How To Be More Productive With Your Time: 6 Ways To Work Smarter, Not Harder

Everyone wants to know how to be more productive with their time, and then procrastination takes over.

Have you ever experienced that feeling of panic when you look at the clock and realize that you haven't accomplished anything, even though it feels like you've been working really hard? I've been there.

A productive day doesn't happen by accident. You need to develop healthy habits that allow you to accomplish all of the things that you need to do.

Now is the time to take charge of your time. Are you ready to learn 6 ways that you can work smarter, not harder?

Watch the video below where I interview Eben Pagan on the opportunity mindset, where we talk about working smart:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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The goal is to make every day a productive day.

No matter what work you do, it will never feel like there are enough hours in the day. That's just a fact. Where a lot of people get stuck is that they assume that being productive means crushing everything on their to-do list. They think that getting more things done is the most efficient way of working. This is far from true.

Being busy has become a status symbol. In today's 24/7 world, the standard response to “how are you” is “busy!” People think that if you are super busy, then that must mean that you are successful, right? Not really.

Being crazy busy is actually a deterrent to your productivity. When you are engaged in an act of endless “doing”  things, you don't end up getting anywhere. This can make you feel unorganized and overwhelmed. In the words of Socrates, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” 

It's fair to say that being super busy doesn't mean that you are super productive.

The best way to become more effective at work is to focus on what really matters to you. Have you ever really wanted to get something done, but for some reason, you find any reason to avoid it at all costs? I think this is something that we have all experienced at some point in our lives.

In his book, The War of Art: Breakthrough The Blocks And Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield says that there is a malignant presence that exists to block you from doing what you most need to do. He calls this force, “resistance.”

This happens because the work that you need to do is so important to your soul's calling that you are afraid to actually do it. In this headspace, you are naturally more inclined to fall into procrastination mode. However, this doesn't mean that you are lazy or unmotivated.

Research shows that the problem is that our brains are programmed to procrastinate. We all tend to struggle with tasks that promise future upside in return for efforts we take now. In short, it's easier for your brain to process concrete versus abstract things. This is in no way meant to be an excuse for why you can't get things done. Being productive is a choice, just like procrastination is.

In order to prevent procrastination from taking over your life, you need to learn how to work smarter, not harder. How do you do this? By cultivating a set of daily habits that will help boost your productivity levels.

If you want to learn how to be more productive with your time, follow these 6 daily habits.

1. Set Daily Goals

I believe that goal setting is one of the most important aspects of having a productive day. Goals give us a sense of direction. They provide a roadmap so that we know where we are going. If you don't know where you are headed, how do you expect to ever get there?

Long-term goals are great, but it's easy to lose sight of them because they are so far away. This is why it's important that you set tangible, daily goals. Doing so allows you to analyze your progress on a daily basis.

In order to set daily goals, you first need to know what you are striving for in the long-term. For example, if your long-term goal is to lose 10 pounds in 30 days, what could you do today in order to get one step closer to accomplishing this goal?

You want to plan out how you expect to achieve your daily goal-setting activity. Write it out and prioritize your tasks so that you are prepared. The morning is the best time to set daily goals, as this is the time when your mind is most clear.

2. Set Short-Term Deadlines

Nothing drives productivity more than a solid deadline. However, deadlines can be stressful, especially if you put them off until right before they are due.

People get into trouble when they don't attach a sense of urgency to whatever task they are engaging in. Having all the time in the world to finish something is an open invitation to procrastinate. 

It's easy to let yourself off the hook. However, nobody likes to let someone down, especially if it's their boss or a business coach. This is when having an accountability buddy works wonders. It will ensure that you stay committed to the task at hand.

Setting short-term deadlines force you to work more effectively and create a sense of urgency, which provides you with the energy that you need in order to achieve the results that you desire.

3. Complete The Most Important Task First

You only have so much time in one day. If you think that you will be able to accomplish every single thing on your massive to-do list, you are setting yourself up for failure. This is why I'm a big believer in focusing my time on the most important task first.

