Learning to be Productive, One Little Baby Step at a Time

If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that the ability to be productive isn't a gift. Although it can certainly feel like it if you're working from home and you've got kids underfoot all day! No, productivity isn't something we're blessed with. It's something we develop over time, with plenty of practice. I was reading an article yesterday that said you can train your mind to focus and be productive.

I'd never really thought about it, but they're absolutely right; the mind is like a muscle, and it's going to do what you train it to do. If you train it to focus it will focus, no matter what's going on around it. If you allow it to wander, on the other hand, you'd have better luck trying to yank an elephant back into line than to make your brain do what you tell it to!

Following along with that theme I spoke to my colleagues and went digging around on the web for the best tips available on learning to be productive, and this is what we found. Feel free to chime in with comments and suggestions on these and other strategies to help all of us learn to be happy, successful and, most importantly, productive.

a) Make the best use of each kind of your time. The concept of all time not being created equal didn't really make sense to me when I first read it. Now, I think I'm beginning to grasp the fundamentals. The inability to manage your time between play time, sleep time, work time and (for me at least) housework time is what leads to road blocks and frustration. Make the most of your time. If you're cleaning, let it be cleaning time. If it's relaxation time, put it all behind you and just kick back. By making the best use of your time you'll be as productive as you possibly can be. Which brings us to step B:

b) Multi-task, but do it judiciously. When you're running in 18 directions at once it's absolutely impossible to get anything accomplished, but taking your daily tasks one at a time can use up far more than the 24 hours a day Father Time bothers to give us. Multi-task your responsibilities whenever possible without driving yourself insane. For example, let the washing machine run while you're answering your e-mail!

c) Carry a pen and paper with you at all times. How many times have you had a great idea to make things run more smoothly, only to completely lose it the minute you go to do something about it? By writing it down you have a record of your thoughts you can turn to when the time comes to put them in action!

d) Designate your time. One of the biggest problems most of us run into is constant interruptions during our working hours. When you start a project, let that be the only thing you're working on. Shut down your other browser windows, flip your phone over to voicemail and ignore the other things lying around on your desk. If you're working from home, feel free to ignore the door (unless you're waiting on a package) so you can concentrate on what you're doing.

e) Share the load. It's easy to become buried under a project, especially when you start volunteering for way more than you can logistically handle. Share the load with a friend you trust. Not only does it provide great conversation fodder, you'll feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

f) Find a time management solution. There are literally hundreds of resources out there just sitting around waiting for you to turn to them for their productivity solutions. Whether you want to invest in scheduling software or keep a planner and a notepad next to your desk, find a time management solution that works for you.

g) Make it fun! The number one reason people fall behind on work is that their mind decides it doesn't want to do it, and it just gets tuned out along the way. Making it fun will encourage you to get started, motivate you to keep going and keep your mind interested enough to make sure your productivity stays at peak levels around the clock!

Learning to be productive isn't something that comes easily to any of us, but by minimizing your distractions and making the most of your resources you'll be able to be productive enough to achieve the success you deserve.