It’s amazing how much some people can accomplish in one day. Rational people know how to manage their time wisely while optimizing their schedules for maximum productivity.
Want to know how to optimize your day? Start by making these three incredibly simple changes to your work schedule.
1. Create and stick to a morning routine.
It’s no secret that some of the most productive people are early risers. This doesn’t mean you have to get up early, it just helps many. The main reason for this is that it’s really the only time of the day where you have to yourself.
How you spend that time is totally up to you. Gary Vaynerchuk consumes as much as information as possible before heading to gym. I spend this time updating our blog and reading while listening to podcasts. Stay tuned for a review of my top 10 favorite podcasts coming soon.
Researchers at the University of Bologna and the University of Education Heidelberg have found that people are more proactive in the wee hours of the morning.
“When it comes to business success, morning people hold the important cards,” says Christoph Randler, a biology professor at the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany. “[T]hey tend to get better grades in school, which gets them into better colleges, which then leads to better job opportunities. Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them. They’re proactive.”
There is no gain to getting up early if you spend this time watching TV while scarfing down junk food. To be productive your morning routine should be consistent, while containing habits that will keep your productive throughout the day. These habits include reviewing your goals, reading, exercising or walking, organizing your workplace, and reciting daily affirmations. Try this for a week and report your success in the comments below!
2. Think energy, not hours.
Productivity is more mental than physical.
Everyone has a period of the day when their energy levels are most high. Most people are more productive in the morning, so they schedule difficult tasks early and move to less difficult tasks as they day continues. I tend to get bursts of energy in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon, so I make sure I have difficult tasks ready to go during those time periods.
Keep in mind that everyone has their own biological “prime time.” Just because I’m most productive twice a day, doesn’t mean that’s the case for you. I suggest you check out this article from Chris Bailey, author of The Productivity Project, to help you identify your biological prime time.
3. Pick just three big things.
How do you determine your priorities? Take the advice from Tim Ferriss and pick the three big things that you absolutely need to get done before the end of the day.
I know you have a million things to do. But, when you have a lengthy to-do-list, you can become easily distracted and overwhelmed because there’s no possible way you’ll cross everything off this massive list in one day. Some people tend to shut down when faced with a monumental task list.
By focusing on your “big three,” you’ll stay focused, productive, and motivated since you’ll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Also, it keeps you sane when you sit down at the end of the day and know exactly what you need to do when planning for tomorrow.
I tried this advice for the last two weeks and was amazed at how accomplished I felt after my day. Try this out and let me know how you feel afterwards.
Final words of advice.
I made these three changes after reading an awesome article on the Entrepreneur website. Not only have they been effective, they’re been pretty easy to implement into my daily schedule.
As you make these changes, you may discover other areas in your life to change or tweak. Maybe you can declutter your life. Maybe you have more energy or time for family or friends. Perhaps this change lets you get back to the gym and continue your yearly resolution.
Stay Rational
-B&T