How to be More Productive

I dream of the day when my to-do list is complete, my email box empty, and laundry is all done at the same time.

How to Use Time Management Tips to Get More Done

There are days when I get 99% of the way there. I tell myself, yes; I have my life figured out. Then the dog gets sick, the kids' schedules change or an emergency pops up at work, and it can feel like everything falls apart.

Friend, I want to share a secret. No matter how organized you are, how prepared you are, how productive you are, there will always be one more task, or something unexpected will arise. With these four productivity tips, you can learn how to control your time and task list.

"Focus on being productive instead of busy." Tim Ferriss

So if you are striving for perfection, permit yourself to change the goal, aim for progress,

happiness, or enjoyment.

I have built my career on making companies and my life as efficient and effective as possible. I need to share that there will still be days when my task list goes uncompleted, or the laundry needs to wait until the next day. Life will happen. Little ones will need cuddles, a friend may need your support, or you may need to rest. So wherever you are on your journey, there is no space for blaming or shaming yourself.

I believe that if something feels hard, uncomfortable, or stressful we are blessed to be able to identify the problem and find a solution. These productivity tips will help calm the chaos.

"You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action." Tony Robbins

4 Productivity Tips to Take Control of Your Time

1. Delete - I start here because this is the easiest way to create time and space in your life. When you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, I encourage you to take an inventory of your days for at least a week. Keep a log of what you are doing and how long it takes. Start with when you get up until the time you go to bed. What tasks are you doing that brings you no value? For example, watching too much tv, mindlessly scrolling social media, "busy" job may make you feel good but do not bring you closer to your daily, weekly, or monthly goals. If the task does not bring you joy or has no purpose, get rid of it. For clarification, I hate cleaning my bathtub but I love a clean house, so that task stays on my list. I love binge watching tv, but I end up staying up late and waking up tired, so that gets taken off my list and moved to a select splurge list reserved for a particular time.

2. Automate - Take a look at what can be automated. For example, my companies, client reminders, invoices, and social media posts are a few tasks that are automated. At home, bills and essential home supplies are automated.

3. Create a Routine - What cannot be deleted or automated can be structured into a routine. A routine is magical. A series of tasks are put into an order that allows you to move around efficiently. You want to look at what order, time, and methods will allow you to perform your job faster. Since you achieve the same task the same way every day you use less brainpower, which saves you energy. For example, in my morning. Check out my cleaning routine

4. Delegate / Outsource - What's left on your list? Who can help? Your spouse, the kids (yes they can do more then you think) or what about hiring someone to help. From housecleaners, gardeners, instacart to a personal VA.

“I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” Oprah Winfrey

We dream of being more and doing more. Life is not about staying busy but about spending our time in the areas that bring us the most value. My hope is that I armed you with these productivity tips that will lighten your load and give you time to work on your dreams or have some time to take care of yourself.

Look at your list. What changes can you make every day to be 1% more productive? 1% a day or even a week may not seem like a lot, but the compound time saved over the long run makes a significant impact.

Stay brave, stay curious, and stay real.

Xoxo Sabline

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