How To Be More Productive (Free Printable Planner)

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This post may contain affiliate links. You can view my full disclosure here. Life can be hectic. So many of us have responsibilities such as full-time jobs, spouses, kids, pets, family, friends, household responsibilities, side-hustles, and more – or all of the above!

With tons of stuff to get done and only so much time, it’s safe to say that we could all use some tips to help us be more productive and tricks to help us save time. That’s why today I thought I’d share some of my favorite productivity tips with y’all.

Here’s how to be more productive, manage your time better, and get more done every single day!

• Block out distractions

It’s probably one of the simplest tips, but it’s still helpful – and often overlooked! When you have things competing for your attention, you obviously won’t get as much done. So try to get a babysitter, turn off the TV, log out of social media, silence your cell phone, ignore your inbox, and do whatever else you need to do to block out any distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.

• Work in time blocks

Time blocking is a certain way of scheduling your time to make sure you don’t get so distracted or overwhelmed by tasks. If you aren’t scheduling your time, you have a much higher chance of multitasking, getting off-focus by doing whatever you “feel like” doing and having a much lower productivity level. The basic idea of time blocking is that you work in “blocks” or amounts of time, such as 30 minutes per task. For example, 30 minutes of replying to emails, 30 minutes of writing blog posts, 30 minutes of taking photos, etc.

• Prioritize your to-do’s

Figure out your 3 most important tasks and only focus on them. Plan out what your most important tasks are the night before so you’re prepared to focus on what NEEDS to be done. You’ll be less likely to work on unimportant, time-consuming tasks and you’ll be more likely to get your must-do’s done. When you get the important things out of the way, you’ll be less stressed, and then you can start on the less important things.

• Make sure you take breaks

I know that when I’m working hard for too long, I’m way more prone to losing my focus and falling victim to distractions. And when I lose my focus, it’s harder to get it back. One thing that helps me with this is scheduling “break times” throughout the day. One thing that’s great for clearing my mind, getting more focused, helping me relax, and keeping me motivated to get things done is going for a walk. Use your break time for something positive and helpful – but still fun!

• Wake up (or start work) earlier

We all have the same 24 hours in a day minus the time that we’re sleeping. So common sense tells us that if you start working earlier, you’ll get more done. Waking up or getting started an hour earlier each day can give you a full work week of extra hours per month!

• Try batching your tasks

Batching your tasks is one of the most helpful things for me when it comes to getting more done! Batch one activity together, and get as much of it done as you can. For example, I usually batch my blog posts. I spend a lot of time writing multiple posts and it helps me get more written. Once I get “in the zone” and motivated to keep writing. It also frees me up from having to write posts more than one day a week, so I have time for other things.

• Make yourself energized and happy

Do something that lifts your spirits and energizes you. It could be listening to your favorite song, doing a quick workout, reading positive quotes, meditating, drinking ALL the coffee, or something else. Whatever you do, getting energized and putting yourself in a good mood is a definite way to motivate yourself to get to work and get more stuff done.

• Create a solid routine

I’m a person who loves routines. Not only do they make things easier on you mentally, but they help you be more productive as well. Before I had a routine, I would be frazzled, tired, and pretty unproductive. But a routine helps you streamline your tasks, wake up faster, and helps you to become way more productive.

• Plan out your day ahead of time

Planners are THE BEST. If you don’t use a planner, investing in one will be a game-changer for you! Without a game plan, multitasking and chaos can quickly ensue. A planner helps you keep focused on your goals, know what you need to get done, and you’ll definitely be more productive with one. Here is a great 18-month planner that I personally recommend. Write out your to-do list, important things to remember, your goals, etc. And if you’d like a FREE printable planner, I have one for you! 😉 Click the image below to sign up for my newsletter. You’ll get a free planner + tons of other freebies I’ve created for you!