12 Ways to Make it a Productive Day

No one is spared of the Monday blues. Some deal with it as if they were born with the ‘Monday’ genes. In comparison, the rest of us drag ourselves through Monday mornings as if we were suddenly dropped from the sky. At least the first half goes like this until the boss wakes us up with the required gusto! So what’s the solution? How do we make it a productive day and not sleepwalk through it?

Simple – just get started. To make it a smoother sail, it helps if you keep a few things in mind. Like, starting with setting the alarm 10 minutes early to give you the time to roll out of bed. Here is a list of things I feel should not only help you make any day productive but also enable you to glide through the week effortlessly.

1. Being organised

All your efforts go waste if you don’t plan what you are going to do today. It’s not easy moving ahead without having a clear idea as to what is the final objective or goal.

2. Making a paper-pen ‘to-do’ list

I swear by a to-do list. Before you start the day, sit down for a few minutes and write down the activities or things you want to attend to on the day and pin it to the board. With the list of things staring at you, it’s easy not to get distracted.

3. Setting aside blocks of time for each job

If you know what you are doing, you have a fair idea of how much time it will take. So, make sure you keep an adequate time slot for it. No fitting it between two jobs and then rushing through each of them. Not recommended for good results.

4. Avoid multitasking 

Having too many things to do will result in the work not getting done properly. Your attention and effort both get stretched. So, deal with one thing at a time or as per what is important. This allows you to focus and do your best. 

5. Prioritising without distractions

It’s easy to get distracted by other trivial things if your goals are not clear or you don’t know what it is you are doing. Be clear about your goals or else your efforts may get diverted. Plan your work keeping your final goal or objective in mind.

6. Having a clutter-free work area 

Follow a system to keep your work area organised. Keep your schedule simple and uncomplicated. Making too many entries or scheduling too many interlinked activities can cause avoidable confusion and delays. Also, keep your work area as clean as possible. You won’t be needing everything at the same time, will you? So keep them in the desk drawer. A clean desk gives you more space to work and prevents your mind from getting distracted.

7. Searching for things

We don’t realise it, but a lot of time is wasted in searching for things because they are not kept in the correct place or don’t even have a correct place! Sounds silly, but think about all the time you have spent searching for documents, pens, paper clips, etc. get yourself a desk organiser and arrange the things.

8. Planning in advance 

How can you proceed with the day if you haven’t planned your day? It would be best if you thought ahead about what needs to be done and then about the steps to be taken to complete the work. Don’t waste time trying to jump from one job to another and not being able complete any of it. Or if completed, the quality of work leaves a lot to desire.

9. Dilly-dallying or indecisiveness

Procrastination results from not planning and organising your work. No point postponing it. If it has to be done then rather do it asap and get it over with than pushing it for later. That only adds to the pile of work to be dealt with.

10. Watching TV / social media to fill time gaps

This is the topper! Don’t get into the habit of watching TV because there’s nothing else to do or you’re bored. Sitting mindlessly and watching reruns or scrolling through the various social media sites can result in losing precious time. First check if all the taksks for the day are over and only then relax or take a break.

11. Checking emails repeatedly

Reading and rereading emails may make you ‘look’ busy but, it’s wasting your time if you can’t take the required action. It’s another form of procrastinating. Deal with it or move on. 

12. Grouping your errands or work 

If you are headed towards a particular area and if you plan your chores or work, then it can be done at the same time. This saves you from making multiple trips to the same place or area. Like when visiting the supermarket, make a list of things to buy so it can be done in one trip instead of planning a trip again after a few days.

Disclaimer: This blog may have some affiliate links and if you do decide to use any of them, then I get a piddly commission at no extra cost to you.