Admittedly, I am a productivity junkie who enjoys reading all sorts of productivity posts and how tos. And when you realize that time is limited and life continues to spin away, productivity becomes a huge part of getting work done quickly and efficiently, while still leaving time for relaxing and building relationships.

With the number of articles I’ve read and podcasts I’ve listened to on productivity, here are my top five favorite tips for being productive and getting things done.

1. Sleep

I always knew sleep was important. But listening to this podcast brought my understanding of the importance of sleep to a whole new level. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s rest. Sometimes, not getting enough sleep can feel like a badge of honor, since it’s easy to boast about how little sleep we’re getting and still be able to accomplish things (also maybe because it gives an excuse to tell others to cut us some slack?). However, getting sufficient quantity and quality sleep is crucial to having a productive day. These articles also articulate well the importance of sleep and why it is so crucial to productivity.

2. Single-task

Have you heard about the wonders of multi-tasking? It seems like I’ve heard more about the truth of single-tasking and the myth of multi-tasking. Because while multi-tasking feels productive, it’s actually detrimental to productivity.

As difficult as it might be to actually do, single-tasking helps your brain to give 100% to whatever the task at hand is, instead of quickly switching back and forth between multiple tasks (and here’s what it does to your brain). So you can get things done better and quicker, and move on to other things as soon as possible.

3. Stop procrastinating and remove distractions

(For some, this may also mean, put away your phone!)

This comes alongside my point above. Sometimes, you want to procrastinate and distract yourself by doing multiple tasks or checking your phone, instead of staying focused and just doing what you need to. Push through the discomfort of a task, put away your phone, and commit to doing what you need to. If you need to, set a timer like how I learned to, and watch your productivity skyrocket!

4. Make a list and plan, plan, plan.

I’ve always been a list maker, but I’ve recently discovered even more acutely the need for planning and making lists. I cannot say this enough. I don’t know about you, but not having a list causes my brain to focus on all the “one million tasks” I seemingly have and end up becoming easily overwhelmed. If you need a starting point, try daily downloading or morning pages. Intentionally planning and making a list allows for better focus on the tasks at hand to stay focused and avoid distractions (see point above).

5. Build rituals/routines.

This could be a whole post of its own (it’s coming!) but whatever you want to call it, develop a predictable, daily pattern that will help you to look ahead at a day with confidence because you already know what is going to happen. Your daily routine may mean getting daily exercise, checking email at fixed times, getting enough sleep by sleeping early (see point above) – the sky’s the limit! Just do what works for you. Having daily routines/rituals helps you get your day off to a good start by setting the right tone, and allows you to efficiently maximize every part of your time throughout the day.

And since you do, you can thoroughly maximize every single part of the day to make your time most effective.

What is one thing you will change or do to increase your productivity today?

Want to learn and do more about your productivity? Check out these posts.