4 Ways to Improve Your Productivity

It really is possible to get more done in less time. Here's four things you can do right now to have a super productive day.

It’s not just about manifesting what you want – it’s also about taking aligned action.

You want to reach that goal. You want to up level your life.  You know what it is going to take, but you just haven't done anything about it yet. The days, weeks, months and years have passed without you making much progress.  

You've decided you want to get serious. Now is your time. This is your moment.

Those inspirational quotes have you shouting YES! to the sky. You want this and you know you deserve it.

But as your day gets going, other things fill up the hours, and today ends the same as yesterday did - without getting the things done that you really wanted to do.

What you've figured out is that it’s not just about manifesting what you want – it’s also about taking aligned action.  And when it comes to the "action-taking" part, a lot of people feel like they just don't have enough time.

But here's the truth bomb. 

If you really want to start changing your life for the better, you DO have the time. 

And no, you don’t have to get up earlier – even though getting up earlier really can be a life hack that you will love if you can get into the habit. But no, you don’t have to get up earlier.

So here's four easy ways to be more productive. And even if you do only one of these four things, you are going to see a big improvement in what you can accomplish today.

Productivity Tip #1 - It’s not about having more time, it’s about setting your priorities.

You might think you don’t have enough time to get the things done that are on your dream life to-do list, but if you can grasp this one concept and start using it every day, you will start moving towards that future vision – even if it means taking small steps. Because small steps add up, and small steps are always better than nothing.

If you want to be more productive you need to start thinking about where you are placing your priorities.  If you are not getting a particular thing done, it is because it is not a priority.

Let’s say you really want to write one blog post per week, but the weeks go by and you haven’t been able to get a single blog post done.  What happened? Were you too busy?

You may have been busy – but that’s not the reason you didn’t write the blog post (or whatever it is that has been on your to-do list)

No. Writing the blog post just wasn’t a priority.  If it was a priority you would have done it. Other things in your life became the priority – grocery shopping, laundry, getting your nails done, washing the car, going to target. These were a priority because you did them.

The first way you can be more productive today is to identify what your true priorities are. Start the day by writing down 1-5 things that will be those priorities today. This is where you are going to put your energy – not anywhere else.

Be honest with yourself.  If grocery shopping has to get done today, then it is a priority. 

If it is not a priority, then don’t put it on your list. Let the priorities get done first.

If you struggle with distraction then make only one thing a priority today. And by that one thing, I mean one thing for you. One thing that will bring you closer to your beautiful future.  And commit to doing it. Have integrity with yourself and follow through with this commitment to yourself.

As you get better at setting priorities and following through, you will start to notice that more of your priorities are actually getting done – and then you can confidently add to your list.

This is not about getting overwhelmed. It’s about knowing what’s important to you and where you are going to give your attention today.

Productivity Tip #2 – Eliminate distractions. 

When you are working on something like a blog post or a chapter in your book, you need to be able to get into flow.  This is where the words and ideas will flow easily out of you and onto your paper. 

When you are in this flow state, you will be able to write more and design more. It is beautiful. It feels amazing. But here’s the deal. Many times we can even get into the flow state because of distractions.

And the smallest distraction can take you out of flow.

The smallest and most random notification that snags your attention for a split second can take you out of flow or even completely derail your productivity for whatever you are working on. 

The distractions can be as insignificant as an email, a phone call, a notification, or someone poking their head into your room to say hello. 

So tip #2 is  - if you want to get some serious work done, turn off the distractions completely. Put your phone in airplane mode, turn on the do not disturb, and give yourself 20-30 minutes of time to have your full attention on your project. 

This is where you will see more productivity in less time – the distractions are what extend the time it takes to do anything.

Productivity Tip #3 – Sprinting.

This is a technique I learned from Colin Boyd – one of my business coaches, and it works awesome. I think it was developed in the software industry as a way to get more done in less time, and Colin has been teaching it to his students and clients as a way for them to really move forward in their business and personal development.

Think of a Venn diagram – that’s the diagram with three circles that cross over each other in the middle.

In the first circle put the task that is your priority right now. Let’s stick with the blog post example. Put write and upload a new blog post in the top circle.

In the next circle write your commitment to no distractions.

In the last circle (and this is key), give yourself a limited amount of time – let’s say 1 hour.

Imagine the intersection of those three circles – and the middle is your sweet spot.

When you can give yourself a limited amount of time, no distractions and you only work on one specific project, it can take your productivity to a level you have never achieved before.

That blog post that you had previously procrastinated and never started is now done and uploaded in less than an hour.  It just about setting the task or project up in advance, and then intentionally putting these tools in place.

When you get good at sprinting, you will be able to get more done than you ever have before in less time.

Productivity Tip #4 – Embody the future you.

Every single self-help and personal development training starts with this first step.

Know what you want. Know who you want to be.  You will not be able to attain your deepest desires and goals unless you know specifically what they are.

This is something that I teach in the Your Today Story Experience.  It is knowing who you want to be and then getting clear on what that person would be doing with their time. It’s writing your own story for the day.

When you start making some of these activities part of your day, you will start to embody your future self in a way that will make the manifestation of that future dream life faster because when you embody your future self, you shift the timeline of where you are.

Let's dive in a bit deeper. Think about how that future self would live their life.  What are they doing? What commitments do they make? What people do they surround themselves with? What are they learning? What do they know about themselves?

When you get clear on these things and start doing them yourself, your daily decisions become easier.  The blog post, the podcast episode, the book writing all become easier because they are more aligned to who you are now becoming.

It makes your daily decisions easier – and your future self will thank you for making the decision to write.

This last productivity tip is developed in your subconscious – and it can be the most powerful. When you are embodying your future self and then setting new priorities and getting things done in integrity with yourself and your commitments to yourself, you will see your productivity improve and you will be moving towards those goals and dreams faster than ever before.

Be sure to download the free guide by going to www.ginakershaw.com/productivity.