Four Ways To Have A More Productive Day

Confession:  I am far from the most productive person you will ever meet.

So what makes me think I am in any way qualified to write a post about how to have a more productive day?  Not because I am some sort of expert.  But because I have tried oh-so-many things to help myself become productive and these are a few of the tips that have helped me get my act (sorta) together.


Wake Up Earlier

 I know, I know... I can hear you groaning from here.  Very few people are excited about the idea of waking up even earlier in the day.  But before you click away to something less annoying - bear with me for a minute.  I really do find that if I get up a little earlier, my days seem to go better.  So, I do encourage you to set that alarm a little earlier. 15 minutes.  30 minutes.  An hour.  Whatever you feel you need and can handle.  But... Don't check your emails or your social media feeds.  Don't jump right into your work or chores.  Have a cup of coffee, tea, or warm water with lemon. Pray. Study the Bible. Meditate. Read a motivational book. Do some yoga.  Take a walk.  Tjis is your time to prepare your body, mind, and spirit for the Day ahead.


Make A To-Do List

If you know me, you probably saw this one coming.  I'm a list maker.  In my experience, I have found that if something isn't written down - it's probably not going to happen.  I personally make a list of goals for each month.  And a list of goals for each week, which is mostly comprised of steps toward meeting my monthly goal.  And then there is the daily To-Do list.  The things I need to do each day, including those which will move me closer to completing my Weekly and Monthly goals.  I'm not saying yours needs to be quite so detailed.  Just make a list of things that you need or want to accomplish for the day. 



First Things First

That thing on your list that you're less than excited about doing?  Do it FIRST!  Get it out of the way.  Otherwise it is far too easy to keep procrastinating; and at the end of the day you find that it's the only thing still on your list.  Leaving you with something you are less than excited about doing tomorrow.  


Set A Timer

This is one of the few tips I took away from my experiments with the FLYlady method of housekeeping.  For each task - set a timer.  The typical recommendation is for 15 minutes.  Sometimes I will do less, sometimes more.  Once the timer goes off - move to another task.  Or take a brief break for a cup of water and to clear your mind before getting back to work.  This keeps me from getting so wrapped up in one task that I get absolutely nothing else completed for the entire day!

What are some of your best tips for being productive and getting things marked off your To-Do list? Share them in the comments!