From Chaos To Control : Can Every Day Really Be Productive?

How can EVERY DAY be productive?? I always, (and I mean ALWAYS!) feel like my day is a constant struggle to stay on top of everything! Have you ever been there?

Do you also find yourself overwhelmed and stressed out by the never-ending to-do list? 

It’s time to take better control of our life and stop making every day a fight . 

It is definitely possible to make every day a productive day. The key to accomplish such an outcome is CLARITY. And a solid will to trust and stick to the process until it becomes second-nature. The point is that we all tend to do exactly the opposite!

In this blog post, we’ll explore a clear path to transform our daily chaotic mess into a productive and fulfilling routine. With a little bit of standardization and commitment, we are going to achieve the balance and control we need to make every day a victory, and on our own terms!

Can every day be a productive day?

In today’s fast-paced world, productivity has become a buzzword. We all want to get more done in less time, with the mere result of adding even more chaos in our daily lifestyle…

At wannabethebest.me, we understand completely the importance of time, productivity, balance and value, and we’re committed to share everything we use in our every-day operations to help you too achieve your expectations. 

So, let’s go…

#0 : Practice Mindfulness!

Yes, this is the step #Zero…We have been definitely convinced from years of personal and professional experience that without a healthy and functional mental structure it is simply not possible to build anything efficient and lasting…

Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment. Through the constant practice of mindfulness, you deeply understand stress, manage resources and focus. The increase in productivity will then be a logical by-product.

Start small and simple, but start RIGHT NOW : take a few deep breaths before starting your next task. Repeat in your mind a few times : “This will work just fine. It is not defining me as a person, and I am doing it until the end simply and without adding stress”.

There is definitely a whole lotta more to mindfulness than this basic suggestion. It will be the topic of coming posts, so stay tuned and subscribe to the mailing list to receive any updates promptly!

A Clear Plan

I promise you a precise answer to the question “Can every day be productive?”. But I need your attention and committment.

If you don´t put in the effort to test these ideas for yourself, you are wasting your time here buddy. Loud and clear.

So, let’s get “hands on” and start with a plan. Let’s do it straight away building a simple plan for today :   

Take a few minutes to sit down and write out the goals and tasks you want to be done for the day. Then break those goals down into smaller, actionable steps.

Pay attention to writing no more than 3 steps for every desired outcome (accomplished task) : you want to see advancements today, not in a week from now…

STOP AND DO IT NOW!

Use pen and paper please : This activity will force you to slow down (=reduce anxiety), and by watching your hand writing the plan, your brain bypasses all the other thoughts, calms down and regains clarity.

Yes, it is that simple, even more if you’ve never done it before. 

For example, let’s say your goal is to start a strategy to increase your sales revenue. You might set smaller goals like finding 10 new potential prospects and reaching out to 4 today, or organizing today a specific networking to take place in 7 days from now and then become a regular monthly event (=standardization – You reuse the outcome of your research multiple times, saving time and resources and possibly improving your results tenfold). 

Clarity is king! Clear and measurable goals make you remain focused and motivated much easily, even when the day-to-day chaos threatens to derail your plans.

Prioritize Your Tasks

Can every day be productive with no schedule to direct your focus?

Let´s make good use of the gathered data : Prioritize the results of your brainstorming in order of importance and from there start building your today’s schedule including enough time for each task. 

(You can also easily “guess” how much time is needed for any single activity if you are unsure. The goal here is to learn the concepts related to mindfulness and standardization. And learn them effectively by doing! ☺️)

A popular and time-tested method to use is the Eisenhower Matrix, which categorizes tasks based on their importance and urgency.

Tasks that are both important and urgent should be tackled first, while tasks that are important but not urgent can be scheduled for later. Tasks that are urgent but not important should be delegated to someone else, and tasks that are neither urgent nor important should be eliminated altogether.

Again : At this stage the priority is on cleanliness and order.

The rush of stress and overwhelm we often experience comes from lack of clarity. 

(Poor Overall Vision of the Project + Bad Previous Habits)*(Not Knowing Where to Start + Not Being Able to Choose What’s Next) = Poor Results * Frustration. 

Take a moment to reflect on the above equation.

You invested time and mental resources to come up with a reasonable schedule for today. Your assignment now is to stick to your schedule as closely as possible without making any adjustment throughout the day (do not cheat, trust the process, in your own interest…).

Focus on One Task at a Time

When going through your daily schedule, Multitasking is often seen as a “badge of honor”.