Not everything on your list is a top priority. What is the most critical thing that you need to accomplish? Consider this to be your top procrastination task. As I expressed above, this won't be easy because your brain is conditioned to look for the path of least resistance.

However, by getting your MIT (most important task) out of the way first thing in the morning, you are setting yourself up for a productive day. Mark Twain once said, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Figure out what your “frog” is.

Realistically, it is the one task that has the most meaning to your work and life. Make a commitment to yourself that you will invest time into it. If you need to rid yourself of distractions, turn off your phone or mark your calendar as busy for one hour so that people know not to bother you during that time.

4. Create A Mindfulness Practice

When it comes to getting things done, one of the biggest challenges that people face is being able to focus on the task at hand. The mind is constantly wandering, which means that it's easy to get distracted. Procrastination feeds off of this state.

In order to be productive, people assume that they have to be constantly achieving and doing. The focus is always on the next thing that they need to do, or the next place that they need to be. As a result, they are never fully in the present moment.

In the words of Robin Sharma, “Productivity is less about what you do with your time and more about how you run your mind.” A great way to bring yourself back to the present moment on a daily basis is to create a mindfulness practice, like deep breathing, meditation or yoga.

By focusing your awareness on the here and now, you are more conscious of what you are doing. By becoming a more active observer of your thoughts, you will be more aware when your mind starts to wander.

5. Set A Timer

How often have you started working on a task and then your mind drifted off, causing you to check Instagram, look at your email inbox, and then work on an entirely different task altogether? Join the club. We've all been there. This is why setting a timer is a great way to keep you on track and 100% committed to whatever you need to do.

When you set a timer for a task and dig into it with full commitment, you get a chance to see how much you can really get done in a specific block of time.

When I do my work, I like to use the Pomodoro Technique. This is a time management method that uses a timer to break down work into intervals — specifically 25-minutes in length, separated by 5-minute breaks. This process is repeated 3 times. After you've done 4 Pomodoro sessions you can take a longer break if needed, or continue the cycle.

During a 25-minute time period, I work as intensely as I can. Doing so allows me to enter into a flow state, otherwise known as your optimal zone of productivity. I have found this easy method to be one of the most effective ways to rid myself of procrastination.

When you see how much you can accomplish in a specific block of time, it will motivate you to achieve more, thereby increasing your productivity levels.

6. Start and End Your Day With A Routine

A routine is an amazing way to stay on track and boost your productivity. When it comes to having a super productive morning, the key is to find what works best for you and then commit to doing it on a consistent basis.

For example, maybe that means hitting the gym, reading, eating a healthy breakfast or planning out your day. Whatever allows you to hyperfocus and be at the top of your game is ideal.

Forming new healthy habits takes time. This is why it's a great idea to have some kind of accountability reminder in place as you build a habit. I'm a big fan of the Productivity Planner. This is a journal that is designed to help you get your most important tasks completed so that you can feel more productive on a daily basis.

I also write in this journal at the end of the day. I rate my productivity score, on a scale of 1-10, and see what I could have done better. I go through this process every single morning, as part of my morning ritual. Doing so ensures that I always stay on track with my goals.

Keep in mind that what you do before bed matters just as much as what you do in the morning. In terms of an evening routine, I encourage you to plan the next day. Take a look at your calendar and write down the most important things that you need to get done.

Make sure that you actually schedule these tasks into your calendar. If your schedule changes slightly, that is OK. All that matters is that you've created a basic framework for what your day will look like. This will ensure that you wake up feeling grounded and ready to crush the day.

This is how to be more productive at work.

Paul J. Meyer said it best, “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” Are you ready to work smarter, not harder?

Are you ready to start living every day with confidence, passion, and energy? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery program!

Do you want to learn 5 ways to motivate yourself to do anything? CLICK HERE to read the article that I wrote on Medium!