You’ve probably heard the word “productivity” floating around at your job and on social media.

While everyone seems to agree that being productive is a good thing, there isn’t always much consensus on it. To be more productive means getting more things done in a given amount of time, but how do you do this?

Here are seven ways you can take to get more done:

1.     Make Lists

The first step to becoming more productive is to make a list of everything you want to accomplish.

Write down everything on your mind, then order the list based on what needs immediate attention and what can be done later.

The second step is to cross off each item as you complete it. It will give you a sense of accomplishment, increase motivation and keep you organized throughout the day.

2.   Plan Your Day

Planning is the key to productivity. A plan gives you a clear direction, and it helps you make optimal use of your time.

Scheduling your day is important. You can create your plan at the end of the previous day or the morning before starting your workday.

Either way, spend enough time writing down everything you want to do during the day.

If you’re not familiar with certain tasks, then track how long they take when you do them over several days or weeks.

Once you know how much work belongs in each block of time, it’s easier to stay on track and get everything done on schedule, even if something unexpected occurs during the day.

3.  Set Goals

Setting and achieving goals is one of the most important things you can do. Why?

In a chaotic world, it gives you a sense of purpose and meaning. When we don’t have goals, we drift through life, accomplishing nothing but getting older.

Setting goals is the easy part—the real challenge is making sure that our goals fit into our lives and are achievable, which brings us to our first point:

4. Stay Away from Distractions

In the digital age, telephone calls from your job are a thing of the past. It can be a blessing and (more often than not) an annoyance for many people.

Yet one way to avoid getting distracted is to know how to use the tools available to you. Here are some tips that we’ve found work well:

Make sure your computer screen is at eye level; it’s much harder to look down at a screen too far away.

Also, when you’re done with something on your computer, turn off all sounds on the computer, so you don’t have any distractions while working.

5.  Put the Phone Down

When using your phone, do you look around and notice how much time people spend glued to their devices?

The answer is probably not. But when you aren’t on your phone, it is astounding how many people are focused on them.

So much so that it seems like that is all they do. It leads to a lot of wasted time. So, consider putting down your phone while doing your tasks.

6.  Cut the Useless Stuff Out of Your Life

You have a finite amount of time here on Earth, and when all is said and done, you’ll probably wish that you hadn’t spent so much of it on useless things like social media scrolling or random administrative tasks.

7.   Take Breaks

You may think that taking breaks will hinder your productivity, but the opposite is true.

Taking small breaks throughout the day can give you a jolt of energy and increase your overall work performance while preventing you from burning out.

A good rule of thumb is to take a break every 45-60 minutes. If you prefer, you can walk around the office, call a friend or family member, or eat a snack or drink something.

Anything that gives your mind and body some time off from work can help keep you energized and productive for longer days.

Verdict: You Can Do This!

There’s a lot to take in here, but these seven tips can help you become more productive. Remember: you can do this!

Think of the benefits of becoming more productive and all the things you could accomplish if you were more productive.

If you try these techniques, you will be more productive, and your life will be improved.