Being more productive pops up on many people’s New Year’s resolution lists. Here are ways you can make this goal stick in 2021.
Decide What’s Most Important
Reacting to every message that comes your way puts a kink in your productivity. So does treating all tasks on your to-do list as if they have equal importance. Instead, prioritize the most meaningful tasks you want to accomplish each day, week, month, and year. If you can’t get everything done, at least the unfinished jobs will be low on your priority list.
Write What You Want to Accomplish
Whether you tack your goals to a bulletin board or set a reminder that pops up on your phone, frequent visual prompts will remind you what you set out to accomplish and keep you on track.
Schedule It
Put time on your calendar dedicated to specific tasks. When you block time to learn a new tech gadget, for example, and if you treat that time as you would any other appointment on your calendar, you’re more likely to achieve what you set out to do.
Offload What You Can
If an overloaded plate is keeping you from accomplishing more of your ambitions, give yourself permission to hand off some tasks to others. Consider whether you can delegate or outsource clerical work or jobs with a low return on investment.
Build in Accountability
Successful people use a variety of methods to keep themselves on the path to realizing their objectives. Simply telling others about your big goals can motivate you to keep after them. Asking a friend or colleague to check on your progress takes it a step further. You may want to build in rewards when you reach certain milestones.