Ok we are nearly 3 weeks into the year but that just means all our "good intentions" are starting to wear off and we are truly seeing who we are going to be and what is going to stick. If you made a plan this year to be more productive, GREAT NEWS, today's guest blog from productivity coach and Navy wife, Chelsey, is exactly what you've been looking for!
Happy New Year! The new year is an opportunity to reevaluate your habits, routines, and systems to see what's working and not working to help you reach your goals. We want to improve our productivity, be less distracted, and be more intentional with our time in the new year, so I'm here to provide you with three tips so you can have the most productive year yet!
1. Brain Dump weekly
One of the biggest challenges that can lead to feeling overwhelmed and distracted is having your tasks in many random locations (email drafts, phone notes, post-its, lists, etc.). So, every week, write down all the tasks you have to do in one location. Ideally, you would use the Uncluttered Planner!
Writing down all the tasks will "unclutter" your mind and allow you to quickly see what tasks are a priority, what can be delegated, what can be scheduled, and what can be deleted.
2. Plan tomorrow at 3 pm today
Before the end of your work day, write down the 3-5 tasks you want to complete tomorrow and then schedule them on your calendar. I like doing this around 3 pm to relieve some of the pressure I may feel about finishing my to-do because I've already scheduled into my day for tomorrow. Then you'll start your day knowing exactly what you're going to work and when so you can end your day feeling accomplished!
3. Set yourself up for success
Decision and discipline fatigue is real. Humans are only designed to handle so many decisions and so many restrictions in a day. So when I tell my clients to set themselves up for success, I ask them to think ahead to make their lives a little easier tomorrow. Could you bookmark or pin a file you keep referring to so save time opening it daily? Could you block a
website or app while working, so it doesn't distract you? Could you lay out your clothes or plan your meals for the next day, so it saves you a few decisions?
The three tips will help you be more intentional this year by ensuring you're thinking about how you're using your time. We often get so busy that we don't stop to think about how we are spending our day. Suppose you brain dump weekly, so you are better able to focus on the task at hand; plan the day before so you know what is most important that day before anyone else captures your time, and set yourself up for success by reducing decisions and the need for discipline. In that case, you'll feel less overwhelmed and more in control of your time.
And remember, productivity is personal so this year, spend some time exploring what schedule, task management, and procrastination-relieving techniques work best for you
so you can have your most productive year yet!
About Chelsey:
Chelsey Newmyer is a nerd for all things time management and productivity. After years of reading frustrating productivity advice that didn't match her life, she started her coaching business to help solopreneurs and Military Spouses maximize their time by getting the personalized productivity they need to reach their goals. She's a Navy spouse and lives on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba with her husband and their dog, Leia.
