How To Be Productive – 10 Tips That Work For Everyone

This is the only productivity guide you’ll ever need to start getting things done in less time, and actually enjoy doing it. Read on!

I used to be those people who thought being busy meant being productive.

I was always rushing around, juggling a million things at once, and somehow still feeling like nothing was getting done (because it wasn’t).

It took a long time to realize that productivity isn’t about cramming your schedule with stuff. Nope!

Real productivity means working smart instead of hard.

It means getting more done without being stressed, and still having enough time for your hobbies, your people, and all the things you love.

After years of trial and error, and some spectacular failures, I’ve discovered some amazing productivity tips that will work for pretty much everyone.

In this post, I am sharing 10 of those with you so that you can make your life less chaotic and more flowy and fun (which is the whole point of being productive, believe it or not).

But first, pin this post to save it for your future self!

Let’s see what it takes to be truly productive (without tiring yourself out):

10 Smart Ways To Be More Productive

1. Design A Morning Routine That Actually Works

You need a good, sustainable morning routine because that’s the only way to start your day right!

How on earth can you be productive during the day if your mornings are crazy, unfocused, or lazy? You just can’t.

Now, a lot of people talk about morning routines, but only a few are about to get them right.

I’m not going to tell you to wake up at 5am and meditate for an hour. But I am going to ask you to create a simple morning sequence that can get you on your feet.

Here are some ideas:

• Brush your teeth, do your skincare, and take a shower if needed
• Do light stretching to get your body and mind up
• Spend at least 10 minutes drinking your coffee
• Plan your top three priorities for the day
• Have a good breakfast that you make yourself

No need to aim for a perfect TikTok morning routine. Just pick 3-4 morning habits and do them every day without fail.

Once those become automatic, you can always add more if you want to.

But just stick to a morning routine that energizes you, no matter how simple it is, and that’s how you take your first step toward being a productive person.

2. Master The Art Of Planning Ahead

You don’t need to plan every minute of your life, but having a clear idea of what you want to accomplish in a day, a week, or a month makes everything very simple.

If you want to plan things daily, then use a simple planner every morning to block your hours with tasks and to set your priorities.

This is great for people who love the satisfaction of physically crossing things off (I think that makes all of us).

I have a free planner on the blog that my regular readers love a lot. You might want to grab it before reading on.

You can also do a weekly planning session every Sunday.

Spend around 10 minutes looking at the week ahead and jotting down your main goals, important deadlines, and tasks for every day of the week.

Digital calendars (like Google Calendars) are fantastic for this. You can set reminders for important tasks and block out time for your biggest priorities.

Whatever system works for you, just try planning things ahead of time, to whatever level you’re comfortable with.

When you know what you’re supposed to be doing, you spend way less mental energy figuring out what to do next.

It really helps you stay focused on what matters most and not worry about things that are not even on your agenda or are way down on your list.

3. Try My ‘Intention Setting’ Method

This tip might sound a little woo-woo, but stay with me because it’s actually very practical.

Before you start any task, just take 10 seconds to write down what you’re about to do, why you gotta do it, and roughly how long you think it’ll take.

Something like:

• Responding to client emails — because I need to — 20 minutes
• Organizing my desk drawer — to clean things up — 15 minutes
• Workout — gotta stay strong, in shape, and healthy — 30 minutes

This is what you call intention setting. A micro habit that can be game-changing when done right.

I keep a small notepad just for this purpose. I just make quick scribbles before starting a task that I cross out when I’m done.

This habit forces you to be intentional about what you’re doing instead of just wandering aimlessly from task to task.

It also helps you get realistic about time estimates, which most of us are terrible at.

Takes almost no effort but makes a huge difference in keeping you focused and accountable.

4. Try The Pomodoro Technique

This is hands down one of my favorite productivity methods, and I use it almost daily.

The Pomodoro Technique is beautifully simple: work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break, and repeat this cycle throughout your day.

What I love about it is how it narrows everything down to just 25 minutes. Even the most overwhelming task feels manageable when you only have to focus on it for 25 minutes.

I set a timer on my phone and commit to staying completely focused during those 25 minutes.

No checking social media, no getting distracted by random thoughts. Just pure concentration on whatever I’m working on.

When the timer goes off, I actually take that 5-minute break. Sometimes I’ll stretch, grab some water, or just stare out the window for a bit.

After four pomodoros (that’s four 25-minute sessions), you take a longer 15-30 minute break.

The beauty is that you often end up getting way more done than you expected because you’re working with such focused intensity, even if it’s just for short bursts.

Highly, highly recommend this to anyone who has trouble staying focused or getting their work done.

5. Think In Small Steps Only

Before we do anything, we think about it.

And how we think about our tasks and our day in our head makes a lot of difference to our approach and our energy.

