On average, a person takes between 5,000 to 6,000 steps a day, according to a recent study reported by the National Institute of Health. So how can you get the most productivity out of those steps?
Map out your weekly to-do’s
Assign the best days and times to accomplish certain tasks. What time of day you are most productive? This starts you on the path to a predictable routine making it more likely for you to complete those tasks.
Don’t overestimate what you can do in one day. If possible, spread out your to-do’s evenly over the week to avoid overloading your schedule and combine certain tasks or errands together by location or type.
Map out your day
Take a few minutes each morning to “walk through” your plans for the day. I do this before I get out of bed, while I’m giving the dog a morning walk or even in the shower. It gives me a big picture of what my day will entail. Just as you wouldn’t go somewhere new without a map or GPS, give yourself a preview of where you are going each new day.
Prioritize your to-do list by things you “have to do” vs. “like to do.” Then plan your day so you can accomplish all of your have-to’s.
Are there any errands that you can combine or delegate to someone else?
Use Time Blocking. Divide your day into specific time blocks, each dedicated to a particular task or activity. You plan out your schedule in advance and then allocate fixed time slots for the different tasks on your to-do list.
Try Theme Blocking. Assign specific themes or categories to different blocks of time. For example, you might decide that mornings are for creative work or writing, afternoons for meetings, and evenings for reading.
Combine Tasks
Multitask. Try to accomplish 2-3 tasks on the same trip, whether you are at home, work or running errands. For example, while you are waiting for something to heat up in the microwave, challenge yourself to finish a task or two before the timer goes off. Make it fun!
Make every step count. If you are going upstairs, take along something that belongs upstairs and save an extra trip. Likewise, when you are going downstairs, gather things to take down with you.
Stay on Task
This can be challenging with cell phones and social media constantly competing for our attention. Rather than trying to reply to every text or email message when as it comes in, focus on your current task or project and then set aside a few minutes each hour to reply to all of them at once. You’ll gain more focus and increase your productivity.
Realistically, we can never “gain” time, but we can be more productive with the time we have. By taking a few minutes each morning or each night to plan your day, you can put yourself on a better path to boost your productivity.
Happy Organizing!
Kay