Make Shorter To-Do Lists
It is essential to make a reasonable to-do list, which means making it shorter. If you make a list with 3 to 5 important tasks to do for the day, it will be easier to check them all off at the end of the day than to aim for 15 and check only some of them off.
Seeing your list completed will give you a sense of accomplishment because you achieved your goals for the day, and doing this will also help you avoid procrastination, which often leads to stress.
Track Your Activities
In order to know how to spend your time better, you need to know where it’s going. You can start by tracking your daily activities and paying attention to how much time you spend on them.
Once you recognize which tasks take more time, you can make reasonable time for them and assign them to those moments of the day in which you know you are more productive, whether you are a morning person or a night owl.
Don’t Interrupt Your Progress
It happens to all of us: while working, you may suddenly remember to make a doctor's appointment or to text someone back. Or even a great idea for a different project you’re organizing may come up.
Instead of acting on those thoughts immediately, which could slow down your progress, keep a notebook beside you and write it down whenever a task or idea pops into your head. It won’t be forgotten, and it won’t interrupt your progress.
Avoid Distractions
We're constantly getting distracted and turning our attention to different directions. This task switching makes us more tired and reduces our productivity because we’re unable to really focus on the task at hand.
Devices can make our lives easier, but more often than not they’re incredibly distracting. If you are having problems concentrating, tailor your app notifications to only get pings for important things. You can even mute some notifications to avoid unnecessarily checking your phone.
It Can Be Easier If You Reward Yourself
Some days we just need extra motivation to work. If you decide to reward yourself when you finish a certain task, it can help you work more focused because you add another benefit to completing that item on your to-do list.
By permitting yourself to do something you enjoy after finishing that task that you have been procrastinating for days, you will be more willing to focus and get to work. Allow yourself to watch an episode of your favorite show or go out with a friend for coffee; you won’t regret it.