When thinking of the ways to be more productive, we often jump to larger actions and drastic New Year’s resolutions. But the path to making your day more productive can begin with taking a break – assessing what’s happening so you can truly focus.

We all want to increase productivity at work. Whether you’re running your own business or working for a company, optimizing your time is key. But if we’ve learned one thing from the last few years, it’s that burnout is real. The pandemic birthed an emphasis on mental health, making it easier to discuss our self-care needs.

Trends like mindfulness emerged alongside increased virtual meetings, and we juggled home management and childcare with masks and curbside pickups. We put a lot of projects on the back burner.

Now it’s a new year, and we want to return to productivity – but how? By learning from the turbulence of the past, we can create new habits to avoid just being busy and start making real progress on our work.

5 Ways to Boost Productivity

1. Take a moment each day to sit in stillness, center your thoughts, and obtain mental clarity. This is a great practice for the mornings, and you can start with just five minutes. If you know what you want to accomplish, set your intentions to see results.
2. Write down your goals for the day, week, and year. Map out your plan on a dry erase board, then create an ongoing to-do list with priorities. Look at your list at the beginning of each workday and choose two or three items to complete. Moving thoughts from headspace to paper or even an app like Asana helps alleviate anxiety. You’ll probably enjoy better sleep as a bonus, since you aren’t fixated on upcoming tasks.
3. Plan your detailed schedule for the week. For example, if you want to exercise, put it in your calendar for a specific time and date. Treat it as an important event that you cannot cancel.
4. Create a dedicated workspace either at home or in your office. Leave the kitchen table behind and find a spot that with a clean work surface and an ergonomic chair (or no chair, if you prefer to stand). It doesn’t have to be big; it just needs to be quiet and comfortable. Most importantly, it should only be for working. Need a workspace in Asheville? We can help!
5. Find a productivity buddy. It’s important for accountability and inspiration. Pair up with someone you value and trust and schedule regular calls to discuss goals, action steps, and results. Add in a couple of venting sessions – calls where you don’t have an agenda, but just need to talk. Those may lead to some real positive changes or results.

Tailor these ways to be more productive to you personally. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. If you’re getting enough rest and paying attention to your work-life balance, the time you do spend working will be more productive and valuable in the long run.