I’m a huge productivity nerd. As a full time grad student, college athlete, business owner, and young adult figuring out life, I NEED to be fantastic at time management. After years of having a completely full schedule and countless things needing to be done all the time, I’ve crafted a way of life that maximizes my time, energy, and output. I’ve become obsessed with being as efficient as possible in every part of my life. Today I’m sharing with you some of my best tips for productivity and efficiency. Let’s dive right in!

Build Your Ideal Environment

We are naturally more productive when we’re in an environment that is conducive to working. Here are a few tips I’ve found from research and practice:

– Natural light leads to less fatigue, less strain on the eyes and brain, better sleep, and higher levels of happiness. Sit near a window or in a room with a lot of natural light

– A cluttered space leads to distractions and a sense of pressure. If you have a clean desk, you will feel better about working and will be less distracted by the objects or the need to clean them

– Quite or the low hum of natural noise is best for working for most people. You’ll be lose focus if you’re constantly being distracted by construction, roommates, or movement

– Sit straight up or stand at a desk. Don’t lie down on your bed or a couch. If you work in a relaxed position your body is being tricked into think it’s bed time and you’ll have a harder time focusing. It’s ok to sit switch between the couch and the chair to keep your body active

Try to build this ideal working environment at home or at work if you can. If not, I enjoy going to my local coffee shops or bakeries. It’s a great place to get a treat, some wifi, and the inspiration to be active.

Prioritize

One of the best things you can do for your productivity is to set priorities. What needs to get done today? What can wait?

I used to be overwhelmed by all the things I could be doing. There were a thousand projects big and small that I could do, and they were written everywhere: on sticky notes, in Google Docs, in notepads, and on my phone. I would get stressed out by the possibilities, and escape by checking my email or doing small meaningless tasks every day. I never felt like I got anything done, and I didn’t.

The best thing I did was put all of these projects and ideas into one Google Doc, then chose which ones I would like to do this week, this month, and this year. I set the rest under ideas. The ones that would make the biggest impact on my business right now and could be done easily or quickly were highlighted.

I bought a paper planner and wrote down the top 3 things I wanted to get done the next day. I pulled these tasks directly from the projects I wanted to get done first. When I woke up the next morning, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I didn’t have to sit and think or scroll through pages of ideas. I didn’t need to wait for an email to distract me. Instead, I just did those three big tasks that had immediate effect on my business. I finished before lunch.

I do this every day. When I finish today’s tasks, I think about what I want to do tomorrow and write it down. I write down 3-5 tasks that will make the biggest impact on my business. As I finish each one I cross it off and the satisfaction is enough motivation to keep me going to the next. I check my email when I’ve finished all the tasks and do any daily upkeep for my business. When I’ve finished that, I’m done for the day. Some days I work until noon and other days I work until dinner or beyond. It depends on what I want to get done.

With this tactic I finished almost every single project on that master list within a few months and my business flourished. I got more done that I ever thought possible, just by prioritizing and planning my tasks one day ahead.

Batch Work

Multitasking is a myth that needs to be busted RIGHT NOW. You may think you can answer emails while listening to a podcast while working on a project, but you cannot. What’s actually happening is you are rapidly task-switching and giving a few seconds of your thinking to each task. This seriously slows you down and throws your productivity and motivation out the window.

Google “multitasking on the brain” and you’ll see hundreds of studies about how terrible it is. So why do we still do it?

Multitasking is the same to me as distractions. When we’re working on a task and are distracted by something, even for a moment, it can take up to 20 MINUTES to fully get back into that same workflow. We’re thinking about that distraction and won’t let it go. The most common distractions are our phone notifications, email notifications, or outside distractions like people or movement.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, when we get into a flow of work we can be extremely productive. We get so much more done in less time and it feels easier to us. Would you rather do a task in 20 minutes or an hour?

Here are my best tips for avoiding multitasking and getting into a great flow of work:

– Turn your phone upside down, way out of reach, in another room, or on silent

– Turn the TV off. I know it’s nice, but you’re only half working if you’re half watching TV

– Close out all the other tabs on your computer and only focus on the ones you’re working on. If you’re like me and love having a thousand tabs open at once, this will take some getting used to, but will greatly help

– BATCH WORK!! This is my favorite tip for getting the most done out of your day. If you’re a photographer, we can bounce between answering emails, prepping client material, editing, working on our websites, and more. Instead of getting yourself into the mindset of each of these tasks, do the same task over and over again so you don’t have to reset. Do all your editing on the same day. Do all your blog writing on the same day. The less you have to think about the upcoming task, the easier it will be for you to get into a flow state

Align Activities

There are exceptions to what we consider multitasking. This is called alignment. This is when you can do two activities at the same time and you can actually focus on both well. Here are a few examples:

– Driving and listening to a podcast

– Cooking dinner and watching a YouTube video

– Walking and talking on the phone with clients

– Cleaning and creating voice memos

This kind of multitasking is good for people like me who can’t sit still. I can’t sit on the couch while listening to a podcast, I need to be doing something or I’ll zone out. Find times when you can align two activities that will maximize your time.

Take Breaks

To get the most out of your work day, you need to give your brain a break. After I complete each of my 3 tasks I’ve planned out, I get up from my chair and do three things: drink water, get a snack, and do an exercise (go on a 10 minute walk, do 8 minute abs, meditate, stretch, squats, etc.). I also try to leave my phone behind so I minimize my screen time and give my eyes and brain a break.

You may have to set timers for you to go by. For example, set a 20 minute timer and do as much work as you can in that time. When it’s finished, set another timer for 5 minutes and take care of your body before you allow yourself to go back to work. Although it may seem like you’re wasting a lot of time, you’re actually saving it. When your brain and body are well rested and cared for, they work a lot better and you’re left as a happier and more productive person.

Learn When You’re Motivated

If you know you’re a morning person, work in the morning. Do you work best outside? Work outside. If you know you get your best inspiration after you’ve just gone on a run, go on that run. It’s not hard. Figure out when you’re most motivated and energized and do your most important work then.

For example, I do my best work just before lunch time. That means I allow myself to have a slow morning that gets me ready physically and mentally to work, then I do my most important tasks first right before lunch. After I’ve rewarded myself with food, I go back and do my less important tasks. Although it isn’t always possible, try to schedule around your best work times and you’ll see the improvement.

I hope these tips will help you become a little more productive in your life and business. I don’t do all of these tips every day, so don’t be so hard on yourself if you can’t do them all. There are days where I feel super productive and other days where I want to do nothing. With the help of these tips I can usually get back on track, but other days I just allow myself to rest. We work best when we’re happy and healthy, so take care of yourself and your brain will reward you!

If you’d like more tips like this, check out the rest of my photographer education!

Like these tips? Tell me which one you’re going to try out by DMing me on Instagram! I share about my tips often on there!

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