12 Simple Ways to Increase Your Productivity

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Productivity can empower you to create more time for what really matters to you. It’s about making the most of the moments in each day, to engage in what’s important. Although the content of what matters varies for each of us depending on our needs, desires, and priorities, simple strategies can help you strengthen your productivity.

Surely, you already have some strategies to get things done, but you may welcome additional tools to supplement your day-to-day habits and routines.

12 Simple Ways to Help Increase Your Productivity

Changing your behaviors can begin with awareness and small changes (Clear, 2018; Duhig, 2012). You may want to experiment with these strategies to determine which ones help you accomplish more of what matters each day.

1. Create positive habits. Begin the day with a routine that energizes you, such as a few moments for one or more of these: mindfulness, motivational reading, gratitude practice, gentle stretches, a 10-minute walk/run, a healthy breakfast.
2. Remember to breathe with intention. Paying attention to how you’re breathing can have many benefits, inviting greater calm, focus, perspective, and positive performance. You might experiment with simple breathing breaks during the day; for example, refreshing yourself by standing and inhaling deeply as you raise your arms over your head and then exhaling as you lower your arms (repeating three times). (UHS Berkeley, 2024)
3. Each morning, decide your top three priorities for the day. Having too many things to do can feel overwhelming and reduce productivity.
4. Write things down. Jotting down your goals and to-do list can help declutter your mind and offers opportunities to check off items as you complete them.
5. Break big goals into smaller, manageable chunks. Then do one task at a time over a day, week, or whatever time frame makes sense for the goal and your schedule.
6. Pay attention to times of day when your energy levels are better for certain things. For example, you may have more energy to exercise in the morning or a greater capacity for deep work on projects in the evening.
7. Reduce unnecessary time-wasters. For example, rather than running errands intermittently, consider grouping several errands on the same run, perhaps just one or two days per week.
8. Do one thing at a time. Many experts believe the brain can really focus on one task at a time. What some call "multitasking" is now often been termed switch-tasking, with changing back and forth for each task resulting in overall losses of attention and productivity (Crenshaw, 2008).
9. Manage your energy throughout the day. Take care of yourself with healthy habits, such as drinking enough water, eating nutritious meals/snacks, and taking short breaks. Then get back to your goals, pausing to notice what you have accomplished thus far and re-checking your priorities for the day.
10. Spend less time on electronic devices scrolling emails and social media. Decide when and how long you’ll do these activities and then stop. You might want to set a timer as a reminder.
11. Delegate. What can you ask others to do at home and at work? Even if they don’t do it like you would do it, could it be good enough?
12. Pause each evening for a few moments of gratitude and self-compassion. You might reflect on and appreciate some of the positives in your day, offering yourself compassion and applause for facing that day’s challenges. Perhaps with self-compassion, you might consider one thing you learned today or could approach differently tomorrow.

Creating more time for what really matters to you can begin with one small change in personal productivity.

Does one of these practices sound like something you’d like to experiment with?

Where will you begin?

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No content is a substitute for consulting with a qualified mental health or health care professional.

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