Top 7 Habits to Help Boost Productivity

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”

— Paul J. Meyer

Boosting your Productivity

If you’re like most other people in the world, then you can use a boost to your productivity. For whatever reason, you get sidetracked. Things seem to interrupt your day and you have a hard time focusing. But you’re not alone. According to one study, employees spend approximately 20 hours online per week, 5 of which are on non work-related sites.

Of the time wasted at work, 45% is spent surfing the internet, 23% is spent socializing, 7% is spent on personal business, and 25% is spent on other non work-related activities. People get sidetracked for many different reasons and their productivity declines. If you’ve fallen victim to a lapse in productivity, be assured that there are remedies.

By developing and harboring solid habits that can help to foster a more productive and goal-oriented life, you can overcome these lapses in productivity. Since, in order to get ahead these days it takes an extraordinary amount of focus and drive, any boost to your daily productivity capabilities is a much needed boost in the business world.

Building Better Habits

If you’ve followed along with some of my posts up until now, you know that I’m mildly obsessed with the concept of habit development. If you want to succeed in life, you have to have successful habits. What most people chalk up to luck of the draw or being in the right place at the right time, is simply a good solid habit foundation.

The problem is that, for the most part, when we see success glorified through the media, we don’t get to see just what those people suffered through to get to where they are. We don’t see the sleepless nights, the countless hours, nor the failures and upsets. All we see is success personified before us.

From fancy cars, to nice watches, yachts, mansions, and globe-trotting lifestyles, the rich seem to get richer and richer. But they didn’t get that way through luck; it was through the development of good habits that were employed repeatedly over time. Those good habits developed a foundation for a successful and more productive life.

So, if you want to succeed in life, you have to do what it takes to develop productivity habits that are going to serve you and not hinder you. No more spending endless hours in front of the television or mindlessly surfing the web. No more procrastinating and putting off until tomorrow what needs to be done today. No, it’s time to be productive. It’s time to build some better habits.

Top Productivity Habits

Your productivity can be improved by focusing on the development of 7 very important habits. These productivity habits will help to boost your overall performance in the workplace. And, since it’s usually difficult for us to find the motivation to get things done without developing good habits, these methods are sure to boost your performance levels in any occupation.

#1 – Follow a Morning Ritual

Successful and productive people follow a morning ritual. Anthony Robbins calls this your Hour of Power. The first hour of your day sets the tone for the rest of it. Don’t spend your first hour trying to frantically respond to emails, phone calls, or anything else. Your morning should be focused on your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Exercise, read, meditate, or write. Do something for yourself; anything.

#2 -Set & Review Weekly Goals

Goal setting is a productivity habit that should become ingrained in your mind. But this isn’t just about long-term goal setting. Productive people set weekly goals and they review them on a daily basis. They also track their goals with precision. This helps them know where they are, how far they’ve come, and how far they have left to go. When you can see your weekly goals in front you, it’s harder to get distracted.

#3 – Prioritize Daily Tasks

Once you’ve set weekly goals, you can create daily tasks that will help you to prioritize what you need to do for the day. Ensure that you use lists and time management techniques for getting things done. One rule of thumb is to do one thing every day that scares you, one thing that you’ve been avoiding, and one thing that will move your business or career forward at the beginning of the day.

#4 – Follow the 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule, or the Pareto Principle, states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the efforts. In sales, this translates to 80% of sales coming from 20% of the salespersons, and 80% of revenues coming from 20% of the customers. By harnessing this principle, you can effectively discover where your results are coming from, and replicate those efforts. Analyze your efforts and see where your results are coming from. Then, harness those efforts and do your best to replicate them.

#5 – Strategically Allocate Breaks

Productivity declines over time without taking brakes. One of the best productivity habits that you an develop for yourself is to take plenty of breaks throughout the day. The rule of thumb would be to take one 5 to 10-minute break every 2 hours of work. Even if you sit at your desk and read an article or focus on something that’s not work-related, breaks are a highly important method to boosting your productivity.

#6 – Manage Energy Not Time

Although time management is a crucial skill to have, managing your energy is more important. When your energy levels are low, so is your productivity. Most people’s energy levels sink just after lunch. Why is that? When we eat heavy lunches, 50% of our body’s energy goes to digesting that food. The blood rushes to our stomach and we become fatigued. Eat smaller meals throughout the day and healthy snacks. Managing your energy will help you manage your time and boost productivity.

#7 – Snuff Out Procrastination

Procrastination is the silent killer. If you’ve been a victim of procrastination, you’re most certainly not alone. But, it’s your job to ensure that you snuff out procrastination. There’s no room for it in your life. If you want to get ahead, you have to find ways to overcome your natural tendencies to procrastinate. Setting goals and prioritizing tasks is one way to overcome procrastination. Others include following the 15-minute rule, changing your environment, and locating an accomplice.