Habits of Highly Productive People
The most productive people have three important things in common: they’re organized, they set goals, and they stay focused. But there are other habits that these high achievers share that you may not have considered. Keep reading to learn about five of the best habits to help you along your journey to improving productivity.
Stop Multitasking
Research has shown that multitasking impairs your performance. On low-level activities such as doing laundry while completing other household chores, you may multitask is okay, but you can’t multitask when it comes to your higher-level, big-picture objectives.
It may feel like you’re accomplishing more but switching between tasks disrupts your cognitive processing. The most productive individuals devote specific timeframes to a single project to achieve a deep level of mental focus and get the greatest possible results.
Treat Failures as a Learning Experience
The most successful individuals are not afraid to make mistakes. They go after what they want without overthinking the consequences, and each failure is viewed as an opportunity for growth. Taking chances is critical if you want to become productive, efficient, and self-assured.
Productive people learn from their mistakes and take measures to avoid making the same mistake in the future. The next time you find yourself feeling like you have failed, ask yourself: What can I learn from this? What can I improve?
Have a Morning Routine
Having a consistent morning routine sets you up for success and improved productivity throughout the day. For example, starting your day with a nutritious breakfast, 20-30 minutes of exercise, and reading or journaling can all help boost your energy levels, increase your focus, and create a more positive mindset. An easy but effective morning routine will set the tone for the rest of the day and help you maintain motivation to get things done.
Apply the 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule, also called the Pareto principle, says that eighty percent of your results come from twenty percent of your actions.
To improve productivity, you need to better understand which activities provide the best results. With that knowledge, you can focus more time on the tasks that actively move you towards your goals. Get rid of the tasks that have little to no impact on your overall efficiency and instead focus on the small number of tasks that will get you 80% of the results you desire.
Embrace The Word ‘No’
It can be tempting to say yes to every opportunity; you never know what it might lead to. But overextending yourself can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and frustration. Plus, if you say yes to things that don’t help you reach your goals, you’re also wasting valuable time and resources.
Productive people don’t feel uncomfortable saying ‘no.’ They know the value of their time and treat is like a precious resource (because it is!). To reach your goals, you must be deliberate with your time. We only get 1,440 minutes each day – don’t give that time away without considering how it will impact you and your goals.
The usual understanding of productivity is having the ability to complete a lot in a brief period of time. While this is true, it isn’t comprehensive. True productivity entails the capacity to generate high-impact outcomes quickly. This is the type of productivity that matters, not busy work that has no long-term impact. Adding these habits to your daily routine will enable you to do just that.
