Productivity doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be easily boosted through a manageable combination of the right tools, resources, and habits to make the most of your time. — Caroline Ghosn

We all want to make the most of our time and get as much done in a single day as possible (well, I do anyway!). It seems like time slips by quickly, and often we feel that we have nothing to show for it.

No one wants to waste valuable time, but often it can be difficult to manage your time wisely. Here are some actionable ideas that will help you to become more productive, whether at home or at work.

These tips will help you get the most out of the never-ending cycle of having too much work and not enough hours in the day.

How to Be More Productive

Get enough sleep

Everyone has a slightly different requirement for how much sleep they need, but the one thing we all have in common is that we do not function at our best unless we are getting that necessary amount.

Try to find your sweet spot as far as how much is best for you, and make it a priority to get that sleep. I function best at anywhere from 6-9 hours and usually make sure I get in bed with time to get about 7.

Set simple goals

If you don’t know where you want to go, you are not likely to get where you need to. Set goals to guide you where you want to be.

Also, don’t try and “eat the whole elephant at once.” Break those goals up into small chunks and conquer them bit by bit. Create simple to-do lists for each day that help you complete larger projects.

Here are a couple of quick examples:

Trying to clean your house? Go from room to room rather than trying to take on everything at once.

If you have a project at the office, do a few things every day in order to complete it by the deadline.

Create a daily routine

Our bodies function well when we work on a daily routine. There is no need to be boxed in by a rigid schedule, but if you loosely follow a certain pattern each day you will find that it leads to greater productivity.

Set aside certain times of the day when you work, take breaks, or sit down for lunch. I’ve found it helps to schedule in some ‘me’ time, too, even if it’s just 20 minutes or less.

Keep your space tidy

Make this a priority. When you live in chaos, it drags you down in every way and makes it almost impossible to accomplish anything.

On the other hand, a clean and orderly home and office contribute to clarity of mind, which will increase your productivity. You also won’t have to stop because you accidentally knocked something off your desk!

Focus on one task at a time

No matter how many people feel that multi-tasking is a positive and necessary trait, it’s actually more counter-productive to getting anything of value done. You may think you are making good use of your time by multi-tasking, but it actually makes it impossible to focus on anything fully and the quality of your work often suffers because of it.

This is one that I struggle with a lot. I find it helps to keep my phone just out of reach so it’s less convenient to pick up every 5 seconds, and I often utilize the Pomodoro technique.

Treat your body right

An important aspect of being productive is taking care of the body you live in. Make time for exercise, as it releases natural “feel good” chemicals which will give your day a boost and provide you with a positive outlook.

Eat right and be sure to drink plenty of water, as this will give you the energy you need to make the most of every minute.

Prioritize

No matter how much you try to get everything done, there are only so many hours in a day. It’s best to accept this and start to prioritize what you need to get done.

Make a list of tasks and decide what is most important, what is least important, and what falls in between. You might have many good things on your list, but you need to decide what is not only good but the best for you personally.

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The Sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”

― Alexander Graham Bell

Put these tips into practice

For your final tip, make sure you put as many of these tips into practice as possible! The best way to start being productive is to simply start working on whatever it is you need to get done.

You probably have a lot that you want to fit into your busy schedule, so don’t waste another moment and just get started.