When you look at ultra productive people of this world, you can learn the habits of successful people and know how to do things differently in life. Here are the top tips for being productive based on how highly productive people do things differently and how they differ in their essential daily habits.

We all agree that there is a secret to productivity and that there is something unique that productive people of this world employ, which has made them successful leaders today. We all have the same 24 hours a day, but productive people seem to have double the time and possess the unique ability to get everything done in half the time, juggling several tasks and reaching their goals unfailingly every time.

So, let’s take a leaf out of such people’s books and see what productivity hacks we can incorporate in our lives.

Must Read: 10 Tips on How to Develop a Lifetime Reading Habit

Things Productive People Do Differently

1. Focusing on a Micro Routine to Increase Productivity

• Focus on a moment to moment basis or create a micro routine. Far reaching goals are really admirable, but they seem somewhat unreachable. Break down the goal each day into more manageable mini goals.
• Sort the task into micro units. For instance, you can break each hour into parts. For Instance, the first 15 minutes for catching up on communication; the second 15 minutes for doing some simple tasks; the next 30 minutes for a bigger more difficult task; and so on.
• Break up a huge task into sections and focus on the small time allotted, breaking it up into smaller portions of effort. It is easier to measure progress and offers greater motivation, as the idea of huge task lasting for many hours could weigh you down.

2. Focusing on Important Not Urgent Tasks

Many people confuse urgent tasks with important ones. Urgent tasks have a deadline, but they can be important or trivial tasks. For instance, you may have to submit a report within a stipulated time, but it may not be an important report. This is just one of the surprising things productive people do differently! This was one of the principles that guided Dwight D. Eisenhower throughout his life.

• Prioritize your tasks for the day.
• Consider what are the three most important tasks for the day, and then start knocking them out first, one by one.
• One of the important productivity tools is to Isolate each task and focus on it without interruption, without breaking the concentration for some other task. You can engage your brain more efficiently and fully in this way and make good progress on important or critical tasks.

To increase productivity at work, use an important and urgent matrix to decide which task is important and needs your focus and attention on a priority basis.

3. Tackling Dreaded Tasks First

When we observe habits of successful leaders, we find this trait in many of them. We are all guilty of procrastinating a dreaded or hateful task, or a task that is more labor intensive or requires more brain power.

• It’s called eating the frog first!
• It prevents procrastination when you do the difficult task earlier on in the day, as it becomes more and more difficult to do it later on. By doing it early on, you check it off your list.
• When you’re on the path to being productive, other tasks throughout the day will seem much easier, because you have already eaten a frog:) what could be worse?

4. Preparing for Tomorrow

Give yourself a head start for the next day, by preparing the night before. It will help put the control back in your hands right from the beginning of the day! It should become part of your essential daily habits.

• Write down all the tasks and to dos for the next day, the night before. It’s like setting out clothes to wear the next day. You can just jump into work without wasting a minute.
• This is especially useful when you want to take time off, say for a weekend, as your list will be ready and waiting come Monday morning.
• When you outline tasks for the next day, your mind gets enough time to go through these tasks while asleep and you might also be able to work out some of the subtle details, thereby increasing work productivity.

5. Allot Time for What You Value

• It could be family time, a game of tennis or golf, time out with friends, or just a break, anything!
• Instead of just a to do list of things, do something fulfilling, either for your business or personally, as part of productivity tips.

6. Eliminate Distractions/Multitasking

If you’re haphazardly jumping from one task to another, answering emails and texts; checking social media; and also working on your project, stop right there!

• There is nothing called efficient multitasking. All you’re doing is giving your partial attention to several balls spinning in the air. In all likelihood, you’ll miss all of them.
• Close all browser windows, except the ones related to the task on hand.
• Turn off notifications on your mobile and laptop.
• Create a quiet and calm environment to attend to the task on hand and get the satisfaction of a productive day.

Also Read: 10 Clever Ways to Keep the Kids Busy When You Work from Home

7. Start Early or Stay Up Late?

Are you a night owl or an early riser? Don’t force yourself into an early morning schedule if you prefer to stay up late instead.

• Focus on when you are most productive. After having a clear goal for the day, find out when is the best time to achieve it. When do you have the maximum energy or creativity for getting the task completed?
• One starting time does not suit everyone. If it suits you to be up at 5 am; hit the gym at 5.30 and to the workplace at 7 am, you’re welcome.
• However, many productive people sleep well and arrive a little later for work. Too little sleep can lead to burnout and bad decisions.

Wrap Up

Productivity does not take place by accident, you need to  have some foresight, planning, motivation and focus to accomplish tasks efficiently. These are just some of the ways to increase productivity and are not easy to implement, i agree, but you can start today and then watch how your productivity increases with time.

Henry Ford used a productivity hack for building cars more quickly and economically, resulting in the assembly line to eliminate wastage of motion and save time.

You too can plan and prepare and find additional hours in a day to complete all your tasks efficiently and still find time to play. Work Smart not Hard!