If you look at a task as a whole, then there’s a chance of overwhelming yourself, procrastinating, or quitting even before you get started.

That’s why you should always think about your tasks in small steps.

Instead of thinking about cleaning the entire house, first think about cleaning the kitchen only.

Instead of thinking about writing the whole report, you can think about drafting the introduction section first, and then think about the main content.

When you break things down like this, you make your tasks more manageable and also give yourself more opportunities to feel accomplished throughout the day.

Every small step feels like a little win and keeps your motivation high.

I’ve found that once I start with a small step, I often end up doing more than I originally planned because the momentum carries me forward.

But even if I only do that one small thing, I still feel good about making progress instead of feeling guilty about what I didn’t accomplish.

6. Protect Your Energy With Strategic Breaks

People often think that taking breaks is lazy or counterproductive. But strategic rest is one of the most productive things you can do!

Your brain needs downtime to process information, come up with creative solutions, and recharge for the next round of focused work.

I’m talking about real breaks, here, okay? Not just switching from work email to personal email. Or scrolling social media. Nope!

A real break means stepping away from your workspace and going for a short walk, chatting with a friend, or just sitting quietly for a few minutes.

Maybe you eat a fruit while staring out the window (I love doing this), or sip green tea while reading a chapter of a book.

Apart from breaks during the day, weekend rest is important too.

Give yourself time to completely disconnect from work mode so you can come back on Monday feeling refreshed instead of already burned out.

Always remind yourself that you’re not a machine, and trying to operate like one will only lead to worse performance in the long run.

7. Create A Space That Inspires You

Your environment has a bigger impact on your productivity than you might realize.

I’m not saying you need to completely redecorate your room or your office, but just make small improvements to make things better and cozier.

Good lighting is huge. If you’re straining to see or working in dim light, you’re going to feel tired faster. So, fix your lighting first.

A comfortable chair matters too, especially if you’re spending long hours at your desk. If your chair isn’t comfortable right now, look for a better option and get it when your budget allows.

And add something that makes you happy, like a plant or some artwork. You can also just organize your supplies in a way that feels good.

Create a space where you actually want to spend time and that helps you feel focused and motivated.

Even small changes like clearing clutter or adding a nice-smelling candle can shift your whole mindset about work.

8. Tame Your Digital Distractions

This isn’t a happy reveal, I know, but I must remind you that your phone is your biggest productivity enemy.

Those constant notifications are like having someone tap you on the shoulder every few minutes, asking for your attention.

So, please, for the love of all things productive, stop letting your digital life distract your real life.

Turn off notifications for everything except truly urgent contacts.

Do you really need to know immediately when someone posts a new photo? No, you don’t. So, resist, and persist.

If you need to, then put your phone on a desk during focused work time. Out of sight, out of mind.

If you work on a computer, consider using website blockers during work hours to keep yourself from falling down social media rabbit holes.

I am not telling you to become a digital hermit. Just be intentional about when and how you engage with technology so it serves you instead of controlling you.

9. Do Some Prepping Every Night

The secret to productive mornings often lies in what you do the night before.

Spend 5-10 minutes before bed preparing for the next day, so that the next day arrives smoothly and stress-free.

Lay out your clothes, prepare your lunch, set up your coffee maker, and do whatever small things you can do to eliminate decision fatigue the next day.

I also like to quickly review my schedule for the next day and make sure I have everything I need ready to go.

This will help you remove obstacles from your morning routine so you can start your day feeling prepared instead of scattered.

When you wake up to a day that’s already partially organized, you begin with a sense of control and momentum that carries through everything else.

10. Use The Two-Minute Rule

If something takes less than two minutes to do, just do it immediately instead of adding it to your to-do list.

Reply to that quick text, file that document, make that short phone call, and just get it done.

This will prevent small tasks from piling up into a mountain for you.

Also, it will help you get these little hits of accomplishment throughout the day that keep your energy up.

But make sure you’re being honest about the time estimate. If something will actually take 10 minutes, don’t convince yourself it’s a two-minute task.

You don’t want to end up procrastinating other more important tasks, okay?

But if it’s genuinely a quick task, then stop putting it off and handle it in the moment. You’ll thank me for this one, I can assure you.

Make Productivity Work For Your Real Life

Real productivity is all about finding systems that make your life easier and less stressful, and I think the tips in this post will help you do just that.

Start with one or two of these strategies, whichever seems the most you.

Build a simple daily routine, start working in focused time blocks, and try planning your hours or days ahead of time.

Create a workspace that feels good to be in, protect your downtime, and don’t let digital distractions run your life.

These methods have genuinely made my life better, not just more efficient. I hope they do the same for you.

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What productivity challenge are you struggling with most right now? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below, so pour it out before you leave.