Have you ever watch other business owners on social media and wondered how in the world they did it all?  They always seem to have something going on, yet they effortlessly glide through life.  Most likely they have learned some secrets to productivity.

Productivity Tips

When it comes to productivity, I’m still a student. I think everyone is still learning how to be more productive.    I have a few tips that I have used  that  will help  you increase your productivity.

Watch For Time Snatchers

It is so easy to get log into social media to make a quick update and before you know it, you have been there a half hour reading other people’s posts.

Or maybe all the pictures on Pinterest grab your attention.

If you work from home it might be the laundry or a child wanting your attention.  Whatever it is you need to find a way to identify these things and limit the time you devote to them.

Consider using a timer.  My friend Robin sets a timer for a certain amount of time on social media and when the buzzer goes off, she is done.   She feels she is much less likely to end up wasting an hour of her day.

Use A Good Task Management Program

There are lots of task management programs to help you out here.

Some of my friends use Trello.   It is easy and especially good for people who like to see a visual as well as writing.

Another is Nozbe.   And there are many other task management systems out there.   Some are free and others are inexpensive.   You might want to try a couple till you find the one that suits your work style best.

When you think of something that needs to be done, you don’t stop and do it. You simply add it to the list. This frees you up to think about the task at hand.

Create A Weekly Plan

Schedule a time every weekend (or Friday afternoon at the end of the week) to decide your top goals and priorities for the upcoming week (it isn’t just about work, you need to include the personal items that have priority also. )  and then schedule the tasks into your calendar.

At the end of the day,  review your goals and plans for the next day and then refer to them throughout the day as you work.

You will be amazed at how much this helps.  Having a plan relieves stress and increases your productivity.

Plan For The Unexpected…

Budget your time, but schedule a generous amount for your tasks.  Everything always takes longer than expected and you never know what might happen that puts you behind.

Batch Your Tasks

Be more productive by time chunking. In short, do like tasks together.

For example, instead of preparing one social media post from start to finish and then moving on to the next, spend one chunk of time outlining multiple posts at once. Then, carve out another chunk of time to write them, and another to edit them and create the graphic to match.

Think assembly line!

Don’t Be a Super Hero

Delegate, don’t even attempt to do everything yourself.   Determine who else can help and delegate.

Use Your Smartphone

Did you know you have a powerful computer in your pocket?

You can use it for lots of things like monitoring social media, answering emails, reviewing your calendar, even writing a blog post.   Don’t underestimate the possibilities!  Put your phone to work for you.

Do you have any productivity tips to share?  Would love to hear what works for you.