How to have a productive day?

We all know that the day can go by and you get so caught up with your daily routine, with small tasks, running from one side to the other, phone calls, emails, meetings… And your staff, colleagues, family, friends, everyone wants your attention.

And there are commitments, places to go, people to see. And all those small tasks that have to be done NOW: bills to pay, documents to send, appointments to be attended.

And you are so tired at the end of the day because you have been running from one place to the other all day! But you have the feeling you didn’t do anything that really matters to you. Does this happen to you?

Well, you are not alone, it used to happen to me all the time and it happens to the best of the best.

So what you need is to learn how to turn your busy day into a productive day.

A day where you accomplish something that matters to you, that will put you a step closer to your goals.

What you want, what you need, is that at the end of each day you will have this amazing feeling of accomplishment, you feel productive, full of energy, motivated, powerful, and happy with yourself.

The problem with many of us is that we start our day without planning it. And when our day begins without a plan, we start by checking our phones, emails, social media, we listen to the ones around us who want our attention, who need us for something, whether it is to do something or to go somewhere. And it is overwhelming!

And we think we cannot say no, so we say yes to everything and to everybody, and we overcommit ourselves…

Well, breaking news, you can say no! But you will only say No, if you know that there is something more important that you should be doing.

By saying “no” to what is not important to you, you will have more time left for what really matters.

Remember, there’s only one of you, and you can only be in one place at a time, so when you are saying yes to something you are saying no to everything else.

So first things first, you need to start planning your day ahead, you need to be ahead of the game. You need to know what you really want, what you want to accomplish, what is important to you, and only then will you have a day that you can be proud of.

To have a productive day means that at the end of that day you can look back and feel that you have done really important tasks. And you will be able to uncheck those important tasks that you had to do in order to achieve your goals. But for that to happen you need to have your goals set.

Goal Setting

Setting goals is important. Goals are your destination, it’s where you need to go.

Long-term goals are the ones that will change your life, but you also need short and medium-term goals, which are the ones that you will be able to achieve quicker, and those are also very important.

You need to make a list of goals, like the kind of list people make at the beginning of each year, but most of them forget about it for 12 months... Well, the difference is you don’t have to wait for the beginning of each year, you start now, whenever now is, and you will not forget about it, in fact, you will accomplish those goals.

You need to make a list of goals, like the kind of list people make at the beginning of each year, but most of them forget about it for 12 months... Well, the difference is you don’t have to wait for the beginning of each year, you start now, whenever now is, and you will not forget about it, in fact, you will accomplish those goals.

I don’t know if you read the blog about How To Become A High Performer… Well, if you didn’t please do, you can read it and I talk about this already there.

About how high performers/high achievers developed the habit of setting goals and really achieving them, no matter what. And how goals are only goals if they are real, specific, and have deadlines.

It all comes down to: What, When and How

What – What is your goal, and it has to be specific and detailed?

When – By when do you want to accomplish it?

How – How will you get there?

After knowing where they are headed, High Performers just make “how questions”:-

“How can I do this?”

“How will I pull this off?”

“How will I meet the deadline?”

So, you will have to do the same.

And after knowing exactly where you are headed, you have to create a list of tasks that will allow you to achieve each goal.

Make lists

Most people stress because they are thinking about too many things at the same time. You need to focus and you start by making a list of tasks that need to be done.

Creating lists will make you more relaxed, you will not forget a thing, you will know exactly what needs to be done, and this will give you the peace of mind to work on what’s important.

Plan Your Day

And then, based on those tasks, you plan your day.

Those tasks will become your most important tasks. Tasks that you absolutely have to do.

And every time you uncheck one of those tasks from your list because you did it, you will feel amazing, your energy levels will rise, you will feel powerful, you will become a highly productive person, and your goals will be achieved.

Plan each day the night before, but please avoid the temptation to over-schedule your day, or you will feel overwhelmed and that won’t help.

And remember if it’s not important to you, it’s not worth your time.

How do you plan your day?

Well, you can start by dividing your day into blocks and reserve a block for each task. And for the sake of your success, avoid distractions and interruptions.

You will dedicate your full attention to one single task in a determined block of time and that is powerful. But it requires commitment on your part to dedicate unbroken amounts of time to complete your important tasks. But if you are committed, you can do anything you want.

However, don’t forget, life is full of unpredictable things, so there will always be unplanned things, be prepared for that as well, have some slots in your day for unplanned daily things. Or, at least, do not get discouraged when something that isn’t planned happens and you need to make some changes. When this happens, you make the changes, adapt your plans, and keep your eye on the goal.

It is also very important that you include blocks for some ‘Me time’ and for reflection.

Because your happiness has to be your most important goal.

Morning Routine

And also remember, that having a morning routine is key to high performance. So, do what motivates you in the morning. Many successful people often exercise and read in the morning, it motivates them and gives them energy for the rest of the day. Find what works better for you and do that every morning.

Start each day the best way, your way! And be ready for whatever will come next!

So, Now You Know!

Have a Productive and Amazing Day!