Are you always scrambling to accomplish tasks and meet deadlines, only to find yourself with a longer list of things to do at the end of the day? You start with a concrete plan, a clear-cut goal, and an optimistic mindset yet nothing happens. You still fall trap in the vicious cycle of unproductivity like a hamster that runs on its wheel endlessly.
I bet you’re tired of working like this on a daily basis and yes, that voice inside your head is absolutely right: this is not a sustainable way to live. A few more months or years, you’ll grow to hate the job that you worked so hard for and that sort of negativity will not just affect your career. It will bleed into your personal life, your health, your well-being.
In this post, you’ll find helpful tips from productivity experts, CEOs, founders, and other professionals on how to increase work productivity. Like you, they face all sorts of distractions in their daily work life and through these golden nuggets, they share how they were able to overcome their struggles and become more productive.
“Figure out the time of day that you’re most productive. Is it early in the morning, in the afternoon or late in the evening? Whichever time it is, you should block off those few hours and try to be as productive as possible in that period. Try not to arrange any meetings during that time of the day, and schedule your most difficult tasks around then.”
Joe Fisher – Owner, OptiClick
“Adhere to the “two-minute-rule.” If you notice a task or action that you know can be completed in less than two minutes, complete it immediately. This saves time compared to returning to it later.”
Hutch Ashoo – Founder & CEO, Pillar Wealth Management
“Make small goals for yourself. It can be overwhelming to see a few large projects on our calendar. Divide it down into smaller jobs. Rather than writing “whole project,” break it down into all of the tasks that will be required. This helps you stay on track in your daily activities and make more significant undertakings appear less intimidating.”
Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D. – CEO, ElizabethLombardo.com
“I organize my to-do list on a regular basis. I start by making sure my list is full of actionable items and remove any ideas or thoughts that aren’t really to-do tasks. Then, I take those tasks and create actionable, smaller items that need to be accomplished. I tackle several of these bite-size, high-priority items first, this way I always know what I need to do next.”
Sarah Ohanesia – Productivity Coach & Founder, SO Productive
“I create a reward system, so currently when I complete a difficult task, I treat myself. It doesn’t have to be big. It could be as little as buying a bag of Skittles for a job well done.”
Marijke Van Breda – PR & Marketing Manager, Oliver Wicks
“Changing my relationship with email has definitely boosted my productivity. Now, I only check and respond to emails at specific times of the day, and typically only twice a day. I set up an autoresponder telling people when I usually check and reply to emails. I also invite them to call me instead if the issue is urgent. With no expectations to respond to emails immediately, I am free to block out time for deep work, and really get things done.”
Paul French – Managing Director, Intrinsic Search
“A big productivity killer for me is having a million different apps and tabs open, which makes it difficult to find what I need quickly. One of the best productivity tools that solves this problem is the app ‘Shift.’ You can condense, pin, and easily move between multiple email accounts, add and toggle between multiple workspace apps, such as Slack, surf the web, and even sync your calendars—all via an organized, easy-to-operate interface.”
Gerald Lombardo – Co-Founder, The Word Counter
“Sometimes if I fall into a trap of trying to multitask, my attention becomes divided and it’s harder to have clarity to make decisions about how to proceed on any of the things I’m doing. To increase my productivity, I find it’s helpful to intentionally slow down, to break things down into simple steps, and to focus on things one step at a time.”
Risa Williams, LMFT – Psychotherapist, Risa Williams Therapy and Life Coaching
“Simple breathing can be life-changing. Inhale through the nose and a long exhale through the mouth, eyes closed or gaze lowered, one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Usually, after 3-5 rounds, you can feel a sense of calm wash over you. Again, a moment of pause can help us tackle the next project with renewed motivation to be productive.”
Theresa Melito-Conners, PhD – Self-care & Growth Mindset Expert, DrMCSelfCare.com
“Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. As a sleep expert, I can’t stress enough the importance of sleep when it comes to productivity. Getting a solid 8 hours will keep you from feeling fatigue halfway through your work day, and also really helps with concentration and focus. The more tired you are, the harder it is to focus on specific goals and tasks.”
Gabriel Dungan – Founder & CEO, ViscoSoft
“Reduce working overtime. As the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Despite the financial benefits, I strive to limit the quantity of overtime work I undertake in a week to the greatest extent possible. I don’t take any more than one hour of overtime work. I noticed it helps me get more time to rest hence, increasing my productivity.”
David Reid – Sales Director, VEM
“Plan for time daily to engage in productive rest. This is time that recharges your brain for deep thinking. You might take a walk, listen to music, meditate, exercise, shower, enjoy a good meal, or write in your journal. Aim for 15-60 minutes. Allow your thoughts to wander as they might. You’ll find that the project or problem you couldn’t solve suddenly has a solution, and that you’re more focused and clear.”
Nettie Owens, CPO-CD – President, Sappari Solutions
“Know your goals. If you don’t know what your goals are it is impossible to make progress in the most efficient manner possible. Sit down and decide where you want to go with your work over the next few months, quarters, and years. Then, ruthlessly prioritize tasks that can get you there.”
Jason Logsdon – Founder, Amazing Food Made Easy
“I’ve found that my productivity is dependent on the environment I’m in and the people I’m with. I try to avoid noisy environments where there’s a lot of distraction or it’s hard to think. For my hybrid work-home office, I’ve chosen an environment that is quiet and free of interruption. Working in this setting allows me to find workflow much more quickly. I also work with people who are similarly focused on their work, so it’s easy to be productive while working among them. I’ve found that being part of a team that shares similar goals helps to motivate me and have a better focus on my tasks.”
David Thomas – Co-Founder & Chief Operative, LaunchPad
“Sometimes, we may just be in the wrong jobs, and don’t have the courage to be honest with ourselves. I think from experience in coaching people, I find that mostly they are in jobs to earn an income, and the tasks themselves may not interest them. The biggest mistake to make is assuming that you can’t get the dream job that will ensure a much deeper interest in your work, which will be the true test of how productive and effective you can really be. It’s important for us to be really honest with ourselves and be motivated enough to do what we need to do with gusto! Even if we are in jobs to earn a living, give it your best shot, without giving up on your future aspirations.”
Thomas Mirmotahari – Founder & CEO, PerkUp
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