Everyone wants to manage their time better as they want to make the most out of it, but sometimes it may result difficult due to external factors such as digital distractions and task overload.

Being productive involves having determination as you have to be able to control the sources of distraction and try not to multitask, it is better to set a daily goal and stick with it. Keep in consideration that internal factors also can interrupt your productive time like health-related problems, lack of sleep or nutrition.

If you are determined to improve your productivity to achieve your personal and professional goals, we will give some basic productivity guidelines so you will be able to take control of your activities again.

Take care of yourself

The most important thing is to take care of yourself because if you are not healthy and well-rested it is almost impossible to be productive.

Have enough hours of sleep

7 to 9 hours per night is the minimum that an adult must sleep for the body to fully recover and complete nighttime regenerative functions. Sometimes people indeed have trouble sleeping. Good news is there are a lot of ways in which you can improve your sleep.

For example, air conditioning can make you sleep better and could become your ally, you just need to set a comfortable temperature to conciliate the sleep better. Also, you can improve your sleep environment and maintain a regular sleep schedule to rest properly.

You will see how you will be more rested and focused to work.

Get up early and seize the day

You may not know this, but the first hour of the day can determine your attitude for the rest of the day. It may be hard, but once you make it a habit, you’ll get used to it.

Get up earlier, have a good breakfast, do some exercise, and above all, organize yourself patiently and not with the typical rush and stress of being late.

Eat healthy food

You must eat healthy to have the energy to perform all the desired tasks, also the nutrients will help you to be focused. Try to eat light as well, because a lot of food will make you want to sleep and reduce your productivity.

Focus on your current activities

Several things can be distracting, try to reduce them.

Reduce all the distractions

We are increasingly surrounded by distractions that make it more difficult to focus, also you will see how much time you waste with all of these distractions. From the continuous emails, notifications to the constant messages and social media. Try to be aware of this and take control over it.

Keep into consideration all of the things you could do:

• Disconnect notifications from your phone and keep it away if necessary.
• Don’t check the email every 5 minutes. Set a few hours a day to do it.
• Control the time you spend on social media and other entertainment sites.

Leave all these types of activities for your break times as a reward for the great progress.

Do one thing at a time

Multitasking is not productive. Every time you try to do several things at the same time and alternate them you lose time and concentration. It is better to choose a specific task and work on it until you finish it.

Also, you should find out what are your more productive times. Some people work better in the morning while others work better in the afternoon. You should identify at what time of the day you are more productive and get the most out of it by doing the most critical tasks.

Keep your home and work area clean and organized

When you work in a messy room or a messy desk it could be a source of distraction. You will see that you will feel more focused when nothing hinder your sight. A good idea is to keep a minimalist environment to work and take advantage of all the natural light as this will improve health and wellness. You will see how you will feel more awake while working.

Organize your life

Plan your day

You should choose what tasks you are going to do each day. In this way, you will force yourself to set goals and achieve them. You can review the list at the end of the day and decide what important tasks to do the next day.

If you can, do those tasks before anything else, so you will feel that the day has already been productive and everything that comes after will be an extra. Try not to over-plan and be realistic.

Classify and prioritize

First of all, you should do a list with all the tasks you should do in the day, after that you should classify it, decide which are the most urgent or important tasks and do them first. You will feel relieved when you finish all the pending tasks first.

Reward yourself

Set goals to keep you motivated and remember to not overload yourself with tasks. Just as it’s important not to over-plan, don’t underestimate yourself and remember to not give up until you complete them.

Another great thing to do that also works well is to reward yourself if you meet your daily or weekly goals, as extra motivation.

Finally, remember to do only the things that matter the most for you. There are tons of things to do that maybe are not the most adequate to achieve your objectives. Analyze each of your tasks to figure out what things you are doing will bring you closer to your goals.