But in reality, it hinders productivity. When you try to focus on multiple tasks at once, your brain has to constantly switch gears and recall, which is mentally exhausting for everyone.

(And by the way This is a common reason why we all feel “powerless” and always with low levels of energy…sign of the times?)

Be smarter, focus on one task at a time, and give it your full attention. This allows you to work more efficiently and effectively. 

As a bonus you’ll find that you complete tasks faster when you’re fully engaged, and that is absolutely normal, my friend! 👏

Create a Routine

Your daily routine is the witness that you are staying on track and minimizing distractions. 

It is the freeway to build good habits and eliminates unnecessary, repeated decision-making. Conserve your mental energy for the tasks that really matter.

But be a Human! When creating your routine, be sure to schedule time for breaks and self-care activities. If you “recharge your batteries” you will to minimize any bad reaction of your physiology, that will try from time to time to demand attention by sabotaging your efforts in subtle ways…

Eliminate Distractions

Whether it’s email notifications, social media, coworkers popping by your desk, or simply fatigue and bad mood, distractions can hinder your focus and make it difficult to accomplish your objectives.

The answer is, once again, in the strategy :  schedule specific times to check your email and social media, or just to allow you a quick break.

But before that, again our mantra “cleanliness and order” :

Create a dedicated workspace that is free from distractions. Turn off your phone notifications, close unnecessary tabs on your computer…and gently set boundaries with co-workers!! 😃

Another additional option is to use apps like Freedom or Self Control to block distracting issues during work hours.

If you want to read more about eliminating distractions, follow the link for an article with further insights on the subject.

Take Breaks

Man, this is so underrated!! (believe me, I know well!! 😂)

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of working non-stop, believing it is going to help us get more things done when in true reality taking breaks is essential for maintaining productivity. 

Here is a YouTube Video I made exactly on the subject of practical ways to improve your productivity starting right now…

Studies have shown that taking regular breaks actually improves focus and productivity. The truth is that taking breaks is the way to assure endurance to your performance. And by endurance and consistency you are going to obtain way more results than by short-time, brute-force strategies alone.

So include in your schedule short breaks throughout your day, and use that time to recharge your batteries. Go for a walk, stretch, or do some deep breathing exercises to clear your mind and come back to your work with renewed energy.

You can learn a more specific technique to arrange your Time Chunks in this particular article

Learn to Say No

Saying yes to every request that comes your way is unfortunately a recipe for disaster. You’ll quickly become overcommitted and overwhelmed, and your personal productivity will be left behind as a result.

How can every day be productive if you are constantly overwhelmed? Again, this has to do with prioritizing your tasks and commitments.

Allow yourself to say no to requests that don’t align with your currently planned activities.

Use Time Management Tools

There are countless time management tools available that can assist you stay on track and manage your workload. 

Here are some examples :

• Trello : “Trello is the visual tool that empowers your team to manage any type of project, workflow, or task tracking” (direct infos from their website!! 😄).
• RescueTime : A time tracking tool that works as a coach and identify how you’re spending your time, helping designing areas for improvement.
• Forest : An app that uses gamification to help you stay focused and avoid distractions. It also devolves real money to plant real trees!!

By learning to streamline your workflow, you learn what works from the results provided. These reliable data are the “flesh” to reliable results, and consequently to reliable and successful habits.

Evaluate and Adjust

Ahh, finally my favorite!! How can every day be productive without a control system in place?

it’s absolutely mandatory to regularly measure, evaluate your productivity and make adjustments as necessary. Take some time each week to review your progress and identify areas for improvement. 

Now, and only now you are allowed to make adjustments to your schedule or habits accordingly.

Here is the second part of my YouTube Video in which I go deeper in the nuts and bolts of measuring your results.

Regularly measuring and evaluating means adjusting your productivity based on data.

Let yourself continually improve and achieve even greater success.

Conclusion

Taking control of your day and making every day productive is within your reach. 

Can every day be productive? Consistent productivity is achievable and it CAN become a habit, even in the midst of daily chaos.

And this is achieved through strategies rather than discipline.

By setting clear goals, prioritizing your tasks, creating a routine, you provide clarity and a defined path where to employ your best resources.

Give yourself the gift to transform your chaotic days into a well-planned and fulfilling routine. 

In this article we went deeply into the strategies, now it is your turn to put them into results.

Start today, you will quickly see the difference for yourself.