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20 Awesome Productivity Tricks Anyone Can Use - Part 2 Tricks 11 to 20
Even though we all want to be more productive, it's hard to make major changes. Small changes are easy- and can be incredibly powerful. That's why the following 20 tips are simple enough you can immediately incorporate them into your daily routine. Some tips will help you better use your time. Others will help you harness your energy. Others will help you stay more focused. No matter what, they all work. So try a few - or try them all!-
Actively Schedule Free Time
Free time shouldn't just happen by accident. Free time shouldn't be something you get around to if you get a chance. Plan your free time. Plan activities. Plan fun things to do. Not only will you enjoy the planning - and the anticipation - you'll also actually have more fun. And the happier you are, the more motivated and productive you will be over the long term. Which, of course, is what personal productivity is all about.
Exercise First Thing in the Morning
Exercise is energizing. Exercise will make you healthier. Exercise can make you smarter.
Plus exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours after you work out. So there you go. Work out for 20 minutes first thing. Feel better. Be smarter. Be less stressed. Have a more productive day. Can't beat that.
Eat a Healthy Lunch Every Day
We've all eaten a heavy lunch that seemed to kill the rest of the day. So take a different approach. See lunch as fuel for your afternoon - and as one meal you know will be healthy. Plan to eat a portion of protein that fits in your palm and a couple vegetables or fruits. Make it easy and pack your lunch and then you won't waste time driving to and from a restaurant.
Drink a Lot More Water
It's extremely likely you don't drink enough water. That's too bad, because feeling good sparks motivation and effort.
Plus if you drink water first thing in the morning you'll boost your metabolism. Drink more water throughout the day and you'll be less hungry, feel more energetic, decrease your chances of contracting certain diseases... and you'll have to get up more often to use the restroom which ensures you're more active throughout the day.
Take a Productivity Nap
A quick nap can improve creativity, improve your memory, and improve your ability to stay focused.
Besides that, neurologists tout the learning benefits of mid-day siestas.Silicon Valley companies compete to see who can design the the coolest napping rooms. Napping is not just napping anymore; it's a skill. And it's a skill that can super-charge your productivity. (Here are some great tips for productive napping.)
Make More Time For Your Favorite People
Think about the people you've met recently. Who left you feeling more motivated, more excited, more energetic... who made your life better? Then seek to spend more time with them. Surround yourself with people who can improve your life and your life will naturally improve. Sounds obvious - but is also something we all too often forget.
Count Your Blessings Before Bed
Take a second before you turn out the light. In that moment, quit worrying about what you don't have. Quit worrying about what others have that you don't. Think about what you do have. You have a lot to be thankful for. Feels good, doesn't it? Count your blessings every night and you'll start the next day in a much more positive way.
Use Your Mind For Thinking, Not Remembering
Here's another Getting Things Done tip. Don't clutter your thoughts with mental to-do lists or information you need to remember. Write all those things down. Then you can focus on thinking about how to do things better, how to treat people better, how to make your business better. Don't waste mental energy trying to remember important tasks or ideas. That's what paper is for.
Turn Off Alerts
Your phone buzzes. Your email dings. Chat windows pop up. Every alert sucks away your attention. So turn them off. Go alert-free, and once every hour or so take a few minutes to see what you might have missed. Chances are you'll find out you missed nothing,but in the meantime you will have been much more focused.
Be Inspired By Small Successes
Change is tough. Habits are hard to form. If you want to learn a new skill, don't decide you'll become world-class. The goal is too big, the road too long. Instead decide you'll learn to do one small thing really, really well. Then build on that. Success, even minor success, is motivating and creates an awesome feedback loop that will motivate you to do another small thing really well. One step at a time you might someday become world-class... which, after all, is how that works. Start small, stick with it, and someday your big dream will be a reality.
SOURCE: Jeff Haden | 
