I think productivity has become a word that has bad feelings attached to it. So many of us have fallen into the trap of hustling and working more on our businesses than our self-care (myself included for sure) that it feels like being “productive” is a constant, yet unattainable, goal.
You know that I’m a big advocate for getting rid of hustle culture and focusing more on how we treat ourselves. But I’m still aware that an hour-long massage may do wonders for your mind and body, but isn’t going to pay your Amex bill. How do you accomplish a feeling of productivity without becoming a slave to it?
How to Increase Your Productivity Without Going Insane
Here are some methods I’ve developed in my own life to feel more productive while still maintaining a semblance of sanity:
1. Force yourself into smaller to-do lists
I used to be a person who made impossible-to-accomplish to-do lists that could be an entire page long if I really allowed myself to think about it long enough. It was a Sisyphean task trying to accomplish everything on my daily list. And I was setting myself up for frustration and failure. Experts say that you should limit yourself to 3 tasks per day. But I’ve adjusted that to fit my own needs and usually do 3 business-related tasks per day with one being a “big” task, while the others are smaller, more menial things.
2. Keep track of your accomplishments
The entire reason I created Your Book of Awesome was to force myself into seeing the accomplishments I’ve achieved to help give me a better perspective on the distance I’ve come, both in business and my personal life. I recommend you do the same. Even if it’s just to jot down little wins on post-it notes and stick them in a jar.
3. Actually review your accomplishments
This is a big one! It’s well and good to write down the things you’ve accomplished. But if you never take the time to review them, you’ll constantly feel like a hamster on a wheel. Set up a monthly reminder to go over the things you’ve accomplished each month and see how productive you’ve actually been.
4. Get outside help
I know as well as you do that if we’re truly honest, there’s no way we can achieve everything we want to do, at least not on our own. If you want to feel like you’re knocking goals off your list, you’re going to need some boosts here and there so get some help. It can be a VA, or an app that helps automate things. Or it can even be a journal where you free-write until you find a solution. Don’t go at it alone or keep it all inside your head. Ask for help and find a way to lessen your workload.
Anything I missed? Let me know in the comments!
