How to Become More Productive by Working Smarter

Let’s be honest, we all waste a lot of time at work. Sometimes it’s your own fault because you logged onto Facebook to check one thing, then an hour later…

Other times, it’s out of our control. I’m sure many of you reading this hate meetings for this reason. If it’s an hour long, I’d bet about 10 minutes of it was productive. Then, there is the meeting to talk about the meeting. Sometimes, there’s even a meeting after that!

After having a couple of kids and leaving my job as a TV reporter, I became slightly obsessed with productivity. I read about it, research it, and even conduct my own trial and error case studies to be even more productive. So far, I’ve discovered six things that are working really well. I think today, every millennial has the opportunity to implement these into their lives.

1. One thing I stopped doing — commuting. If I still worked in TV news, this would have been impossible. I had to be where the story was, live, for the 6 o’clock news. There was no getting around that. But, when I became my own boss and owner of Media Maven, I put an end to sitting in my SUV really fast. It makes no sense to spend time in rush hour traffic, twice, to work in front of a computer at work all day. I have a computer at home, so why not use it?! When I didn’t spend time getting presentable for public and commuting to work, I gained an additional two to three hours a day.Now, that’s productive! (Don’t get me wrong, I like face time, but only when it helps me be more productive.)

2. A detailed to-do list is a must for me. I actually have two to-do lists — one in general with no deadlines, and one more immediate list that includes deadlines. I make sure it’s ready to go before I start working, so when I’m ready to begin, no time is wasted. (Yes, that means you have to work a little bit on Sunday night, but it’s worth it Monday morning!) The to-do lists are stress relievers. Believe me.

3. Okay, this next one is tough, especially when you work from home. You have to eliminate distractions. I used to leave all the tabs on my computer open. When I would see an email flashing in one, I would stop what I was doing, open that email, and deal with it. It may have taken two minutes of my time, 20 minutes, or even more. Then, I would go back to what I was originally doing. Not only is thisinefficient, but it’s also a great way to get off track. Then, you need to spend even more time getting back on track. (Do I even remember what I was doing before I responded to this email?) Instead, I give myself a task to do — with those tabs closed and my phone face down. I don’t want to see it light up with a notification! Unless it’s a life saving emergency, which I’m sure it’s not, it can wait. When that task is done, I’ll give myself five to 10 minutes to be distracted, then, it’s back to work.

4. You know what helps with that to-do list? Scheduling. I like to schedule everything with a set reminder in my planner and on my phone. This helps me plan out my day, week, and month. If you know what is happening, you will be more productive because you have a plan to follow. Use working out for example. If you say, “I’m going to the gym this week” you probably won’t go or you’ll put if off. If you say, “I’m going to the gym Tuesday morning at 9:30” you will probably go because it is a scheduled plan.

5. When do you work best? For some reason, I’m more productive at night. Some people are great in the morning. I’m good in the morning, but great at night. Around 3pm-7pm, I’ve hit a wall and need a break. So I work when it’s best for me. But some days, I’m great at that time. It really just depends on what’s going on in my life that day personally and professionally. I am a firm believer that not everyone needs 40 hours a week to do their job and not everyone needs to do it between the hours of 9am-5pm. If that were the case, what a coincidence that would be!

6. Finally, I don’t want someone to take up my time by sugar coating and beating around the bush… and I’m impatient. I’d much rather prefer someone just get to the point, so that’s what I do. It’s also a great way to get rid of any confusion. In business, this is so important. When people know you are a straight shooter, you appear more trust worthy and it’s known you don’t play guessing games. It sounds crazy, but being upfront and honest really does save time.

So, make a plan to be productive. Put it on your to-do list. The side effect is you working smarter.