PRODUCTIVITY

March 14, 2022

This is some of my favorite stuff! These 3 approaches brought me a LOT more productivity when I thought I was as productive as I could be. 

POWERBLOCK YOUR MORNING – This one has gotten lots of press from various authors and coaches, so by no means original. I wish I’d committed sooner. I was always a night owl, trying to get more done after the kids went to bed and then needing downtime to unwind at night. I snoozed the alarm clock incessantly and then it was a fire drill to get out the door – every single day. 

Get up before everyone else, choose a block of time that works for you and find a routine that you love and can commit to. Here are some activities. Find what you like, then grab your coffee or tea and enjoy: 

TIMEBLOCK YOUR DAY – This is an upgrade to the to-do list. It’s both a way to prioritize (aka decide what needs to come off the list) and a way to get more done. Instead of two separate tools – your calendar and your to-do list – merge them. Allot the time for the things on your to-do list and timeblock them. I can hear the resistance – that seems too structured, I don’t know when I’ll get to things, I don’t know how long tasks will take. And that is precisely why our to-do lists don’t get done, grow too overwhelming and cause us stress. Give this a try, I promise it’s a gamechanger. 

AVOID DISTRACTIONS – There’s nothing wrong with social media or movie channels, unless you’re pressed for time to get to your priorities. Whatever your guilty pleasure is, the key is to DECIDE how much time it’s worth to you. Netflix over connecting with your partner? Instagram over playing with your child? Tiktok over laughing with your teenager? Where could you reclaim just a few minutes in your day?