitor tasks and activities that relate to both your goals as well as every day requirements is huge. Not all journals and calendars are created equally.

I’ve tried many styles of calendars, journals, and planners to map out my days and to work towards goals as well as make lists that are ever evolving. Despite these attempts, I’ve still had days where I get up and feel overwhelmed because I’m trying to determine what’s a priority, how much time I need, and what my focus should be.

I’ve finally found something that is helping me to realistically plan and accomplish my goals, one step at a time. It’s called the Push Journal and it has completely changed the way I approach my day. I have been checking off so many boxes on my to-do lists – it feels amazing!

Check it out here:

I’d love to hear your thoughts on productivity. What do you do well? Where do you struggle? What kinds of goals do you have and are you having trouble reaching them? What do you find to be the most challenging aspect in reaching goals?

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