The Two Most Effective Ways to Increase Your Productivity

Many people, including you and me, see that increasing productivity is akin to finding the Holy Grail. Why has upping productivity taken on such mythical proportions? 

Simply put, increasing productivity means increasing earning potential. If you’re a business owner who provides any type of service, taking steps to increase your ability to deliver the service in less time.  This will surely allow you to take on more clients and earn more money.

Likewise, if you sell a product, finding a way to make or deliver that product faster will enable you to serve more customers.  Again, the chances of making more money.

When you find techniques to do the same thing in less time, you’re being more efficient and productive. Clearly, efficiency and productivity go hand in hand. 

Undoubtedly, the more efficient you can make the process of completing any task, the more productive you’ll be. 

Use these strategies to increase your efficiency so you can be more productive:

1. Create a prioritized schedule for your work. Almost everyone has some type of system for creating and editing the classic “to-do” list. You can either use a post-it note or a Microsoft Word file. These lists are sometimes a hodgepodge of ideas and tasks that need to be completed in the future and not-so-distant future.

• There is nothing wrong with maintaining a to-do list.  In fact, it can make the difference between getting stuff done and going crazy trying to keep everything organized in your head. Still, the typical to-do list leaves much to be desired.
• Unlike a conventional to-do list, having a prioritized schedule takes things a step further.  It allows you to increase efficiency and productivity.
• The reason?  Prioritizing all of the tasks that you have in front of you while keeping track of a longer-term picture of your schedule for weeks to come, will allow you to really figure out what is the most important thing that needs to be done right now.
• For example, you are creating a prioritized schedule and realize that you have a best friend’s wedding in two months.  You’ll be able to bump getting a dress or tux way down the list, while still making sure to place it somewhere on your schedule. 
• A prioritized schedule essentially puts things into perspective.  This allows one to figure out what truly needs to get done at this very moment and focus on that.

1. Seek out and accept specialized help.  Collaboration greatly helps.  Whether you run your own business or are a stay-at-home mom or dad, it will save you lots of time and energy at the start if you’re open to collaborating with others.

• Bill Gates may be quite capable of developing all of the new programs needed to advance IBM as a company.  At the same time, he is also working with prospective clients in addition to handling customer service and PR. However, Mr. Gates and most other successful individuals would never be caught doing this.
• No matter how much you can do by yourself, your resources are finitely limited.  The one single factor that trumps all others… TIME.
• Rather than spend 8 hours a day answering phone calls, working on new products, shopping for groceries, and cutting your own hair, choose one or two tasks at first.  It may be a more productive use of your time.  First, zero in on the most important things that give you the most results for the amount of energy that you put into them.
• If developing a new product will eventually double the size of your business by being able to cater to an additional market or consumer demographic, then this is time well spent.

Paying someone else to answer phones might be essential.  This will free up your time.  Devote this saved time towards projects that will give you more returns for your time invested. Combining this strategy with using a prioritized schedule will enable you to focus on what’s most important for you and get it done. Believe that your productivity will soar!